What worth does Main League Baseball’s All-Star Week maintain if future generations don’t see themselves among the many sport’s elite… and even on its area?
When Corridor of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. was within the early days of his profession with the Seattle Mariners in 1991, Black gamers made up 18% of baseball’s rosters. Because the All-Star Sport returns to Seattle for the primary time since 2001, The Institute for Variety and Ethics in Sports activities (TIDES) famous that Black gamers make up simply 6.2% of baseball rosters.
“Through the years, we have now seen the decline of African-American gamers not as a result of they don’t wish to play, however relatively as a result of they haven’t been seen,” Griffey stated.
Coming again to Seattle for All-Star Week, Griffey is teaming along with his companions at MLB and its gamers affiliation—in addition to manufacturers like T-Cellular, Nike, Chevrolet and concessionaire Sodexo—to handle baseball’s tradition and produce Black gamers again into the sport.
As an envoy for MLB and MLBPA’s Youth Growth Basis—which promotes and sponsors novice baseball and softball—Griffey is utilizing his personal model to kick off All-Star Week with the primary HBCU Swingman Traditional on Friday night time at Seattle’s T-Cellular Park.
Through the years, we have now seen the decline of African-American gamers, not as a result of they don’t wish to play however relatively as a result of they haven’t been seen.
Ken Griffey Jr.
The occasion brings in gamers and alumni coaches from Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities (HBCUs) for an exhibition sport, but in addition tries to forge connections which have been misplaced to Main League Baseball for generations. Because the league experiments with occasions like the Hank Aaron Invitational—which reaches out to highschool gamers of various backgrounds—each the sport and its sponsors have realized that altering a tradition requires full-time dedication.
“Highlighting the expertise at HBCU baseball applications is a vital a part of how we join with faculty baseball whereas additionally enhancing African-American illustration in any respect ranges of our sport,” stated MLB chief baseball improvement officer Tony Reagins.
Cooking up connections
Kevin Fletcher grew up contemplating Ken Griffey Jr. the best baseball participant of all time. When Fletcher was actually drawn to baseball—through the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa dwelling run chase of 1998—he watched Griffey win the All-Star Week House Run Derby at Coors Area in Denver along with his hat on backward, then once more at Boston’s Fenway Park in 1999.
