Diversity declining in baseball

[Book of Jeremiah]

Very interesting. You say that you notice today more than in the past that sports seems to be highly structured, organized and geared towards upper class. You also mention the Olympics in your response. Let me suggest another explanation here. I believe that America was at the top of her game in the 80's in the Sports world. We crushed the Soviets at Lake Placid while the entire world cheered on the USA Hockey team! Anyone who has not seen the movie, Miracle, with Kurt Russell should rent it because this game was historical in many ways.

The Soviets were utterly humiliated when an American coach ripped a page out of their own play book and used it on them full on. The results were devastating. Soviets were crushed by the American Hockey team during the Olympics at Lake Placid 1980.

The humiliation was so great that the Soviets sent their own people into our colleges and universities - inflitrated the politics of how we select teams over here and behind the scenes implemented something called "the dream teams"... according to top coaches in the USA this is NOT the way to pick a team and the USA has never again had a team such as that Hockey team because of it. The Russians could not beat us on the ice so they went behind the scenes to make sure the USA would no longer select teams as they did for that American Hockey Team.

If you have not seen the movie you won't understand what I am getting at. You have to see the attitude of these Soviets and the oppression the Soviet coach used over his team. It crushed their spirits and they were not able to beat the spirit of the Americans. There are many important lessons we can learn from that period and it would probably serve us well to go back and examine what we were doing before and get back to it. - Jeremiah

The Miracle on Ice team was a fluke. It was not an example of the triumph of the US sports system over the Soviet system. If we played them ten times, the Soviets would have won eight. You have no concept of athletic competition in the 80s. The US was a hodgepodge of amateurism that performed poorly on the international stage

Our athletes today are much better trained in most sports

That is not true. The Miracle on Ice team won because they trained harder, better and had a greater motivation to win than the Soviets. They put their all into the game and proved they owned it. The Olympics proved who the winner was before the entire world. It was the Americans. They beat the Soviets. Fair and square. It was not a fluke. To call it a fluke would be to ignore the fact that the coach who implemented the same intense training style of the Russians and suggest they won by chance. That is a lie. He won because he was the better coach coaching the better team. The USA has the Gold for Lake Placid medal Hockey 1980. NOT the Russians.
According to their coach the reason American sports teams declined after that was due to the policy of dream teams. I did follow that up and asked questions to those who were into sports and they agreed with the coach - something drastic changed sports after Americans beat Soviets and it was not for our good. We have never enjoyed that same level of success since going with the dream team idea. - Jeri

 

[rightwinger]

Very interesting. You say that you notice today more than in the past that sports seems to be highly structured, organized and geared towards upper class. You also mention the Olympics in your response. Let me suggest another explanation here. I believe that America was at the top of her game in the 80's in the Sports world. We crushed the Soviets at Lake Placid while the entire world cheered on the USA Hockey team! Anyone who has not seen the movie, Miracle, with Kurt Russell should rent it because this game was historical in many ways.

The Soviets were utterly humiliated when an American coach ripped a page out of their own play book and used it on them full on. The results were devastating. Soviets were crushed by the American Hockey team during the Olympics at Lake Placid 1980.

The humiliation was so great that the Soviets sent their own people into our colleges and universities - inflitrated the politics of how we select teams over here and behind the scenes implemented something called "the dream teams"... according to top coaches in the USA this is NOT the way to pick a team and the USA has never again had a team such as that Hockey team because of it. The Russians could not beat us on the ice so they went behind the scenes to make sure the USA would no longer select teams as they did for that American Hockey Team.

If you have not seen the movie you won't understand what I am getting at. You have to see the attitude of these Soviets and the oppression the Soviet coach used over his team. It crushed their spirits and they were not able to beat the spirit of the Americans. There are many important lessons we can learn from that period and it would probably serve us well to go back and examine what we were doing before and get back to it. - Jeremiah

The Miracle on Ice team was a fluke. It was not an example of the triumph of the US sports system over the Soviet system. If we played them ten times, the Soviets would have won eight. You have no concept of athletic competition in the 80s. The US was a hodgepodge of amateurism that performed poorly on the international stage

