Here's an article they were probably citing tonight during the game:
Something else significant about this World Series
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (10/22/2008 @ 2:24 pm)
Bill Shaikin of the
Los Angeles Times has pointed out that the
presence of black players in this year’s World Series will hopefully inspire future generations of African Americans to pick up the game.
For all the millions baseball has poured into reviving its sport in the inner cities of America, into trying to reclaim a place alongside football and basketball in popularity among young African Americans, the World Series has sent an entirely different message.
That changes tonight, when Rollins and the Philadelphia Phillies open the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the 2005 Series, the Houston Astros had no black players. The Colorado Rockies last year had one, an obscure relief pitcher.
But this year, the competing teams both feature African American stars, to the delight of the players involved and to the officials charged with luring black youth back to the baseball diamond.
“It’s got to be huge, just to see these faces on TV,” Tampa Bay pitcher David Price said, “so young African Americans can relate and see something to shoot for.”
Blacks accounted for 8.2% of major league players last season, according to a diversity study by the University of Central Florida, the lowest annual percentage since the study began in 1990.
Growing up, I remember admiring guys like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas, Kirby Puckett, and Ozzie Smith. There are still many great African Americans in the game, but the sport has become a cultural blend of talent, rather than a stage for only one or two ethnicities. Still, it’s startling how rapidly baseball’s popularity has decreased amongst African Americans, as they are more likely to play football or basketball.
On a broader scale, we’ve seen the same thing happening with American males and tennis. Kids want to relate to the athletes they admire, and the fact that there hasn’t been a dominant male American tennis player in this century has hurt the sport. The same is happening with African Americans and baseball. I recommend watching the current
Costas Now on HBO. He interviews Hank Aaron and Willie Mays and the two legends field questions and listen to opinions from the likes of Jimmy Rollins and Dave Winfield about the current African American presence in baseball.
