ARTICLE FROM espn.com (Full sto
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P.S. Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey, Rod Carew, Doc Ellis, Willie Stargell, Frank Robinson, Lee Maye, Willie Davis, Don Buford and Bobby Bonds. These are African American players I watched playing in the 1971 MLB All Star Game on MLB Network.
Here in 09, there are only a few African Americans playing in this years All Star game. The question is why is this happening? I blame MLB.
The National League starting lineup had ZERO African Americans. The American League ONE. THIS IS A OUTRAGE!!!
Young African American youth can care less about running home to watch the All Star game. Unlike the NBA All Star Game. They care about that. The NBA All Star Weekend is very popular with young inner city kids who want to watch the dunk contest and three point shoot out and more. They can care less about the home one contest and legends game.
Our Seattle Mariners and Major League Baseball do a terrible job in reaching young African American youth who have turned away from playing baseball in the last 15 to 20 years. The “RBI League” is not enough.
There needs be more outreach. Heck, how many African American players do you see doing TV commercials on national TV like Torii Hunter or Ryan Howard or Carl Crawford?
1971 MLB All Game had eleven African Americans in the game, 2009 hardly any. Why is the question? Major League Baseball needs to realize that baseball is no longer “America’s Past Time” If it is, for who?
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