Baseball no longer a hit with black players

Why aren't black athletes playing baseball as much anymore?

This basic question has been front and center surrounding the 60th anniversary celebration of Jackie Robinson's historic smashing of the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Well, first, let's take a moment to define "black." David Ortiz, for example, looks pretty black to me. Except he's from the Dominican Republic, so he doesn't "count" in this discussion. Why is that? I have neither the time nor brain power to untangle that one. Let's move on.

What people mean when they say "it's a crying shame" that more blacks aren't playing baseball these days (direct quote from USA Today columnist Ian O'Connor), is that they wish more AMERICAN black athletes were playing Major League Baseball.

So this ain't a skin thing. (Note: Dusty Baker, you and your "theories" are excused here. Have a nice day.)

It's got to be a CULTURAL thing then, right? Let's put the emphasis on more on "American," less on "black."

Why has American sports CULTURE made baseball the red-headed step-child among pro sports? Now, we've got a more workable question.

Remember these numbers as we go along: African-Americans account for roughly 13% of the United States population. Meanwhile, the NFL is dominated by 69% black players. The NBA is right around 90%.

As a white man, I couldn't be happier. The best are being identified and given jobs, and there are no racial set-asides for slower, smaller white guys just to make it "even."

Historically, the peak of black participation at the MLB level was once 27%. By 1995 it was down to 19%. Last year, it was down to just 8%.

Latin American players (and remember, that's a lot of countries to put under one ethnic group) continue to make surges and now constitute 29% of the players in MLB, while the percentage of white players is fairly steady at 59%. Asian players, while certainly high profile, contribute only 2.4% to the mix.

The following two statements are FACT, and need to be said.

1. Black athletes DOMINATE the ranks of basketball and football.

2. Baseball has ALWAYS been a distant third in black "popularity."

So the continued slide of baseball for American born black athletes, and the surge in football and basketball's popularity shouldn't be shocking.

Here's the real core of the issue: being a pro baseball player simply can't match the total pro athlete LIFESTYLE of being a football or basketball star.

It's that simple. Being a sports star in America has morphed in the last 20 years from just being lucky enough to play a pro sport for lots of money into becoming a STAR that can cross over into other entertainment and endorsement worlds.

And baseball can barely offer ANY of that.

When LeBron James says he wants to become a "global icon" ask yourself: "What baseball player would ever have the balls to say that?"

Baseball players barely get ANY national endorsements these days, much less "global" ones. Unless you are Derek Jeter playing in New York, forget it. Nobody outside of the seamhead community knows who Dontrelle Willis is, and they aren't going to buy his brand of shoes.

When it comes to having "The Life" these days as an athlete, what baseball players are living large? Oh, they are making a lot of money but do they get invited to the same caliber of parties? Do they hang in Hollywood with the same actors? Do they get to enjoy the same sexual buffet of groupies as football and basketball players?

Baseball is a hard game, with a lot of pre-programmed failure and boredom. A hitter who goes 2-5 every night is a God. A stud pitcher in baseball gets to "play" his sport once every fifth day.

Failure and boredom? Kids today aren't stupid. Who wants that?

It's far more appealing to be a back-up point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, than it is to be a starting second baseman for the Texas Rangers. Not only do NBA players get almost two more months of vacation every season than baseball players do, but it comes during the far more enjoyable summer months.

If NBA salaries are roughly equal to those in the MLB, who the hell (white or black) wouldn't want to earn the same by working almost half as many nights?

It's all about having "The Life!"

In America, we have glorified, and promoted sports as being about more than just playing sports. So we shouldn't be shocked when kids today seek out "The Life" through sports, rather than just a chance to play ANY sport.

In high school, systems are in place to glorify the star basketball player and football player. Think about it. If you are the quarterback on the football team, you play games before 5,000 people on Friday nights, and get interviewed on local TV after every game. If you are the star guard on the basketball team, you play before packed gyms every night, and get interviewed on local TV after every game.

If you play baseball in high school? Great. You play on a distant field in front of about 50 people. There are no camera crews.

That ain't "The Life."

Am I saying that only black athletes are consumed with having the trappings of "The Life" through sports? Not at all. It's simply that they have much more of a choice.

A pretty good white kid who plays basketball, football, and baseball has a pretty important decision to make around age 14. "If I want to play sports for a living, where's my best chance?"

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old black kid who is good in all three sports has a statistically better chance at anything he wishes. Mind you, not an actually better chance, just statistically better.

Then from 14-18 years old, a kid will either develop into a pro athlete in the sport of his first choosing, or be resigned like most of us to daydreaming to the ring of Springsteen's "Glory Days."

I've heard all about how "it's too hard to play ‘pick up' baseball" in the projects. Or that these areas lack good equipment and playing fields. All of that is true. But it was just as true back when 27% of players the majors were black.

That part hasn't changed.

It's the sports / celebrity universe that has changed around it. I hear retired players like Dave Winfield and Reggie Jackson mystified as to why the numbers keep going down. They talk about how great a game baseball is.

They are right. It is still, a great game. It's just not "The Life" these days.

Once upon a quaint little time, guys like Reggie and Dr. J orbited in the same level of the sports idol universe. No more. Look at LeBron James and Ryan Howard. They are both two of the youngest, hottest, jaw-dropping phenoms in their sport.

James is busy trying to become a "global icon" while signing endorsement deals for lawn tractors he doesn't use, making money he doesn't really need.

Howard? Nice kid. Amazing player. He makes $900,000.

Any questions?