quote:
O.J. Mayo, Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon. Even the most casual sports fan probably knows who they are. But how many people can tell you the names of the top three high school baseball players that graduated in 2007?
Stage Dad 9,
I know what you're getting at but... I can tell you in all certainty that the top three high school players who graduated in 2007 have a much larger bank account today than all four of the athletes you have mentioned.
Not to sound like a know it all but I could tell you who the top 50 or more high school players were in the 2007 class. Only a couple actually chose to go to college rather than sign professional contracts.
More important baseball's biggest advantage for inner city kids doesn't have anything to do with the top few players in any class. It has to do with the number of opportunities that exist. Not million dollar hand outs, but nice bonus's and a big opportunity to hit it big. This is much more attractive to the poor kid from the ghetto than the rich kids who have never worried about whether there was food on the table.
Also, while we are talking about “middle class” black players being the only ones who are going on to play baseball. I could give many examples of poverty stricken black players who given the right opportunity have chosen baseball over other sports. Often choosing baseball out of high school rather than taking the full ride football scholarship at top football colleges.
The problem here is that everyone sees these things based on there own experience or what has happened in their own part of the world. We have no single area of the country to form opinions on. Our experience is not based on location and there are large differences in some parts of the country.
I think it’s OK to say this because there will probably be a book about it some day. Carl Crawford was not “middle class” and he was a very raw outstanding natural athlete who starred in three sports in high school. In fact, he committed to be an option QB at Nebraska (back when Nebraska was still a power) I was told (don’t know for a fact) that he was also recruited to play basketball at UCLA. Before his senior season, his uncle told us that Carl would sign (baseball) at that time for $50,000. Guess that money was more important to him and his single parent mom than playing QB at Nebraska at the time. Well, that year Carl was the first pick of the second round and signed for well over a millon dollars (record 2nd rd money at the time). He was not anywhere near a polished baseball player or someone who had devoted many years to learning the game. In fact, he spent more time working on football and basketball. Baseball got him and I for one am so very happy for him because he is now a multi millionaire. There are other Carl Crawford’s out there and I hope baseball gets some of them.
I do understand that lots of the black baseball players do come from good middle class families, but good families and good people don’t just come in middle or above classes. To me the most appealing aspect of baseball is really geared towards the most poverty stricken. IMO it’s just not being promoted correctly.
Yes, there is a lot to be said about the importance of dads and learning the game. Yes, it is a game that requires lots of things in addition to just athletic ability. But there are many cases of professional players who never pitched being converted to pitchers. Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders didn’t grow up concentrating on developing their baseball skills. While it is an obvious huge advantage to grow up playing and learning the game, there are athletes who can easily overcome this disadvantage and quickly pass others who did grow up playing the game and being led by dad.
I do believe that dads are in most cases the guiding force in baseball, but it doesn’t mean anything is impossible without a dad in the house.
I also understand the “cool” aspect in regards to basketball and football. To me that is what baseball needs to educate young players about. It’s pretty darn “cool” if you’re a Derek Jeter, Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Jimmy Rollins, one of the Upton brothers or any other black baseball player who reaches the top. Just as cool and rewarding as it is in the other sports! I think it’s neat when we find out that Lebron is a baseball fan! Makes me a Lebron fan!
Bottom line, I think baseball is failing to educate young inner city youth about the fact that baseball can provide more opportunities, for a larger number of kids, than the other sports.
quote: