NAACP president belittles baseball’s efforts
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19589840/
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What is needed is to draw them away from football and basketball and the quick money that does not happen in baseball
interesting though that some of the top young guns coming up, Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin etc are black youths
And may I add that having met both of the named players and their Dads let em say they are two of the finest young men I have met in a long time
interesting though that some of the top young guns coming up, Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin etc are black youths
And may I add that having met both of the named players and their Dads let em say they are two of the finest young men I have met in a long time
The NAACP sends many good messages but here I feel they are aiming at the wrong target. Baseball from the get-go is neighborhood driven with parents and neighborhood leaders paving the way. It's easy to point to the guy "outside the box" with the wallet but you better be ready to back that commitment with a grassroots effort and I don't feel that effort is there. The NBA and NFL has monopolized that neighborhood support but it was not that the NBA/NFL initiated it. They jumped in when the internal support was already present. The NAACP strategy to point the finger at MLB is the obvious one, but IMHO it is a much more complicated issue than that.
So, does NAACP's Mr. Hayes have anything constructive to offer for his 'perceived' problem?
The new interim NAACP president, Don Hayes,writes. “....the NAACP believes, that if we don’t do something now, African-American players will become extinct when it comes to Major League Baseball.”
To put that in perspective, the interim NAACP president appears to have no clue that the RBI program, since it's inception in 1987, is not working in the East Coast inner cities conducting the RBI and has not for about the last ten years.
After the 12U, and maybe 14U, African-American HS athletes typically have not committed to developing and improving their baseball skills (i.e. throwing, fielding, rules of the game etc.) since many, if not most, may yield to 'peer' priorities toward summer basketball leagues and early football workouts in preparation for the HS fall season.
Many of us to agree with John Young -- the "father of RBI" -who noted a significant decrease in the number of skilled athletes emerging from his childhood area, Los Angeles and
that the RBI program concept has more benefits than simply teaching kids to play the game would not be enough.
Among the many beneits are the teaching of RBI amatuer players of life skills through a condensed version of Quick SMART ((Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) which addresses the issues of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and HIV/AIDS prevention and education for 13-18-year olds, and that it embraces inner city communities to teach kids that being a success in life also means succeeding in the classroom, in the community and being a good citizen.
But what exactly, Mr. Hayes, are you proposing the summer and HS baseball coaches supposed to do?
How do we to justify and accomodate part-time amateur HS baseball players versus a full time amateur HS baseball player who works on, develops and improves his baseball skills everyday over the summer, and nearly twelve months a year!
Now mind you that all the summer and HS baseball coaches in my network are color blind, yet African-American amatuer HS players with a full-time committment to baseball during and after the baseball season are nearly extinct.
Regards,
Bear
To put that in perspective, the interim NAACP president appears to have no clue that the RBI program, since it's inception in 1987, is not working in the East Coast inner cities conducting the RBI and has not for about the last ten years.
After the 12U, and maybe 14U, African-American HS athletes typically have not committed to developing and improving their baseball skills (i.e. throwing, fielding, rules of the game etc.) since many, if not most, may yield to 'peer' priorities toward summer basketball leagues and early football workouts in preparation for the HS fall season.
Many of us to agree with John Young -- the "father of RBI" -who noted a significant decrease in the number of skilled athletes emerging from his childhood area, Los Angeles and
that the RBI program concept has more benefits than simply teaching kids to play the game would not be enough.
Among the many beneits are the teaching of RBI amatuer players of life skills through a condensed version of Quick SMART ((Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) which addresses the issues of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and HIV/AIDS prevention and education for 13-18-year olds, and that it embraces inner city communities to teach kids that being a success in life also means succeeding in the classroom, in the community and being a good citizen.
But what exactly, Mr. Hayes, are you proposing the summer and HS baseball coaches supposed to do?
How do we to justify and accomodate part-time amateur HS baseball players versus a full time amateur HS baseball player who works on, develops and improves his baseball skills everyday over the summer, and nearly twelve months a year!
Now mind you that all the summer and HS baseball coaches in my network are color blind, yet African-American amatuer HS players with a full-time committment to baseball during and after the baseball season are nearly extinct.
