7.8%

This Black History Month, let’s look at some interesting numbers.

7.8%. Per Bradford William Davis’ piece in the New York Daily News, that’s the number of African-American baseball players there are in the Majors. In 2000, that number was 17.5%.

Earlier this week, Davis spoke with former Mets manager Jerry Manuel about how the number of African-American players is dropping in Major League Baseball and his thoughts on it.

I also have some thoughts on why that is. And before you ask, yes I’m black (Jamaican and Dominican to be exact). And yes baseball is my favorite sport. Back on topic.

Baseball is very “pay to play.”

You have to join leagues, buy equipment, and in some cases hire specialists to come in and train your kids. Middle to low-class Americans can’t afford all of that.

You used to be able to just play in school, maybe join a youth league in the summer and work your way up. I personally played from tee-ball through college.

Training to be good in baseball is an everyday thing that can get very expensive. If you don’t have it, you can’t really excel at the same rate as communities with money.

I grew up in Southern Westchester (Yonkers) and when we would play the upper parts (Ramapo, New Rochelle, Peekskill, etc) they had all the amenities we couldn’t afford.

The instant gratification with other sports is more appealing:

The one thing I’ve always been confused about is why there are SO MANY LEVELS in baseball.

Say you’re a teenager who’s been blessed to be able to afford the proper training in baseball. You know that the contract you get will help not only you but your family as well (as is the case in so many urban homes).

You have to wait at least two-to-three years before you can even THINK about joining an MLB Team. Why? If you’re one of the top players in your draft, you go to the minors. Rookie ball, Low-A, Single-A, Double-A, Triple-A. For what though??

If you’re a 1st round draft pick in the NFL, you go to the NFL; the same goes for the NBA. If I can help my family by playing a sport, I can’t afford to wait two years to hit the big leagues.

Then if I get traded I have to possibly start over? I’ll take my chances with basketball or football where there are more people who look like me.

The Players Alliance and The Undefeated are awesome outlets to show kids that MLB is trying to get more kids in urban areas to join baseball and help mitigate the cost.

Almost every team has a baseball academy in DR. They learn and play baseball. What’s stopping them from doing this in Urban areas all across America? I think if that were to happen, then the number of African-Americans in baseball would never be this low again.

How many times can we continue to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day with numbers less than when he played and call it a success?

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