A hot topic in baseball over the last few years has been the ever decreasing number of Blacks playing in MLB. There are many reasons why they are not participating, but the one that stands out the most is the cost of the tools of the trade. Unlike basketball and football where you need just one ball, in baseball you need a bat, a glove and a ball. Bats and gloves are expensive and oftentimes parents cannot afford to purchase them forcing the child to choose another sport.
Current major leaguer Gary Sheffield has been a very vocal critic and has vehemently said that something needs to be done. MLB finally opened its first academy on American soil in Compton, California. It was a logical move since California produces the majority of major leaguers. I spoke to MLB Urban Youth Academy Director Darrell Miller and he mentioned that they plan to open more academies in the future in other inner-cities across the country. The dilemma now is getting more Black youth to go there and participate.
The interest level has to increase and there are various ways to go about that. We have come along way since Jackie Robinson, but I think that fielding an All-Black team to participate in the Arizona Fall League would bring attention to the sport. They can either play a whole season or a few exhibition games just to see how much attention it would draw and if it would increase the participation amongst Black youth.
Current Black players can sponsor a player or a little league team by paying their registration fees. A lot of money is generated in the Little League World Series and that could be reinvested into sponsoring Black little leaguers as well.
It is never too late and addressing the issue now would prevent the number of Blacks to get down to the point of non-existence in baseball. I trust that MLB will do their part to ensure that this remains ALL of America's pasttime.
