Chris rock on baseball decline
shu4040
Posts: 982 ✭✭✭
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shu4040
Posts: 982 ✭✭✭
shu4040
Posts: 982 ✭✭✭
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<< <i>I wonder what the percentage of Chinese people play football? I wonder what the decline in white people are in the NBA from 1960 to present? I am totally in favor of agencies helping all kids to advance them in life but why is this about race? The real discussion should be about advancing children in education and helping those that are less fortunate make it in life so they can provide for their families. >>
Completely agree with your last sentence here 1954. I haven't seen any of the clips on this yet, but read about it on another site. A lot of the problem here is families without father figures. I don't know how many nights my dad and I would play catch before or after dinner, or my dad, uncle, or grandfather took me to ballgames. It's a game that should be passed down, and a bond between father/son/daughter.
Basketball you just need to show up to a playground with a ball and shoot around. There's basketball courts at every school and park. Baseball diamonds, especially ones that kept up are few and far between in the inner city. Pickup basketball games are easier to come by, which again makes it more appealing.
The other part of this (from MLB's perspective, probably not Rock's) is somehow tied into money. If there were multiple Prince Fielder's, Andrew McCutchen's, and CC Sabathia's on every team, the black community would be most likely be more invested into watching games, going to games, and buying merchandise. I believe I read the average age of is a 53 year old, most likely white male, viewing games. That's obviously not their target demographic. They wanna reach out to younger people, of any race, but white kids will most likely already follow baseball fore the reasons I gave above.
White people will still go to football, basketball, hockey, or baseball games no matter who is playing (the percentage of white players has to be lower than the percentage of hispanic players at this point, or lower than the percentage of blacks in football and basketball. I think whites will remain king in hockey forever).
EDIT: Just watched the Chris Rock video. Good stuff.
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<< <i>Hard to argue any points Rock made. >>
I guess it depends on your perspective. I agree with a lot of what he said, but I don't see why it had to be about race. It's more about getting the young kids and teens interested in baseball again. There is some validity to saying that a lot of white kids follow what black America says is cool, but I kind of find it offensive that Rock thinks black America is calling the shots on what every kid should be doing and what sport they should be excited about. I do agree that baseball just isn't as cool anymore, and I don't think it's as much of a race issue as a sign of the times. Everything is about speed. Kids want a short term rewards involving quick action and instant gratification. Basketball and Football provide that much more. Baseball is a waiting game. To really enjoy it, you have to understand the intricacies of the game, I appreciate all the analyzing of the pitches and watching 8 pitch at bats and getting the strategy of how to pitch to the guy, the catcher's signs, etc, but most young people find it boring. Baseball is just not the game for the generation of "now". This generation of young America just does not do patience well, and baseball requires that.
One other point: I love the tradition of Baseball. I love that they celebrate it. I don't ever want baseball to forget the times of DiMaggio, Ruth, and Gehrig. I can appreciate why a black kid may not share my enthusiasm. it was such a travesty that black ballplayers weren't allowed in the same league. But that doesn't mean baseball shouldn't acknowledge it's history. We are getting way too politically correct about that kind of stuff, so I sure hope baseball stays the course and celebrates it's traditions and history.
TheClockworkAngelCollection
<< <i>If Chris thinks baseball is too white, he should go to a baseball card show! >>
+1, so true.
with that said, i do think WE as the fans are missing out by the majority of black athletes choosing to not play baseball. i mean how many "great" players do we not kniow about because they don't exist because they are a wide receiver or point guard? baseball really does need more young black players for the game to be played at its absolute highest possible levels.
<< <i>black, white, yellow...this figure is terrible for the game, "I believe I read the average age of is a 53 year old"
with that said, i do think WE as the fans are missing out by the majority of black athletes choosing to not play baseball. i mean how many "great" players do we not kniow about because they don't exist because they are a wide receiver or point guard? baseball really does need more young black players for the game to be played at its absolute highest possible levels. >>
Soccer needs the same thing. But it isn't happening anytime soon.
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Baseball will never make the changes necessary and will continue to hold grudges against some of its greats for what ever reason. You can say what you want but by holding a grudge against Bonds is a major turnoff to the black community.
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<< <i>
<< <i>If Chris thinks baseball is too white, he should go to a baseball card show! >>
+1, so true. >>
Same goes for coin shows.
there were jobs. positions. halcyon days we could treasure with the memories of guys who brought the game to a better place for its supporters.
but, then the game advanced further by offering itself to the worldwide talent pool. deservedly so. there had always been great baseball players outside of our realm. we just never knew about them until social media blew sky high.
the same freedom which the black athlete struggled so hard to achieve is now being shared with the Dominicans, the Koreans, the Venezuelans, the Japanese, the Cubans.......the very BEST athletes available throughout the world can play.
the black athlete has moved on. there are other places where you can find them performing at the highest level of their profession. those baseball percentages are falling because they can't keep up the pace, Chris.
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I did a quick Google search and this was the first report I found. It just so happens to be from a professor at UFC in Orlando where I live.
As of 2014 there were 39.1% players of color. 28.4% of those were classified as Latino.
I would love to see what that figure was say 10 years ago, 15 years ago etc.
MLB owners are equal opportunity employers. They want the best.
Yasiel Puig
I think most if they saw Yasiel Puig would think he is a black man. But because he is from Cuba he doesn't count in the African American category and therefore skews the results in two ways. One he appears black and doesn't count and two he takes an MLB roster spot away from another player who might end up being an African American.
The race card is being played with way to much frequency.
Here is the break down from the top six professional sports.
96.7% of NBA owners are white yet 76.3% of the players are black.
Enough said.
+1
<< <i>My son plays baseball in college and the two black kids that are on his team (41 total) are extremely athletic and talented. One of those boys is being scouted pretty heavily by MLB. He was asked in an interview last month about this exact topic on why is there not more black athletes playing baseball? He was extremely honest and upfront about this and he said most of his friends never found baseball an exciting sport. Some even told him that the game of baseball was too hard to play. Basically that they could not find success quick enough to stay interested in the sport. Baseball is not a sport in which you just jump in an become great in one season but a process of growing daily for many years. >>
Agreed. It used to be every kid dreamed of making it to the big leagues, no matter the race. But baseball was also the most popular and highest paying sport by far. In the 70's, football and basketball players didn't make squat. Dave Winfield is a great example of a guy that probably would have made it professionally in any sport in the 1970's, but baseball was his choice because it was the sport everyone wanted to play and had the most financial upside. Today, I don't know if Winfield would choose baseball. There are very quick paydays available to some of these kids in the NBA and NFL, and in baseball they see a long journey that requires patience, hard work, and a determination you don't always need to make it to the other 2. Athleticism alone will get you to the NBA, but won't be enough too often to make it in baseball.
TheClockworkAngelCollection