Today, the black athlete is barely visible in the world of Major League Baseball. Very few young (or old) black baseball players could even tell you who Satchel Paige is. Even the legendary Jackie Robinson isn’t appreciated for what he did. He paved the way for black athletes in ALL SPORTS.

Black athletes dominate the NBA. That could pretty much be said about the NFL as well. No surprise you say about basketball. It’s a street game. You can find a hoop somewhere within walking distance no matter where one lives. The kids know the current stars. I say current because they are poor historians for the most part.

When I was growing up I knew the line-ups of every major league team and there wasn’t a team west of Chicago … and I lived in California. I was a country kid. The majority of black players back-in-the-day were country kids. One bat, one ball, a vacant field and you could play.

Of course, there were players who came out of the city, especially those cities who had professional teams. In the country you were more likely to find that vacant field where you could hit a ball without breaking a window.

In the city it takes organization and people who love the game and are committed to its viability in our sports world. I say it is missing today. Too many half-assed coaches and wanna-be agents going for themselves.

Some cities had those dedicated people. I don’t remember who was in charge, but there was a Legion Post in Oakland, CA that comes to mind. J.W. Porter (Detroit Tigers), Joe Morgan (Cincinnati Reds), Frank Robinson (MVP in both leagues), Vada Pinson (Reds) and I am sure many more learned the game there. Somebody loved the game and gave their time over and over.

The size of the athlete is not as big a factor as it is in football and basketball. And, black athletes are the highlights in these sports on ESPN. ESPN educates kids. Badly at times, but nevertheless, a fact of life. Kids relate to what they see. How many black kids play golf now because of Mr. Woods?

The percentage of black players in college baseball is about the same as pro baseball. Is this what baseball wants? I don’t believe baseball is a white man’s game. The major leagues is currently a brown man’s game. Their home countries have worked hard at getting their athletes prepared. Those black major leaguers need to go to work as well as other leaders in the game.

I am not saying I have any answers. I don’t know if it doesn’t matter or if anyone even cares. Is it just accidental or is it a covert rebuttal of Jackie Robinson’s efforts in 1946-47? I think it might be something baseball might want to check out.

Is it really America’s game?