Regards,
Bear
What does MLB have to do with whether or not black kids are playing baseball? Does MLB come in and form leagues in "white" areas? I grew up in a white area and I never saw one. Why would "black" areas get special treatment? Where I live now it is very ethnically diverse. White, black, asian, hispanic. The Little League here is huge. They own baseball fields all over the city. I have seen teams made up of all different races of kids. If parents would get involved enough to get a league started there would be nothing to complain about. If people would invest more in their own community and ask for fewer handouts they would find that "black" areas don't have to be places to escape from, rather places they can feel safe raising their families.
"Hayes wrote that he “watched with amazement at how funding for baseball programs has found its way to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and other countries.”
Baseball is like any other industry. It will follow it's resources. If I produced diamonds and the diamond mine was in Arkansas but better or more plentiful diamonds were to be found in Africa I would go to Africa to get my diamonds. What does the color of the diamond have to do with it?
Baseball is like any other industry. It will follow it's resources. If I produced diamonds and the diamond mine was in Arkansas but better or more plentiful diamonds were to be found in Africa I would go to Africa to get my diamonds. What does the color of the diamond have to do with it?
why sports? why not target other profesions? lawyers ,doctors etc? why baseball? whats the number one in 30,000 kids play pro sports?isn't there a better chance making a living in another field?
Isn't MLB and the NAACP making a mistake and putting undue pressure on young players.
Your not a successful program if you don't make a bunch of professional baseball player's.
Come on, Its about the game.
And the love you have playing that game.
It's not a work program.
The game is promoted by passionate people.
For the sake of Baseball, the Game.
Not Baseball the career oppurtunity.
I'm all for promoting baseball in all parts of the country.
But it has to be changed by the people that live in there neighborhoods.
No amount of money thrown at a problem from the outside will change a thing.
How come there not promoting Nascar, Hockey, Olympic size swimming pools, Tennis, Hotdog eating contest.
Baseball starts from the ground up, by volunteers that have a passion for the game.
THE GAME.
EH
Your not a successful program if you don't make a bunch of professional baseball player's.
Come on, Its about the game.
And the love you have playing that game.
It's not a work program.
The game is promoted by passionate people.
For the sake of Baseball, the Game.
Not Baseball the career oppurtunity.
I'm all for promoting baseball in all parts of the country.
But it has to be changed by the people that live in there neighborhoods.
No amount of money thrown at a problem from the outside will change a thing.
How come there not promoting Nascar, Hockey, Olympic size swimming pools, Tennis, Hotdog eating contest.
Baseball starts from the ground up, by volunteers that have a passion for the game.
THE GAME.
EH
EH,
Well said.
Try this on for size: Is the NAACP going to complain to the NBA about the dwindling number of white players in the NBA? Are we going to start initiatives to encourage young white kids to play basketball before the white player is extinct in the NBA? Is it the NBA's fault? Sounds like a little race card playing to me....
I love baseball and think it's the greatest game going; I've passed that love on to my kids, and the kids I was involved with through many years of Little League, but I'm not sure that there's a long term "problem", or a long term solution.
Kids are exposed to gazillions of choices to spend their leisure time, many being television, digital music, computer, or video game oriented. I suspect that if the numbers of kids involved in baseball are dropping, it's more of a reflection that parents are abdicating their role as encouragers of exercise and taking the easy way out by letting electronics do the baby-sitting.
I don't see easy solutions as it looks like a by-product of societal/cultural changes, and I doubt the NBA, MLB, NFL, or any other organization has the ability to create a signficant change. IMHO, it starts with the mommas and daddies.
Well said.
Try this on for size: Is the NAACP going to complain to the NBA about the dwindling number of white players in the NBA? Are we going to start initiatives to encourage young white kids to play basketball before the white player is extinct in the NBA? Is it the NBA's fault? Sounds like a little race card playing to me....
I love baseball and think it's the greatest game going; I've passed that love on to my kids, and the kids I was involved with through many years of Little League, but I'm not sure that there's a long term "problem", or a long term solution.
Kids are exposed to gazillions of choices to spend their leisure time, many being television, digital music, computer, or video game oriented. I suspect that if the numbers of kids involved in baseball are dropping, it's more of a reflection that parents are abdicating their role as encouragers of exercise and taking the easy way out by letting electronics do the baby-sitting.