Our athletes today are much better trained in most sports

That is not true. The Miracle on Ice team won because they trained harder, better and had a greater motivation to win than the Soviets. They put their all into the game and proved they owned it. The Olympics proved who the winner was before the entire world. It was the Americans. They beat the Soviets. Fair and square. It was not a fluke. To call it a fluke would be to ignore the fact that the coach who implemented the same intense training style of the Russians and suggest they won by chance. That is a lie. He won because he was the better coach coaching the better team. The USA has the Gold for Lake Placid medal Hockey 1980. NOT the Russians.
According to their coach the reason American sports teams declined after that was due to the policy of dream teams. I did follow that up and asked questions to those who were into sports and they agreed with the coach - something drastic changed sports after Americans beat Soviets and it was not for our good. We have never enjoyed that same level of success since going with the dream team idea. - Jeri

I rest my case. - Jeremiah

In 1980, the Soviets had a much better Olympic Hockey program than we did. They had won four straight hockey golds. We relied on College player to go against the seasoned Soviet team. We won, we outplayed them that day.....it is not a vindication of our system. Our system sent our best hockey players to the NHL

Dream Teams were put in for one reason.....money

 

[konradv]

Young blacks are not as interested in baseball as in the past.
I'm sure the lefties here will find some racist angle to attribute that to.
Because it's always whitey's fault.

I don't think it's a racist attribute.

I think the problem is, baseball is, well, kind of boring, when you get right down to it.

It's a nice, lazy summer game to watch.

But if you are athletically inclined, football and basketball are more lucrative and more exciting.

Football isn't as well paid a sport as baseball and there's a greater chance of injury. There are more available spots in baseball than in basketball. Whatever the reasons for a decline in popularity of baseball amongst blacks, it's certainly not the money factor. All things being equal, you've got a much better shot at making big bucks in baseball than football or basketball.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

The humiliation was so great that the Soviets sent their own people into our colleges and universities - inflitrated the politics of how we select teams over here and behind the scenes implemented something called "the dream teams"... according to top coaches in the USA this is NOT the way to pick a team and the USA has never again had a team such as that Hockey team because of it. The Russians could not beat us on the ice so they went behind the scenes to make sure the USA would no longer select teams as they did for that American Hockey Team.

You are so beyond full of shit. Where do you get this crap from?

 

[skookerasbil]

Lets face it.......this is about one thing: the stinkin Republican white racists wont let the blacks have bats and balls. Theyre purposefully pushing them into basketball.

 

[rightwinger]

American blacks do not want to play baseball. It is no longer considered cool

Actually, this is the first thing this ditz has ever said that I agree with, to the best of my recollection that is.

Because Major League Baseball pays shit compared to basketball, with its 70% black statistic!!!
Something has to be done about this racist pay inequality!

Tell it to ARod making $25 million a year

 

[JoeB131]

I gave him a little "chin music"...

Chin music is a brushback pitch that comes perilously close to the face. A warning shot across the bow so to speak.

Here JoeB, this is for your niece and family:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c10REBi26hU]Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request.mov - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Bfgrn]

Except the Libs here look for anything they can to blame on race...
They get that from their Leader....

The only ones to play the racist card so far are you right wing turds.

"I think with African-Americans at a young age, the glamour sports are basketball and football," said Weeks. "Kids look at it as an old-fashioned sport. Playing baseball isn't the hip thing to do." - Rickie Weeks, one of two African-Americans on the Milwaukee Brewers' roster.

Baseball has never been more diverse. The influx of Latino players from South America, players from Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada and Germany.

Major League Baseball Players by Birthplace

Since the 19th Century, Major League Baseball has enjoyed a rich, diverse, world-wide set of talent not seen in any other major league sport. Every state in the United States of America, and more than forty-five countries, have had at least one player make it to the show. The table below is a comprehensive historical analysis of every major league baseball player's birthplace. Selecting a state or country will bring up a sortable chart with every player in history who was born in that particular area.

