No Black Astros (how is this an issue?)

[cpete14]

This isn't a statement against the Astros, it's a statement about the fact the fewer and fewer young black men are playing baseball. They're playing basketball and football instead.

I'm going to agree with JLB here. While I don't think the writer of the story conveyed this well, I believe the actual story is that there are not very many young blacks interested in playing baseball anymore. I've seen several similar stories over the last few years, and none of them tried to spin it quite the way this writer did. MLB has many major city efforts to try to reverse this trend, but it doesn't seem to be working.

 

[IronBuckI]

The writer did do a piss poor job of saying this. I've heard Morgan talk about this before, and it had nothing to do with him saying that MLB was at fault. He had a problem with the stigma of baseball not being a good sport for inner city kids in America.

 

[BuckeyePride]

I'm going to agree with JLB here. While I don't think the writer of the story conveyed this well, I believe the actual story is that there are not very many young blacks interested in playing baseball anymore. I've seen several similar stories over the last few years, and none of them tried to spin it quite the way this writer did. MLB has many major city efforts to try to reverse this trend, but it doesn't seem to be working.

you hit a home run there.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

The writer did do a piss poor job of saying this.

I don't think his intent was to say this. His real intent was to subtly imply that there's something behind the scenes against blacks in baseball. Whether we like it or not, the race card gets attention...

 

[tyrus]

sig

I am offended that The StoicPaisano has 0 white players in his sig.....

Very upsetting.

 

[barlow1802]

This isn't a statement against the Astros, it's a statement about the fact the fewer and fewer young black men are playing baseball. They're playing basketball and football instead.

More and more white people are not playing baseball now too. LaX is a fast grwoing sport during baseball season and is more "exciting" than baseball esp. at the HS level

 

[coastalbuck]

I sincerely hope that Joe Morgan was referring to the lack of young blacks playing baseball and not the number on the Astros roster. If he is concerned about the roster issue it would be a shame, as I used to like and respect Joe and could not if he took that stance.

 

[TraderLee]

As was said above, I think this is more about baseball being abandoned by our youth, and especially black youth. It's sad to see, but Major League Baseball has no one to blame but themselves for the sport's declining popularity.

 

[DDOTT]

When was the last time you saw a group of kids outside playing any sport? It has alot to do with parents not getting their kids involved in any type of sport. They sit indoors all day and play "video" football, baseball and basketball.

 

[Golferdow01]

When was the last time you saw a group of kids outside playing any sport? It has alot to do with parents not getting their kids involved in any type of sport. They sit indoors all day and play "video" football, baseball and basketball.

I attribute that to many White children growing up in middle/high class areas. I think this is why you see so many Black kids playing football and basketball and Mexican kids playing baseball because many can't afford the video gaming systems

 

[Brutus1]

I attribute that to many White children growing up in middle/high class areas. I think this is why you see so many Black kids playing football and basketball and Mexican kids playing baseball because many can't afford the video gaming systems

That comment, although probably true, would get you in hot water by the pc crowd, much the same way it did in the Fisher DeBerry thread.

 

[FCollinsBuckeye]

When was the last time you saw a group of kids outside playing any sport? It has alot to do with parents not getting their kids involved in any type of sport. They sit indoors all day and play "video" football, baseball and basketball.

Blame Al Gore and his dadgum 'internets'. :p

 

[AKAK]

I don't think his intent was to say this. His real intent was to subtly imply that there's something behind the scenes against blacks in baseball. Whether we like it or not, the race card gets attention...

Yeah... subtly imply... by using a good portion of the article to point out that balcks don't play baseball as much as-- well-- other kids:

``It's a daunting task to get African-American kids into baseball, and I don't see the trend changing,'' he said.

The last World Series team without a black player was the 1953 New York Yankees. It wasn't until 1955 -- eight years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 -- that Elston Howard became the first black in Yankee pinstripes.

Black players accounted for just about 9 percent of big league rosters this season.

``We know that we have to work to do,'' Commissioner Bud Selig said Tuesday. ``We'll continue to intensify our efforts. I'm very aware, I'm extremely sensitive about it, and I feel badly about it. But we need to get to work to change things.''

Astros general manager Tim Purpura agrees.

``I think it's a huge, huge problem for baseball,'' he said. ``The pool of African-American players just isn't there. And as baseball becomes more college-oriented in its draft, there aren't a lot of players to pick.

``The African-American athletes are going into other sports,'' he said.

 

[Golferdow01]

That comment, although probably true, would get you in hot water by the pc crowd, much the same way it did in the Fisher DeBerry thread.

Perhaps, but it's something that can't be overlooked and undeniably true

 

[AJHawkfan]

I follow baseball very closely. Not really. Actually, I only know it's going on because my wife was complaining that "no good TV was on last night because of stupid baseball". Anyway, Morgan claims taht there are "2 or 3 teams without a black player." Which teams would they be? Anyone know? Not really important, I'm just curious is all.

By the way, are there any NBA teams that have zero white guys on? If there is, is anyone complaining about them? (I follow the NBA less than I follow MLB, so I don't have a clue.)