Un-Retired

[nymr83]

metirish wrote: So there are maybe 60+ African Americans in the majors,not a lot ,hardly any are starting pitchers..Willis the only one?....

if you're going by 25 man rosters, 60 would make them 1/15th of the league, probably about their proportion of the population when you take out the spots held by foreigners (which is probably 1/3 of the league at this point) you also have to consider their over-representation in football and basketball- presumably alot of those guys could be playing baseball but chose the other sports

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Indians' ace C.C. Sabathia has actually been one of the more vocal players on the topic of Blacks in the Major Leagues.

Also, I think we forgot Ray Durham.

[nymr83]

if a white NBA player said all that (what Sabathia said) about getting whites involved in basketball again he'd be labelled a racist.

[DocTee]

African Americans currently comprise a bit under 12% of the general population in the US, so 1/15th of all MLB players would represent a significant down-grade.

[nymr83]

doctee, you're forgetting to discount all the non-americans playing MLB, if you're going to include them you've got to include them in your population too.

[G-Fafif]

If we are to assume Jackie Robinson's experiences and lessons can be applied universally, it wouldn't be out of line if a non-African-American wore 42 that day.

Just sayin'.

(Our pal Dave Murray makes the point eloquently from Michigan)
http://metsguyinmichigan.blogspot.com/2007/04/im-glad-willie-is-wearing-no-42-i-wish.html

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Thanks, Greg. It's just something I feel strongly about. Jackie is a hero.

[metirish]

Very nice article Dave..well said.

[nymr83]

] But mandating the districts do something to recognize the day would be a waste. It has to be sincere to have meaning

i hate mandating the districts do anything, but changes to the CURRICULUM might be in order...
make all the kids writing biography history papers write about someone with they do not share a common race or religion (from the usual approved lists).
maybe then the 5th grade white kids will stop writing their 5th paper on george washington and learn about King and the black kids will stop writing their 5th paper on King and learn about Simon Bolivar or something.

[nymr83]

from an anonymous poster on metguy's blog:

]As far as Jackie Robinson is concerned, I agree wholeheartedly he deserves the utmost respect. I think it is interesting he entire Dodger team will don #42. The announcers better know the names of the players

i'd love to hear the yankee anouncers do that game, i swear drunky and waldman would be calling the players by position!

[Guest Edgy DC]

]"They see players like Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado and just assume that they're black."

That's because they more or less are, C.C., you Met fan.

[nymr83]

Delgado, at least, is both "African" and "American" (being a citizen of puerto rico)

[DocTee]

How is Delgado "African"?

And he's a resident (or native) of PR, but an American citizen.

[nymr83]

aren't his ancestors Africans who came to puerto rico?
yes, he's an american citizen, that makes him "american"

[G-Fafif]

Recollection on the retirement of Jackie's 42...

http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/4/6/2863459.html