I don't see easy solutions as it looks like a by-product of societal/cultural changes, and I doubt the NBA, MLB, NFL, or any other organization has the ability to create a signficant change. IMHO, it starts with the mommas and daddies.
Mr Hayes,
The problem with baseball in the black community, in my opinion, is the lack of young black role models in the community.
Too many gang bangers and pimps in the hood.
Mothers too busy just trying to survive.
Money WILL NEVER do anything for kids' participation. Need fathers as coaches and role models.
Before anyone gets their shorts in a tither, I'll be happy to take them through many areas of Chicago and Chicagoland to prove my point.
The problem with baseball in the black community, in my opinion, is the lack of young black role models in the community.
Too many gang bangers and pimps in the hood.
Mothers too busy just trying to survive.
Money WILL NEVER do anything for kids' participation. Need fathers as coaches and role models.
Before anyone gets their shorts in a tither, I'll be happy to take them through many areas of Chicago and Chicagoland to prove my point.
Name: Most Viable Prospects
Date: Thu 26-Jul-2007
Info: Most Viable Prospects: GT
Website: http://www.viableprospects.org/home.html
Date: Thu 26-Jul-2007
Info: Most Viable Prospects: GT
Website: http://www.viableprospects.org/home.html
quote:The problem with baseball in the black community, in my opinion, is the lack of young black role models in the community.
Too many gang bangers and pimps in the hood.
Mothers too busy just trying to survive.
Money WILL NEVER do anything for kids' participation. Need fathers as coaches and role models.
Whoa...slow your roll brotha!
These kids are still finding ways to play basketball and football. Why not baseball?
Do you have to have a father to play baseball, but not football?
Do you have to have a role model to play baseball, but not basketball?
Do you have to have community support to play baseball, but not football and basketball?
I think what was meant to be said was that while a bunch of kids can get together at a park to play any sport it takes older leaders to organize controlled leagues. Those leaders are already in place for basketball and football but there is not enough adult leadership that has the teaching skills in in the baseball area to sustain a consistant baseball environment.
At least that was my take on Beenthere's statement
At least that was my take on Beenthere's statement
Rz
I concur
I concur
Baseball is a sport that takes far more practice and is a much more skilled sport than most others. It would be very difficult for a kid who has never played organized baseball to try out and make his high school team. A kid who has played nothing but unorganized street basketball could very likely become the star of the high school team. I never played organized football until my freshman year in high school and by my senior year was a 1st team all league defensive end, second team offensive tackle, and most valuable lineman. There are few sports that compare to baseball in this way.
What is the real issue here? Are there no leagues for these kids or are the kids choosing not to play? If kids don't want to play, what else are they doing? If it's football and basketball then it seems they've made their choice. Are we going to force them to change their minds?
What is the real issue here? Are there no leagues for these kids or are the kids choosing not to play? If kids don't want to play, what else are they doing? If it's football and basketball then it seems they've made their choice. Are we going to force them to change their minds?
I actually think it is a problem. But to me the problem is baseball's not the NAACP. Baseball is the loser when potential great players go elsewhere. Baseball has the most to gain by trying to solve things. Many of our idols have been black players. Several of the greatest players ever were black players. The less black players in the Major Leagues the less interest we will see in the inner cities. Many MLB clubs are located in those same cities.
I agree with those who think baseball is a game that requires leaders and community involvement. Dad’s are the most critical ingredient, in my opinion, when it comes to creating the interest and guidance.
College opportunities are one thing, but if we are talking about professional sports… I just can’t buy the “more money in other sports” thinking. I know that is what has been used as a reason and promoted (Be like Mike”!), but professional baseball is doing a bad job of promoting their most obvious advantage, in my opinion.
It’s one thing if we want to talk about the Lebron James types, but how many of those types exist? How many players are drafted and signed by NBA organizations. How many players make millions playing basketball? Just how many jobs exist in the NBA? How many great basketball stars end up back in the ghetto playing on the play grounds, because they didn’t get a chance at pro ball out of high school and had no interest or the ability to handle college life.
How much money does it take to be considered “life changing”, in some way, for a young kid stuck in the Ghetto with no plans for college or a career of some kind?