United States (15,702)

Alabama (311) Louisiana (238) Ohio (994)
Alaska (11) Maine (73) Oklahoma (241)
Arizona (92) Maryland (277) Oregon (124)
Arkansas (150) Massachusetts (651) Pennsylvania (1,368)
California (2,042) Michigan (420) Rhode Island (74)
Colorado (85) Minnesota (160) South Carolina (172)
Connecticut (181) Mississippi (194) South Dakota (37)
Delaware (50) Missouri (589) Tennessee (282)
Florida (437) Montana (22) Texas (831)
Georgia (323) Nebraska (111) Utah (38)
Hawaii (37) Nevada (30) Vermont (38)
Idaho (28) New Hampshire (50) Virginia (271)
Illinois (1,023) New Jersey (409) Washington (181)
Indiana (357) New Mexico (25) Washington, D.C. (94)
Iowa (215) New York (1,108) West Virginia (120)
Kansas (211) North Carolina (389) Wisconsin (237)
Kentucky (273) North Dakota (15) Wyoming (13)

Additional Countries / Territories

Afghanistan (1) Dominican Republic (567) Philippines (1)
American Samoa (1) England (32) Poland (4)
Aruba (4) Finland (1) Puerto Rico (234)
Atlantic Ocean (1) France (8) Russia (8)
Australia (28) Germany (28) Saudi Arabia (2)
Austria (1) Greece (1) Scotland (7)
Austria-Hungary (4) Guam (1) Singapore (1)
Bahamas (6) Honduras (1) South Korea (14)
Belgium (1) Indonesia (1) South Vietnam (1)
Brazil (1) Ireland (43) Spain (3)
British Honduras (1) Italy (7) Sweden (4)
Canada (237) Jamaica (4) Switzerland (1)
Canary Islands (1) Japan (58) Taiwan (8)
China (1) Mexico (114) Unknown (37)
Colombia (13) Netherlands (9) Venezuela (288)
Cuba (171) Nicaragua (12) Virgin Islands (11)
Curacao (13) Norway (3) Wales (3)
Czechoslovakia (3) Panama (48) West Germany (11)
Denmark (1) Panama Canal Zone (4)

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Major League Baseball has, for decades now, been setting up youth summer Baseball camps in Mexico, Central and South America to foster and recruit players from those regions.

You see any of that in American Black neighborhoods?

So they love one brown people and hate another brown people? Try using your brain.

 

[Bfgrn]

Major League Baseball has, for decades now, been setting up youth summer Baseball camps in Mexico, Central and South America to foster and recruit players from those regions.

You see any of that in American Black neighborhoods?

Evolution of RBI Institute helping to reach more kids
Advances in philanthropy don't happen on their own. RBI, which stands for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, has undergone a massive growth spurt in recent years and now reaches more than 200,000 kids annually.

RBI Scholarship Program application period begins
Major League Baseball Charities, Inc. recognizes the importance of encouraging academic excellence in addition to athletic skills. That's why, in 2007, MLB Charities, Inc. established the "RBI for RBI Scholarship Fund".

Nashville RBI's footprints felt far and wide
Major League Baseball put its prestige behind an RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) fundraiser and clinic in Nashville,Tenn. The event also honored Nashville RBI founder Reggie Whittemore, who is stepping aside.

MLB dedicates Game 3 to youth initiatives
Major League Baseball dedicated Game 3 to youth, especially those in underserved communities, through the RBI and Breaking Barriers MLB programs, and also MLB’s partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

MLB Community: Programs: Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities

 

[Bfgrn]

Today, we all wear number 42...to honor a true American hero.

Jackie Robinson Day: April 15 | MLB.com

 

[candycorn]

I always was curious how Glavine and Maddux seemed to get an extra 3-6 inches off the plate and someone like Dontrelle Willis with talent galore struggled.

A lot goes into it to be sure but if you want to go conspiracy theory; just about the only position on the diamond where the ump can make you or break you is pitcher and there seem to be a lot fewer blacks on the mound than whites.

Not calling it racist but that is the topic at hand.

 

[Pogo]

I always was curious how Glavine and Maddux seemed to get an extra 3-6 inches off the plate and someone like Dontrelle Willis with talent galore struggled.

A lot goes into it to be sure but if you want to go conspiracy theory; just about the only position on the diamond where the ump can make you or break you is pitcher and there seem to be a lot fewer blacks on the mound than whites.

Not calling it racist but that is the topic at hand.

If the umps were all white that might be plausible but...

 

[candycorn]

I always was curious how Glavine and Maddux seemed to get an extra 3-6 inches off the plate and someone like Dontrelle Willis with talent galore struggled.

A lot goes into it to be sure but if you want to go conspiracy theory; just about the only position on the diamond where the ump can make you or break you is pitcher and there seem to be a lot fewer blacks on the mound than whites.

Not calling it racist but that is the topic at hand.

