When Black People Don’t Play Baseball

I have heard people lament that young Black males overemphasize sports because they daydream they’ll become the next person to get a big payday by working their way to a professional team.

But, Blacks are definitely are not overemphasizing baseball.

At the start of the 2011 baseball season just 8.05% of players were African American, down from 19% in 1995. Last season, NY Yankees outfield Curtis Granderson made waves when he asked “Where are all the Black fans?” Unlike the halcyon days of the Negro Leagues, when Black players dominated the sport with dynamic field play that many observers found was more superior to the segregated major league, far fewer Black fans make it to the ballpark today and they watch far fewer Black players.

This is not good, and not just for baseball.

Read the rest here.