Baseball can give “more” opportunities to young African American’s than any other sport… And it’s not even close! MLB’s draft provides millions to the early picks (6.1 million to Justin Upton) but more importantly, when looking at number of opportunities, is the money a 10th or 20th round pick can get to start a professional career in sports, right out of high school. Yes, minor league pay is not good, but it does provide young players with health care and a “chance” to reach the top. There are many who didn’t make it as players, but still had long careers in baseball as scouts, coaches, etc.
Basketball drafts 2 rounds. Then a few get a chance through free agency. Some go on and play in developmental leagues for the equivalent of “minor league money”. Some go over seas, just like some baseball players do.
Baseball drafts 50 rounds. We all know the majority of a MLB club’s draft budget is spent on the early round picks, but what about all the others who sign for $50-100 thousand or more. Minor league baseball adds to the opportunities. No other sport has the number of employees baseball does. Many of these baseball jobs are earned through playing careers. Many former minor leaguers make there living in baseball.
Baseball provides the opportunity for a young man stuck in the ghetto with no real interest in college and without having any money for college, to have a chance. $100,000 is a ton of money for many a kid/family who lives in poverty. One could say it is life changing for some. And it gives the young player a chance to make millions in the future. Something he might never have had the opportunity for in any other way.
Baseball’s biggest selling point is in the numbers of opportunities. More so than basketball, football and other sports. A good argument could be made that baseball provides the best odds of all for an outstanding athlete to climb out of the poverty of the inner cities and have a good life.
I agree with those who think baseball is a game that requires leaders and community involvement. Dad’s are the most critical ingredient, in my opinion, when it comes to creating the interest and guidance.
College opportunities are one thing, but if we are talking about professional sports… I just can’t buy the “more money in other sports” thinking. I know that is what has been used as a reason and promoted (Be like Mike”!), but professional baseball is doing a bad job of promoting their most obvious advantage, in my opinion.
It’s one thing if we want to talk about the Lebron James types, but how many of those types exist? How many players are drafted and signed by NBA organizations. How many players make millions playing basketball? Just how many jobs exist in the NBA? How many great basketball stars end up back in the ghetto playing on the play grounds, because they didn’t get a chance at pro ball out of high school and had no interest or the ability to handle college life.
How much money does it take to be considered “life changing”, in some way, for a young kid stuck in the Ghetto with no plans for college or a career of some kind?
Baseball can give “more” opportunities to young African American’s than any other sport… And it’s not even close! MLB’s draft provides millions to the early picks (6.1 million to Justin Upton) but more importantly, when looking at number of opportunities, is the money a 10th or 20th round pick can get to start a professional career in sports, right out of high school. Yes, minor league pay is not good, but it does provide young players with health care and a “chance” to reach the top. There are many who didn’t make it as players, but still had long careers in baseball as scouts, coaches, etc.
Basketball drafts 2 rounds. Then a few get a chance through free agency. Some go on and play in developmental leagues for the equivalent of “minor league money”. Some go over seas, just like some baseball players do.
Baseball drafts 50 rounds. We all know the majority of a MLB club’s draft budget is spent on the early round picks, but what about all the others who sign for $50-100 thousand or more. Minor league baseball adds to the opportunities. No other sport has the number of employees baseball does. Many of these baseball jobs are earned through playing careers. Many former minor leaguers make there living in baseball.
Baseball provides the opportunity for a young man stuck in the ghetto with no real interest in college and without having any money for college, to have a chance. $100,000 is a ton of money for many a kid/family who lives in poverty. One could say it is life changing for some. And it gives the young player a chance to make millions in the future. Something he might never have had the opportunity for in any other way.
Baseball’s biggest selling point is in the numbers of opportunities. More so than basketball, football and other sports. A good argument could be made that baseball provides the best odds of all for an outstanding athlete to climb out of the poverty of the inner cities and have a good life.
NH11
It comes from Parents and Volunteers, That give there Time and hard work to make a change.
Don't tell me it can't be done.
It only takes one person to start a meeting at the park board.
Then you find the volunteers that are willing to help.
Then you ask the Park board and city council with help to rebuild fields.
Then you go to the Chamber of commerce and say we have an idea for promoting business.
They like that kind of talk.
You go to the county park board for help.
You ask fence companys to donate panels for backstops.
And then you Hammer them again at the meetings with LL dressed in there little uni's.