If the umps were all white that might be plausible but...

Very true...but they are vast majority white, are they not? Before we go "there", let me say I have no stats to back up how Eric Gregg (a black ump) would have called D-Train (if he ever did) versus the way a white ump like Joe West would have called Willis (if he ever did).

It just struck me as odd how the position of pitcher seems to be so under represented. I repeat "seems".

 

[Meathead]

Yeah, and Ryan Howard strikes out so much too! Obviously unbridled racism. Where the fuck are Jackson and Sharpton?!

 

[Unkotare]

This makes no sense. There are loads of white folks and Latinos and more Asian players than ever before in the bigs. How does that equate to "diversity declining"?

 

[Bfgrn]

I always was curious how Glavine and Maddux seemed to get an extra 3-6 inches off the plate and someone like Dontrelle Willis with talent galore struggled.

A lot goes into it to be sure but if you want to go conspiracy theory; just about the only position on the diamond where the ump can make you or break you is pitcher and there seem to be a lot fewer blacks on the mound than whites.

Not calling it racist but that is the topic at hand.

Guess you never saw this guy pitch...

Most Intimidating Pitchers Of All Time - SI.com
1) Bob Gibson

 

[GHook93]

Tom Haudricourt - Diversity in baseball declining


No doubt I will be seeing shortly an article that there aren't enough asians and latin americans in the NBA, right?

Oh wait, liberals are racist hypocrites. My bad. Forgot.

I think it comes down to a few things:
(1) There are fewer and fewer field to play baseball, in the inner cities.
(2) Baseball equipment is more expensive than baseball.
(3) Basketball courts are more plentiful, you can shoot hoops by yourself and let's face it, when your a kids it's more fun.
(4) Baseball is boring. I can't get my kid to even watch baseball, much less play it. He likes hockey and basketball a ton more.
(5) Yep it has to go there: The break up of the African American family has lead to the black kid losing that tossing the ball around with his father.

There are many factors to the decline in baseball, but racism isn't one of them.

 

[rightwinger]

Tom Haudricourt - Diversity in baseball declining


No doubt I will be seeing shortly an article that there aren't enough asians and latin americans in the NBA, right?

Oh wait, liberals are racist hypocrites. My bad. Forgot.

I think it comes down to a few things:
(1) There are fewer and fewer field to play baseball, in the inner cities.
(2) Baseball equipment is more expensive than baseball.
(3) Basketball courts are more plentiful, you can shoot hoops by yourself and let's face it, when your a kids it's more fun.
(4) Baseball is boring. I can't get my kid to even watch baseball, much less play it. He likes hockey and basketball a ton more.
(5) Yep it has to go there: The break up of the African American family has lead to the black kid losing that tossing the ball around with his father.

There are many factors to the decline in baseball, but racism isn't one of them.

You never see kids playing pickup baseball games anymore. There are no sandlots where kids can just improvise a game and make up rules. We used to change the rules based on the field and how many kids we have. If you didn't have a glove you borrowed one from the team that was up to bat

Now baseball is run by parents. Uniforms, umpires, $300 aluminum bats, regulation fields, insurance and a trophy for everyone

 

[Pogo]

Tom Haudricourt - Diversity in baseball declining


No doubt I will be seeing shortly an article that there aren't enough asians and latin americans in the NBA, right?

Oh wait, liberals are racist hypocrites. My bad. Forgot.

I think it comes down to a few things:
(1) There are fewer and fewer field to play baseball, in the inner cities.
(2) Baseball equipment is more expensive than baseball.
(3) Basketball courts are more plentiful, you can shoot hoops by yourself and let's face it, when your a kids it's more fun.
(4) Baseball is boring. I can't get my kid to even watch baseball, much less play it. He likes hockey and basketball a ton more.
(5) Yep it has to go there: The break up of the African American family has lead to the black kid losing that tossing the ball around with his father.

There are many factors to the decline in baseball, but racism isn't one of them.

You never see kids playing pickup baseball games anymore. There are no sandlots where kids can just improvise a game and make up rules. We used to change the rules based on the field and how many kids we have. If you didn't have a glove you borrowed one from the team that was up to bat

Now baseball is run by parents. Uniforms, umpires, $300 aluminum bats, regulation fields, insurance and a trophy for everyone

Aluminum bats are the antichrist.