Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18
Wednesday 11 april 2018

MLB says

percentage MANU

of black

players MISSION

highest

since 2012

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The per-
centage of black players
from the United States and
Canada on opening-day
active rosters rose to 8.4
percent, its highest level
since at least 2012.
Major League Baseball at-
tributed the increase at
least partly to its efforts to
increase baseball youth
participation with pro-
grams that include Urban
Youth Academies and Re-
viving Baseball in Inner Cit-
ies (RBI).
"It's been a huge invest-
ment for us," Renee Tirado,
MLB's chief diversity and
inclusion officer, said Mon-
day. "Obviously growing
the game amongst our
players is a priority, so that
uptick has definitely been
from a concerted effort."
As the 71st anniversary of
Jackie Robinson breaking
the major league color
barrier approaches Sun-
day, MLB said the percent-
age was up from 7.7 last
year and 8.27 the previous
two seasons.
MLB based its figures on the
750 players who were ac-
tive on March 29 and did
not include the 127 who
were disabled, suspended
or on paternity leave. The
percentage peaked at 19
in 1986, the league said,
citing Mark Armour of the Gay, Ginobili lead Spurs over
Society of American Base-
ball Research. The league
said previous accounts at- Kings to clinch playoff berth
tributing a high of 27 per-
cent in the 1970s included
dark-skinned players from
Latin America, according San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20) dunks past Sacramento Kings forward JaKarr Sampson (29) during the second half of
to Armour. an NBA basketball game, Monday, April 9, 2018, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 98-85.
Continued on Page 22 Associated Press