Who couldn't help a little kid, Council members are Elected.
Remember these councils are there to serve us, The People??
If there's a will,
There's a way.
IF THERE'S A WILL...
EH
quote:What is the real issue here? Are there no leagues for these kids or are the kids choosing not to play? If kids don't want to play, what else are they doing? If it's football and basketball then it seems they've made their choice. Are we going to force them to change their minds?
It comes from Parents and Volunteers, That give there Time and hard work to make a change.
Don't tell me it can't be done.
It only takes one person to start a meeting at the park board.
Then you find the volunteers that are willing to help.
Then you ask the Park board and city council with help to rebuild fields.
Then you go to the Chamber of commerce and say we have an idea for promoting business.
They like that kind of talk.
You go to the county park board for help.
You ask fence companys to donate panels for backstops.
And then you Hammer them again at the meetings with LL dressed in there little uni's.
Who couldn't help a little kid, Council members are Elected.
Remember these councils are there to serve us, The People??
If there's a will,
There's a way.
IF THERE'S A WILL...
EH
Great post PG. You've articulated the point that most here have missed, including the NAACP and Mr. Hayes.
The lack of college opportunities compounds the problem significantly IMHO.
The lack of college opportunities compounds the problem significantly IMHO.
Like Father like Son.
While this is not a blanket statement, nor is it referring to anything other than athletic similarities, it is an intangible that I feel has some merit.
The inner-city kids in question are of the 8-12 yr old range and if you look at the parents involved you will probably see that baseball was not part of their childhood memories, basketball/football was. My dad was neither basketball or football "involved" but he was involved with baseball all through his youth. As a result it was much easier for him to get involved with my baseball because he was familiar with the sport, it was what he liked, and was most familiar with.
Yes, we threw around a football and shot baskets together but his "push" was toward baseball. If you can say that I specialized in any sports growing up it was baseball and handball/racquetball (worked at a Y through HS) and as a result my "push" were in those sports. I think if many of us look back at our childhood we will say that our specific sports interests followed out parents favorites, again a generalized statement.
While many of us will also say that we played many organized sports, it was probably because Mom/Dad could afford to pay for a "stand-in" trainers. Inner-city youth do not have that luxury.
While this is not a blanket statement, nor is it referring to anything other than athletic similarities, it is an intangible that I feel has some merit.
The inner-city kids in question are of the 8-12 yr old range and if you look at the parents involved you will probably see that baseball was not part of their childhood memories, basketball/football was. My dad was neither basketball or football "involved" but he was involved with baseball all through his youth. As a result it was much easier for him to get involved with my baseball because he was familiar with the sport, it was what he liked, and was most familiar with.
Yes, we threw around a football and shot baskets together but his "push" was toward baseball. If you can say that I specialized in any sports growing up it was baseball and handball/racquetball (worked at a Y through HS) and as a result my "push" were in those sports. I think if many of us look back at our childhood we will say that our specific sports interests followed out parents favorites, again a generalized statement.
While many of us will also say that we played many organized sports, it was probably because Mom/Dad could afford to pay for a "stand-in" trainers. Inner-city youth do not have that luxury.
well thought out post ..quote:by PG: Baseball’s biggest selling point is in the numbers of opportunities. More so than basketball, football and other sports. A good argument could be made that baseball provides the best odds of all for an outstanding athlete to climb out of the poverty of the inner cities and have a good life.
great points with which most all would agree
sooo, as those positives you've noted are public knowledge and not "breaking news" -
they'd be easily gleaned from any sports page, espn, hs coach, or even talking w/the local bookie ..
it would logicly seem that those factors should be relevant, but they appear not to be
quote:While many of us will also say that we played many organized sports, it was probably because Mom/Dad could afford to pay for a "stand-in". Inner-city youth do not have that luxury.
What do you mean by a stand end rz1
EH
quote:What do you mean by a stand end rz1
EH, it would seem that RZ1's dad hired a "stud" to "stand in" for his big at bat or key defensive situation
musta been a local thing
How are you helping inner city youth by promoting an oppurtunity that only a very few will ever achieve.
The Money would be better spent on creating jobs.
How a parent spends there time and money that they do have is there business.
If they want to promote baseball in there community's then promote it.
No excuses, Get off your A$$ and make a differance.
EH
The Money would be better spent on creating jobs.
How a parent spends there time and money that they do have is there business.
If they want to promote baseball in there community's then promote it.
No excuses, Get off your A$$ and make a differance.
EH
Triple,
Why should I "slow my roll"?
What I stated was the fact in the inner cities, Chicago, included.
Why should I "slow my roll"?
What I stated was the fact in the inner cities, Chicago, included.
EH,quote:Originally posted by theEH:
What do you mean by a stand end rz1
EH
My dad taught me the basics and then sent me to camps where his "stand-in" was someone he paid to train me beyond his knowledge and/or ability. Maybe "stand-in" was a poor choice of words
quote:Bee quote:
EH, it would seem that RZ1's dad hired a "stud" to "stand in" for his big at bat or key defensive situation
Bee,
or meeting the smart arse poster in the parking lot after work
. Watch out for the guy chewing on a toothpick with the crooked nose.
Interesting that this should come out on the same day that another study about single parent families was released.
The study showed (as have other studies) that more than 70% of black children are born into single parent families. In 1960, the number was 5%.
Who teaches young boys to play baseball? Their FATHERS!
Why should we be surprised that as fatherlessness in the black community skyrocketed, black participation in baseball plummeted?
Methinks the head of the NAACP ought to be spending his consternation on the real problem: the devastating effects of out-of-wedlock birth in the black community.
The study showed (as have other studies) that more than 70% of black children are born into single parent families. In 1960, the number was 5%.
Who teaches young boys to play baseball? Their FATHERS!
Why should we be surprised that as fatherlessness in the black community skyrocketed, black participation in baseball plummeted?
Methinks the head of the NAACP ought to be spending his consternation on the real problem: the devastating effects of out-of-wedlock birth in the black community.
Why promote one community and not another.
Promote them all.
It comes from withen.
And have fun, for crying out loud.
EH
Promote them all.
It comes from withen.
And have fun, for crying out loud.
EH
Very moving post PG. I agree with some of your points.
Part of the blame lies on the NCAA as well. Escaping poverty is by gaining an education. Football scholarships awarded for football are 100%. So are basketball scholarships. In my opinion, this is what motivates underpriveledged kids (black and white) to be interested in football and basketball, the chance at an education they might not be able to afford because they have to go through the college system to play at a higher level, most know they will not end up in professional football or basketball. The NCAA needs to allow better quality scholarships for baseball. NCAA, how about giving up some of your own millions you have?
Part of the blame lies on the NCAA as well. Escaping poverty is by gaining an education. Football scholarships awarded for football are 100%. So are basketball scholarships. In my opinion, this is what motivates underpriveledged kids (black and white) to be interested in football and basketball, the chance at an education they might not be able to afford because they have to go through the college system to play at a higher level, most know they will not end up in professional football or basketball. The NCAA needs to allow better quality scholarships for baseball. NCAA, how about giving up some of your own millions you have?
Im starting a new organization called the NAAFOG - The national association for the advancement of fat old guys.
Do you realize that there are absolutely no people on the MLB, NBA or NFL that look like me.
Great Post PG - to try tp advance ones life you probably are better off playing the lottery as opposed to banking on athletics.
Do you realize that there are absolutely no people on the MLB, NBA or NFL that look like me.
Great Post PG - to try tp advance ones life you probably are better off playing the lottery as opposed to banking on athletics.
quote:Triple,
Why should I "slow my roll"?
What I stated was the fact in the inner cities, Chicago, included.
Sorry, just being argumentative. My point was that these kids are still playing other sports. I don't think it is just the lack of fathers/role models. The problem is deep and multifaceted. There are 2 boys on my youngest son's travel team that do not have fathers(at least I have never seen them.) God bless their mothers for what they do. It is very very hard for them, but they find a way.
My dad was never involved in my baseball. He saw me play for the first time my senior year in high school. That's how it was back then, Dads worked! That didn't keep us from playing though. I don't know a single kid that I played with that had dads working with them like we do today. To our dads, baseball was just a game we played. To us players, we all had the dream. The dream was alive and we played like it! It didn't take a dad to get us there. And 2 of my pals made it to the bigs!
It is obviously much better when dads are involved,
and sometimes necessary, but there are other problems too.
