MLB fans react to league having the fewest Black players in decades: "I don’t care if the entire league looks like the black panthers"

It was exactly 76 years ago that Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut. When the then-28-year-old stepped up to the plate on that April day, he became the first ever player of African descent to play in the world's most famous league.After trailiblazing for 11 years in the big leagues, Robinson retired in 1956 with 141 home runs, 761 RBIs and a batting average of .313. Despite facing intense prejudice from fans and players, Robinson was committed to promoting equity.His number, 42, was retired league-wide in 1997, and every April 15, every player around the league wears Robinson's original digits in an honor to him. The last player to wear the number before its retirement was Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees.However, even after seven decades of Robinson's jump to the big leagues, racial representation remains a hot-button issue within the baseball world and beyond. In a recent piece for USA Today, writer Bob Nightengale highlighted that only 6.1% of players on opening day 2023 identified as Black, the lowest number since 1955.Bob Nightengale@BNightengaleHappy Jackie Robinson Day:MLB's percentage of Black players is baseball's lowest since 1955 but MLB and The Players Alliance are optimistic their efforts will soon show significant progress is being made. usatoday.com/story/sports/m…6213Happy Jackie Robinson Day:MLB's percentage of Black players is baseball's lowest since 1955 but MLB and The Players Alliance are optimistic their efforts will soon show significant progress is being made. usatoday.com/story/sports/m…&quot;Happy Jackie Robinson Day: MLB's percentage of Black players is baseball's lowest since 1955 but MLB and The Players Alliance are optimistic their efforts will soon show significant progress is being made.&quot; - Bob NightengaleThe question of racial tolerance and inclusivity has always been a hot rod for controversy. Unsurprisingly, fans had plenty to say regarding Nightengale sharing the eye-opening statistics.Some fans highlighted the structural inequalities that Black Americans face as a large hurdle to gaining entry into the league. With the average Black American still earning less than their White or Asian counterparts, the expense of competing in baseball is still out of reach for many.RedsBurner@RedsBurner19@BNightengale I would imagine this is mostly due to poorer black families being priced out of the game. An inadvertent downside of making developmental tools and equipment better. The world needs more Hunter Greenes who does a lot of community work around that helping lower income kids.1@BNightengale I would imagine this is mostly due to poorer black families being priced out of the game. An inadvertent downside of making developmental tools and equipment better. The world needs more Hunter Greenes who does a lot of community work around that helping lower income kids.Bregs Hair@BregsHair@BNightengale Really sad how few African Americans the dodgers employ on the team and front office now. Glad my team believes in diversity and giving everyone opportunities.@BNightengale Really sad how few African Americans the dodgers employ on the team and front office now. Glad my team believes in diversity and giving everyone opportunities.Walkoffstudios@walkoffstudios@BNightengale In addition to the overall %, there hasn't been an everyday black catcher in 20 years, and the number of black pitchers is tiny, possibly its lowest since the 50s@BNightengale In addition to the overall %, there hasn't been an everyday black catcher in 20 years, and the number of black pitchers is tiny, possibly its lowest since the 50sOther fans took a more meritocratic approach, arguing that teams should not even consider color when selecting their rosters.ℕ𝕆𝕃𝔸ℕ@GETPITCHINGPLZ@BNightengale Or, hear me out, we just put the best players on the field10@BNightengale Or, hear me out, we just put the best players on the fieldTony Tartuglio@T59226660@BNightengale I don’t care if the entire league looks like the black panthers. If they’re the best, let the league be all black. I don’t care. I want the yanks to win another World Series. I don’t care if they draft someone who’s black, Chinese or from outer space. Just win.1@BNightengale I don’t care if the entire league looks like the black panthers. If they’re the best, let the league be all black. I don’t care. I want the yanks to win another World Series. I don’t care if they draft someone who’s black, Chinese or from outer space. Just win.Chuck Wagon@chuck1233@BNightengale Isn’t MLB the most diverse of the big four?@BNightengale Isn’t MLB the most diverse of the big four?Kevin Smith@Hockeydad921@BNightengale How many times are you going to post about this? Holy shit give it a rest. As I said in one of your thousand other posts on this issue did it ever occur to you that maybe athletes don’t want to play baseball? That they prefer other sports? 🤡1@BNightengale How many times are you going to post about this? Holy shit give it a rest. As I said in one of your thousand other posts on this issue did it ever occur to you that maybe athletes don’t want to play baseball? That they prefer other sports? ❄️🤡MLB The Show 23 recently unveiled the Jackie Robinson Foundation Charity Pack. Through the feature, a $3.49 once-off payment will be funneled by the foundation toward reducing the achievement gap in higher education and providing opportunities for underpriveledged youth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins is the cover athlete for the exciting new game.𝐋𝐞𝐨@prayforleonard@BNightengale wtf with this stat?@BNightengale wtf with this stat?Jackie Robinson day is an MLB-wide observation for a reasonRegardless of the differing opinions on the current racial makeup of the league, everyone can agree that Jackie Robinson is a legend. If it had not been for his courage and tenacity in the face of so much opposition, the percentage of Black players in the MLB could be far lower than the already-too-low 6.1% figure.

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