Sunday, April 15, 2007
Baseball, Sport Continue to Mirror Society
Baseball has long been a mirror American culture has held up to examine itself. At its best, baseball and sport have led some of the positive developments in American society, Jessie Owens grace and glory, at their worst, they have reflected some of the lowest of America's lows, Bobby Riggs blantant sexism. This weekend on the 60th anniversary of the best of baseball's bests, Jackie Robinson's integration of the sport, it is a time to reflect on what the mirror that is baseball is showing American society in its reflection now.
There has been much talk about the declining numbers of American Black baseball players in the Major Leagues. While the number of American Blacks in the Majors has been steadily declining, the number of Hispanics and Asians has been steadily increasing. This statistic mirrors the population trend in the United States. Minorities other than blacks have been steadily increasing their percentage of the total American population.
How well will baseball and America handle this trend? By all indications baseball is doing an excellent job integrating its Hispanic and Asian players. Though if one listens carefully, there are occasionally uncomfortable jingoistic undertones, as in New York before last season when fans groused on talk radio about Mets General Manager Omar Minaya bringing in his "own kind" and "too many Hispanics." Wiser and cooler heads seemed to predominate, resisting this talk even before the season started. Again reflecting the realities of America, in this case its capitalist-ni-winning hierarchy, once the Mets started winning all of the racist anti-Hispanic talk disappeared. American society shows similar inclinations. Occasionally baring its ugly fangs and snarling at America's great wave of Latin American immigrants, demanding wall building, but then meeting someone personally, benefitting personally, watching the work ethic and happily accepting the individual.
Baseball led from the fore in the Jackie Robinson era. Jackie integrated baseball eight years before Rosa Parks gave up her seat. Sixteen years before Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech and 18-20 years before Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. [Thanks to ESPN's Buster Olney for that nugget.] Yet for all it's good works baseball reflects some of the improvements America has failed to make, as well. Baseball has done a woeful job of promoting American Blacks to executive and General Manager positions. America likewise, for all its progress, is still under-representing minorities and women in the boardroom and the boss's chair.
This weekend many are questioning what the decline in American Blacks players and participation in baseball reflects about American society. Hip-Hop stars' preference for basketball and football? American culture's preference for faster, higher scoring games? Baseball's and America's less than benign neglect of urban areas and cities?
The Clarion urges its readers to reflect, too.
There has been much talk about the declining numbers of American Black baseball players in the Major Leagues. While the number of American Blacks in the Majors has been steadily declining, the number of Hispanics and Asians has been steadily increasing. This statistic mirrors the population trend in the United States. Minorities other than blacks have been steadily increasing their percentage of the total American population.
How well will baseball and America handle this trend? By all indications baseball is doing an excellent job integrating its Hispanic and Asian players. Though if one listens carefully, there are occasionally uncomfortable jingoistic undertones, as in New York before last season when fans groused on talk radio about Mets General Manager Omar Minaya bringing in his "own kind" and "too many Hispanics." Wiser and cooler heads seemed to predominate, resisting this talk even before the season started. Again reflecting the realities of America, in this case its capitalist-ni-winning hierarchy, once the Mets started winning all of the racist anti-Hispanic talk disappeared. American society shows similar inclinations. Occasionally baring its ugly fangs and snarling at America's great wave of Latin American immigrants, demanding wall building, but then meeting someone personally, benefitting personally, watching the work ethic and happily accepting the individual.
Baseball led from the fore in the Jackie Robinson era. Jackie integrated baseball eight years before Rosa Parks gave up her seat. Sixteen years before Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech and 18-20 years before Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. [Thanks to ESPN's Buster Olney for that nugget.] Yet for all it's good works baseball reflects some of the improvements America has failed to make, as well. Baseball has done a woeful job of promoting American Blacks to executive and General Manager positions. America likewise, for all its progress, is still under-representing minorities and women in the boardroom and the boss's chair.
This weekend many are questioning what the decline in American Blacks players and participation in baseball reflects about American society. Hip-Hop stars' preference for basketball and football? American culture's preference for faster, higher scoring games? Baseball's and America's less than benign neglect of urban areas and cities?
The Clarion urges its readers to reflect, too.
Labels: baseball, Politics, sports, thought
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