Dad or no Dad, if the innercity kids had the facilities, the ball diamonds, the league and the coaches, would they play? You would think so! BUT, here comes another problem; I know of an innercity league that was shut down a few years ago because of PARENTS fighting. Actually, the fights and arguments caused the numbers in the league to go down so much they had to shut it down. Ironic isn't it? The kids in this league had moms and/or dads, yet it was the moms/dads that caused its demise.
Many post in this thread have addressed some of the issues quite nicely.
Basketball can be picked up and played anywhere, anytime and your game develop(to a degree).
Football...If you are big fast & strong you are on the team.
Baseball takes many years to develope your skills and a lot of fundemental work. You need facilities, coaching, and a sound league infrastructure. As far as I know, these things are not readily available in the innercity.
Community support? If someone gave them the money for fields, leagues etc.. would they support it, or would they ruin it? Would the parents fight, would the concession stand get robbed every other night, would they have enough volunteers to take care of the fields, would they be able to find qualified coaching?
Do they even want it? Many of the posters noted that the love for the game came from their youth.
I have wondered about this issue a lot over the years. I would love to see some of these ahtletes turn into baseball players. My sons varsity team played 2 innercity teams this year. There were great athletes out there but they were awful at baseball. They played hard and had fun. It's too bad they didn't get to develop in their youth.
If MLB really wants to see successful innercity baseball will 1 mil. even scratch the surface?
If MLB or NAACP wants baseball in the innercity
quote:Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom:
Part of the blame lies on the NCAA as well. Escaping poverty is by gaining an education. Football scholarships awarded for football are 100%. So are basketball scholarships. In my opinion, this is what motivates underpriveledged kids (black and white) to be interested in football and basketball, the chance at an education they might not be able to afford because they have to go through the college system to play at a higher level, most know they will not end up in professional football or basketball. The NCAA needs to allow better quality scholarships for baseball. NCAA, how about giving up some of your own millions you have?
IMHO blaming the NCAA is the same as blaming MLB. It's easy to point the finger at the top for what should be dealt with at the local level. While I agree the scholarship issue is not right in a baseball sense as far a quantity, I can only imagine that an increase or improving baseball scholarships under the guise of expanding minority recruitment will only benefit the white player base, because overall that is where the American scholarship talent resides. Cold hard truth.
The NCAA already pours funds into inner-city programs. Maybe we should push the National Teachers Association, one of the biggest/strongest unions in the country to pour some of their funds into the inner city programs.
Most Universities have great academic scholarships programs for underprivileged youth so why use athletics as the "bait" to entice them to further their education. Why not entice that group of individuals with academics as the means to escape poverty as statistically that is the best route for success. Professional sports is a long shot at best, let's deal with reality. College is for learning and that should be the main intent, if you rate as an "elite" athlete, and qualify academically, an athletic scholarship should be awarded based on that criteria, not on race and/or poverty status.
I'm sorry but this is not a black white issue, Are even race related.
It's about the oppurtunity are lack of oppurtunity to play the game of baseball by inner city youth.
But there's also country youth, Urban youth, suburban youth.
That also could use the help.
And the oppurtunity comes from the Parent's/Parent.
That take the time to find the recreation for there child.
Then it's the child that has to have the desire.
I'm not going to apologize to anybody for trying to give my kid an oppurtunity that I never had.
Thats what parent's are for.
Nobody's giving me any hand out's.
I work for a living.
And we sacrifice to make thing's happen.
I'm never going to blame anybody for my short coming's.
And I'm not going to listen to people that say I or my child was previledged. It's just not the truth.
You make what you want in this world, No Excuses.
EH
It's about the oppurtunity are lack of oppurtunity to play the game of baseball by inner city youth.
But there's also country youth, Urban youth, suburban youth.
That also could use the help.
And the oppurtunity comes from the Parent's/Parent.
That take the time to find the recreation for there child.
Then it's the child that has to have the desire.
I'm not going to apologize to anybody for trying to give my kid an oppurtunity that I never had.
Thats what parent's are for.
Nobody's giving me any hand out's.
I work for a living.
And we sacrifice to make thing's happen.
I'm never going to blame anybody for my short coming's.
And I'm not going to listen to people that say I or my child was previledged. It's just not the truth.
