"Baseball is a White Mans Sport" - Adam Jones

[Maxbialystock]

I really doubt that white men who own baseball are actively working to prevent Blacks from playing in MLB.

 

That may have been the case as recently as, say, the seventies. I'm not sure.

 

But the Yawkeys of baseball are pretty much gone.

 

I suspect that money is what it comes down to. If a player can make a team money than he gets a chance to play.

 

I'm sure that racism still exist in baseball, just as it does everywhere else. Who was that dumb old f*** from the Dodgers that said something like "yur coloreds can't

 

manage" blah blah blah? Those type are still in the game but have learned to keep their mouths shut so they can still make money.

 

There are socioeconomic reasons that there are not a lot of Blacks in baseball. I'm not sure that racism is a big factor at this point.

 

Pretty much agree with all you said.

[StephenCurry30]

Racism is definitely still in baseball. when carl crawford was around, there was tons of fans who used the "n-word' towards him at games, it was disgusting. i hope those same jackasses aren't fans still because they must have a lot of issues dealing with all our african american OF

[a700hitter]

Racism is definitely still in baseball. when carl crawford was around, there was tons of fans who used the "n-word' towards him at games, it was disgusting. i hope those same jackasses aren't fans still because they must have a lot of issues dealing with all our african american OF

I have to say that I never witnessed that at any games.

[Maxbialystock]

Racism is definitely still in baseball. when carl crawford was around, there was tons of fans who used the "n-word' towards him at games, it was disgusting. i hope those same jackasses aren't fans still because they must have a lot of issues dealing with all our african american OF

 

Meh. What you really mean is that racism is still part of American and especially Boston culture, and no one doubts that. I seriously doubt, however, that the average Sox fan at games in Fenway has a problem with Betts, Bradley, or Young. Some of the animus toward Crawford was because he was overpaid and underperforming--exactly the same situation with Ellsbury and the Yankees right now or for that matter Sandoval with the Sox.

 

As I said in my earlier post, I think there can be no question that Boston fans overall have embraced this team--as they did the one in 2013--whose most iconic player is very dark skinned.

 

The thesis advanced in the OP, however, is that MLB is not only white, but intentionally and deliberately white, and with that I vehemently disagree. I think there are only so many great black athletes and that over time they have mostly gravitated toward football and basketball--sports they pretty much dominate despite being about 15% of our population--because the payoff comes earlier and is often greater. It is no coincidence that the richest athlete in America is Michael Jordan. And, speaking of skin color, a big chunk of his earnings came from that huge contract with Nike, and they ain't paying him because of affirmative actions. Nosiree. Jordan's name and face and personality and basketball skills sell a whole lot of shoes for Nike.

[User Name]

Where does the article, the OP, or Adam Jones state that baseball is being deliberately kept white?

[Youk Of The Nation]

Where does the article, the OP, or Adam Jones state that baseball is being deliberately kept white?

 

I think your animus for Max is causing you to be deliberately obtuse, UN? Jones never says that, but I think what he did say heavily implies it. Saying "we have two strikes against us" and "in baseball, they don't need us" is pretty much saying it without actually saying it. I happen to disagree with that, as do all of us, but Jones wasn't exactly being subtle.

[Bellhorn04]

I think your animus for Max is causing you to be deliberately obtuse, UN? Jones never says that, but I think what he did say heavily implies it. Saying "we have two strikes against us" and "in baseball, they don't need us" is pretty much saying it without actually saying it. I happen to disagree with that, as do all of us, but Jones wasn't exactly being subtle.

 

It's hard to say - Jones might just be saying that because blacks are in the minority in the sport of baseball their rights are easier to trample on. It's a whole other deal to say they're being kept out of baseball. That would immediately raise some fairly logical questions like 'well how come they're not kept out of football and basketball?' and 'well how come there are so many Latinos - they aren't white either.'

Edited September 17, 2016 by Bellhorn04

[mvp 78]

I have to say that I never witnessed that at any games.

 

In fact, Sox fans were too kind towards Crawford (aside from the dumbass offduty cop at the rehab game). I've never heard N at Fenway.

[a700hitter]

In fact, Sox fans were too kind towards Crawford (aside from the dumbass offduty cop at the rehab game). I've never heard N at Fenway.

imo, it was CC who acted like a miserable douche while he was in Boston. I am glad that he returned to the racially tolerant LA when he left Boston.

[mvp 78]

imo, it was CC who acted like a miserable douche while he was in Boston. I am glad that he returned to the racially tolerant LA when he left Boston.

 

He was miserable and the fans treated him with kid gloves. Total cry baby.

[Jasonbay44]

I mean I have heard some racist things in Boston, even at Fenway, but never directly at a player. If someone did say that, they are just a dumb ass, and every fan base has dumb asses.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I mean I have heard some racist things in Boston, even at Fenway, but never directly at a player. If someone did say that, they are just a dumb ass, and every fan base has dumb asses.

 

Absolutely. I remember during the 2013 WS, there was a Twitter account run by a Cubs fan that collected and retweeted some of the horrible stuff from angry Cards fans. There were hundreds of Tweets that were horrifically racist, beyond anything I would expect from even angry sports fans. Stuff about Ortiz and Uehara, mostly, but even some nasty stuff about their own player, Kolten Wong, after he got picked off.

[mvp 78]

I mean I have heard some racist things in Boston, even at Fenway, but never directly at a player. If someone did say that, they are just a dumb ass, and every fan base has dumb asses.

 

There are idiot racists everywhere, unfortunately.

