"We Black people know what's going on" - Barry Bonds makes emotional plea against racial inequality in baseball

Jackie Robinson made history in 1947 when he became the first African-American to play in MLB in the modern era. The likes of Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. then went on to become staples of the league and inspirations for young black kids looking to take up the sport.

However, Bonds believes that even decades on, there is a lack of black representation in the sport. During an appearance on the "All the Smoke" podcast on Thursday, the MLB's all-time career home run leader addressed the issue of racial inequality in the league and the need for the industry to unite to fix these issues.

"For me to sit there and say, 'Is there racism?' Yeah, I mean, I could say yes, it's true," Barry Bonds said (33:27 onwards). "We all know that. We, as Black people, we know what's going on. We're not blinded by any of that. We're not a threat to anyone.

"We're not trying to pose a threat to anyone. We're trying to be relevant, equal, or valued. The industry has to come together. And how do we do that? People need to sit at a table and figure it out."

Barry Bonds gives possible reasons why Black representation in baseball remains low

MLB has not been able to attract black players in the same proportion as other popular sports like NFL or NBA. Bonds mentioned a couple of reasons why that might be the case.

"When I played baseball, you had me, Ken Griffey Jr., Eric Davis, Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee—I can go on and on—Andre Dawson," Barry Bonds said. "I can name a ton of inspiring Black athletes on the field who inspired other Black kids to want to play."

Bonds pointed out that apart from a select few names, there aren't enough black players that young kids can take inspiration from in today's age.

Another reason Bonds pointed out was economics.

"It is very expensive," Bonds added. "I mean, bats are $500. It's crazy. It's like, crazy. I mean, I do something else. Gloves are $300 or more. You're at almost $2,000 right now just to play baseball, with spikes and equipment alone. And it's hard."

Moreover, Bonds wants the baseball community to fund programs in urban communities, reducing equipment costs and creating more visible Black role models in the sport.