You make what you want in this world, No Excuses.
EH
quote:Originally posted by theEH:
NH11quote:What is the real issue here? Are there no leagues for these kids or are the kids choosing not to play? If kids don't want to play, what else are they doing? If it's football and basketball then it seems they've made their choice. Are we going to force them to change their minds?
It comes from Parents and Volunteers, That give there Time and hard work to make a change.
Don't tell me it can't be done.
It only takes one person to start a meeting at the park board.
Then you find the volunteers that are willing to help.
Then you ask the Park board and city council with help to rebuild fields.
Then you go to the Chamber of commerce and say we have an idea for promoting business.
They like that kind of talk.
You go to the county park board for help.
You ask fence companys to donate panels for backstops.
And then you Hammer them again at the meetings with LL dressed in there little uni's.
Who couldn't help a little kid, Council members are Elected.
Remember these councils are there to serve us, The People??
If there's a will,
There's a way.
IF THERE'S A WILL...
EH
I don't disagree with you at all. If my post sounds overly negative it is because I don't believe this is an MLB issue. I believe it is a community issue.
quote:Originally posted by rz1:
IMHO blaming the NCAA is the same as blaming MLB. It's easy to point the finger at the top for what should be dealt with at the local level. While I agree the scholarship issue is not right in a baseball sense as far a quantity, I can only imagine that an increase or improving baseball scholarships under the guise of expanding minority recruitment will only benefit the white player base, because overall that is where the American scholarship talent resides. Cold hard truth.
I disagree. Increasing scholarships could be the one thing that the NCAA could do to make college baseball less of an elitist sport without cutting into the white player base. The talent is largely white due in significant part to the lack of college opportunities.
The National Teachers Association? Where the heck does that come from?
quote:Maybe we should push the National Teachers Association, one of the biggest/strongest unions in the country to pour some of their funds into the inner city programs.
That would be pushing a wet noodle. The NEA is a labor union. Its job is to increase the pay, benefits and immunities of teachers. Doing things to assist schoolchildren is simply not one of their priorities.
Cold hard truth.
I don't want to turn this into race bait, but recall a comment made by Gary Sheffield a few weeks ago about how it is easier to sign a middle/south american than it is to sign a black player for monetary reasons. I have looked for the transcript of the interview, but I couldn't find it, so I just used what other media outlets put in their pages about his comments to derive the statement I just made about what he said. Is there any truth to this? Or is Sheffield simply ranting? If there is some truth, could that be another contributing factor to the problem stated by the NAACP?
quote:The National Teachers Association? Where the heck does that come from?
If you're looking for someone to throw money into a problem, determine the real problem, and look for the group that has the most interest to resolve it. The national teachers union (I'm an unfortunate member) is knee-deep in wealth and athletic organizations should not carry the load to fix a problem that is ultimately caused by lack of academic achievement. That is the real problem with the inner-city as a whole, not with the SMALL percentage of athletically gifted kids. It's the majority of kids that you do not see on the playground that need the support. Fix that and the athletic side fixes itself over time.
Sorry for changing directions, but sometimes discussion groups look at the problem with a narrow view and ignoring the bigger problem. In this case the millions that are spent on a small percentage of kids far exceeds the dollars spent on the needy population as a whole. Athletic money is a bandage on the real problem. As far as I'm concerned if professional sports wants to make a difference they should funnel that money into educational programs. I think they send a message that sports are more important than the classroom. This is not a "ballpark" issue, it is societies issue.
quote:Originally posted by Rob Kremer:
The NEA is a labor union. Its job is to increase the pay, benefits and immunities of teachers. Doing things to assist schoolchildren is simply not one of their priorities
Rob, Maybe it's just a bad taste in my mouth because I am not a teacher yet because of it's size, power, and financing the NEA used it's clout to put us under it's umbrella when no other union could. What I do is not a "teachers business" either, but they stuck their nose and wallet into my business and as a result a big portion of my monthly dues goes to the National organization. I work for the State of WI and the NEA does nothing to help or represent our cause. All I'm saying is that maybe their resources could be diverted in a more socially conscious way. No matter how you look at it a Union it is a business. The Player associations of all sports has a hand in youth programs, why not teachers in a proportionate amount?