[User Name]

I think your animus for Max is causing you to be deliberately obtuse, UN? Jones never says that, but I think what he did say heavily implies it. Saying "we have two strikes against us" and "in baseball, they don't need us" is pretty much saying it without actually saying it. I happen to disagree with that, as do all of us, but Jones wasn't exactly being subtle.

 

Remember that "deliberately white" means more than just African Americans. A large percentage of the sport is Latin American, and is now increasing its Asian population. Jones (and the post) was talking specifically about the lack of effort to enroll more African American athletes, which I happen to think he's dead wrong about anyways.

[Youk Of The Nation]

So basically this all boils down to everyone disagreeing with Jones and just arguing semantics? (Incidentally, I think "Just Arguing Semantics" should be the new official tagline of TalkSox. We could include in on the logo at the top of the screen).

[User Name]

I just don't see the logic in anyone thinking those in power are trying to keep the game white. They're trying to make money. That leads to color blindness.

[Bellhorn04]

So basically this all boils down to everyone disagreeing with Jones and just arguing semantics? (Incidentally, I think "Just Arguing Semantics" should be the new official tagline of TalkSox. We could include in on the logo at the top of the screen).

 

YOTN, is there any evidence at all that blacks are being kept out of baseball? If there is, let's have it.

[Spudboy]

I just don't see the logic in anyone thinking those in power are trying to keep the game white. They're trying to make money. That leads to color blindness.

 

This is about what I said up thread.

 

Money rules.

[a700hitter]

YOTN, is there any evidence at all that blacks are being kept out of baseball? If there is, let's have it.

None and Jones is a jackass.

[a700hitter]

I just don't see the logic in anyone thinking those in power are trying to keep the game white. They're trying to make money. That leads to color blindness.

The explanation is that Jones is a jackass. Athletes should never be asked for comment on anything other than their sport, because they are insulated and usually very uninformed. The author has a political agenda beyond covering sports. That jackass should just write about sports or get a job on cable TV.

[Emp9]

So basically this all boils down to everyone disagreeing with Jones and just arguing semantics? (Incidentally, I think "Just Arguing Semantics" should be the new official tagline of TalkSox. We could include in on the logo at the top of the screen).

 

You're right, I think red is a hue or two off on the logo.

[Emp9]

I definitely think it's more of a marketing problem than anything else. Then it's about the longer development time it takes for young athletes to break through results-wise.

[Jasonbay44]

There is no reason to keep any race out of baseball. If a great player is a free agent and there is a bidding war, I don't think ace is a factor for the money being offered for that player. If you are good, you can play baseball and teams will pay you handsomely. There is no way teams are drafting and are like "hmm, this guy is black, and this one is white, the black guy is a little better, but the other guy is white.. lets draft the white guy".

 

Kind off topic, but I am impressed with how racially diverse the Red Sox roster is.. lol

[Youk Of The Nation]

YOTN, is there any evidence at all that blacks are being kept out of baseball? If there is, let's have it.

 

I didn't say there was. In fact, if you read back, I said I disagree with him. I was simply saying that his statement seemed to imply that HE believed this to be true.

[Navafan29]

Why do people try to make everything about race? Things like this usually aren't about race; they're about the financial status that one is born into. Most of the time when you have a situation where the percentage of blacks in X is unusually low, it's because the lower class population is made up of a higher percentage of blacks than the middle class population is. A black middle class baseball fan is just as likely to become an MLB player as a white middle class baseball fan. Nobody bothers to isolate financial and family situation to solve issues like the one we have here. People want to make it only about the color of one's skin, because racism is very simple to solve whereas financial issues are not. Is there a race related reason why more blacks are born into poor families than whites? Probably, but we couldn't go into that without going off topic. Right now we're talking about whether or not the color of one's skin alone can help determine one's MLB success.

 

Another thought: Perhaps (not saying this is true with certainty, but just a thought) part of this issue is that society and stereotypes (e.g. stand-up comedians) pressure people into acting a certain way or getting into certain crowds based on their race. This causes black kids to become interested in NBA while they're young and ignore the thought of watching baseball. NBA fans tend to desire constant action and get bored of watching things like baseball. This makes them not want to play baseball as much as say basketball. I read a blog post from a black man once who said his favorite sport to watch is NHL, but his entire family never watched NHL (but loved NBA) because "there isn't anyone who looks like us in the NHL". Now this was just one guy's story and one blog post, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

[Spudboy]

Everyone is a Sociologist.

[Slasher9]

just so you know....there are some pretty ignorant "philosophies" by white men in this thread.

 

MLB pumps $$$ (lots of it) into Latino countries to "develop" players. while they may every once in awhile sponsor refurbishing a field in the inner city the investment is not even close. it's a choice they have made where they think they can mine and cultivate the most talent.

[User Name]

You'd be right, if the league as a whole weren't pumping a ton of money and manpower into their R.B.I program. They are working hard at re-integrating black youth into the sport. The problem is that, for the most part, baseball is just a harder sell. It's expensive to play, time consuming, and it takes a lot longer to start making money off of it.

[mvp 78]

https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/on-why-fewer-black-youth/content?oid=20556458

 

How much money are they really pumping into it though, especially when focusing on American inner cities?

[a700hitter]

https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/on-why-fewer-black-youth/content?oid=20556458

 

How much money are they really pumping into it though, especially when focusing on American inner cities?

They are getting better yields from Latin America, so they would rather invest the money there. In the white suburbs, the parents pay the freight. The cost in the inner cities is too high to have a thriving program. It is a business and not a social program. Maybe the horseshit corrupt politicians in the inner cities should direct some money toward these programs that build bodies and character instead of handing out free cell phones.