The Struggle Continues

This post will be in response to the following article from Cronkite News published on January 6, 2021:  73 years after Robinson broke barrier, baseball still struggles

Back in 1981, the representation of Black players in Major League baseball hit its all-time high of 18.7%.  Since then, it has fallen every single year.  However, when fans watch the game, it may appear to them that this isn't the case.  The distinction between Afro-Caribbean and African-American Black players may not be obvious to the naked eye, but Black players from the Caribbean and Black players from the US have very different experiences in the game of baseball.  

In the article, Tolleson High School baseball coach Scott Richardson is quoted saying that he believes baseball is becoming increasingly less affordable, particularly for minorities.

"I think one of the factors is the lack of opportunities, unless you have money at a young age, to play youth baseball," Richardson said. "It used to be where everybody in your town played on the local Little League teams, and it was very affordable. But then when the club and travel 'elite' teams started being formed, it started (pushing away) people of diverse cultures.

"It's not uncommon for a kid that wants to play club baseball (to pay) $800 a season (with) monthly dues. A lot of kids in poor populations have a tough time (paying for that). With basketball, all you need is a basketball, and you go down to the park by yourself. With baseball, you can't do that anymore."  

Richardson believes another factor is that baseball is more of a skill sport rather than one where athleticism can cover up deficiencies in fundamentals, as is the case in basketball and football.

"You can be the fastest guy, the guy with the highest vertical jump, the strongest arm, but (baseball is) still kind of a skill game," Richardson said. "To be successful at baseball, it takes a lot of time, a lot of repetitions and unfortunately, today in the United States, you need to have some money to get those repetitions."

The sentiment of Richardson is relatively accurate, but it does not tell the whole story.  It's not just about those factors.  It also has a lot to do with the choices made by parents of young Black children.  This is echoed by coach Demeitris Wauqua in the article:  Phoenix East Valley Little League coach Demeitris Wauqua has noticed a low number of African American baseball players on his teams as well as back when he played Little League.

Wauqua noted that many African American baseball players play football or basketball as well. When it comes to choosing one sport, he said, athletes tend to shift away from baseball because of the NCAA's baseball scholarship system.

"Colleges (only) provide a partial scholarship for baseball," Wauqua said. "With football, they're able to get a full ride. Possibly (football or basketball) is an easier route for (African American) athletes."

Children play the sports their parents support them in.  A child is not going to start playing ice hockey if they do not have the support of their parents.  A child may pick up sports at school or with their friends, but to excel in sports they need to be in leagues, camps, clubs, etc. and those things take financial resources and time from parents.  So why would parents spend tons of money on a sport that not only does not lead to full-ride scholarships, but also a reputation for not being a welcoming place for kids like theirs?  

This is why the soccer league and basketball club my daughter plays in have vastly different demographic profiles, even at age 6.  In her soccer league, a sport which is overwhelmingly white in the US, her league is reflective of the national demographics of the sport.  Her team is the most diverse in the league (she is half-Asian/half-Jewish and she has a Black teammate, an Asian teammate and a couple of Latino teammates) but nearly every opponent looks like a team of blond hair-blue eyed siblings.  In her basketball club, her age group is almost exclusively Black.  This shows that even at the very early ages, parents are making the conscious decision to place their children in the sports where they are most welcomed.  There are always exceptions, but it is pretty clear that baseball's problem will continue unless the demographics at the lowest levels shift dramatically.