"That's an average of two guys per team" - When Chris Rock gave his raw take on the race imbalance in baseball

Chris Rock said there was an issue facing baseball. The sport has since changed in recent memory to adapt to different issues, such as implementing the pitch clock, adjusting the baseball itself, expanding the playoffs, growing the bases, and more. But none of those address what the comedian felt was the biggest issue at the time.

In his comedy special from 2015, Rock laid bare his thoughts on the sport with one key quote, via The Athletic:

"I'm an endangered species: a Black baseball fan."

He pointed out the race issues facing baseball, as their fan base continues to get older. The average age of a fan who turned on a game was 53 at the time. Five out of those six were white. Only 8% of MLB players at the time were Black, so Rock said:

"That's an average of two guys per team—and those two probably listen to Blake Shelton to keep from getting their a** kicked by their teammates."

The Jigsaw actor said that baseball just wasn't cool enough for his demographic:

"Maybe if baseball gets a little hipper, a little cooler, just a little more Black, the future can change. But until then, Blacks and baseball just ain't a good match anymore. Blacks don't seem to care, but baseball should be terrified."

Chris Rock is a comedian and actor, but that doesn't disclude him from sports and having opinions. This opinion, while presented in a bit of a joking manner, might be more serious than most.

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Chris Rock's issues with baseball haven't gone away

Despite the league having grown since the comments, the issues that Chris Rock initially brought up in that comedy special all those years ago seem to still persist.

Chris Rock criticized the sport of baseball

That was almost nine years ago. The league has certainly changed since then. Players can express themselves and do so more often. The game is more exciting, but it still hasn't fixed the issues Rock noticed. As of 2023, Black players represent an even smaller number of the population: 6.2%.

The league is trending backwards in that area. Though he hasn't commented since, it is probable that this trend disappoints Chris Rock.