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SPORTS Thursday 27 OcTOber 2022

No Black players expected in World Series, a 1st since 1950

By BEN WALKER lize.
AP Baseball Writer Betts, San Diego’s Josh Bell,
Looking around Memo- Cleveland’s Triston McK-
rial Stadium before Game enzie, Atlanta’s Michael
1 of the 1983 World Series, Harris II and the New York
Philadelphia Phillies star Yankees’ Aaron Hicks were
Gary Matthews saw a lot of among the Black players
Black talent. whose teams were elimi-
Joe Morgan. Eddie Murray. nated earlier this month in
Garry Maddox. Ken Single- the playoffs.
ton. Al Bumbry. Disco Dan Kendrick and others see
Ford. And plenty more that signs of more on the way.
night in Baltimore. “I am optimistic. I am,” he
“There were quite a few of said.
us,” Matthews recalled. Last summer, for the first
When fans watch the time in MLB draft history,
Houston Astros and Phillies four of the first five players
line up this week to begin selected were Black.
the Fall Classic, it will be a All four, along with more
much different picture. than 300 big leaguers in-
To be sure, Houston’s Jose cluding Harris, Cincinnati’s
Altuve and Philadelphia’s Hunter Greene, Pittsburgh’s
Jean Segura are among Ke’Bryan Hayes and Mil-
scores of Latin players help- Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after winning the baseball NL Championship Series in Game waukee’s Devin Williams,
ing keep big league rosters 5 against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Phillies took part in MLB diversity-
diverse. celebrate after winning the baseball NL Championship Series in Game 5 against the San Diego based initiatives such as
But for the first time since Padres on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Philadelphia. the MLB Youth Academy,
1950, shortly after Jackie Associated Press DREAM Series and the Re-
Robinson broke the Major Doby and Cleveland, ev- At the All-Star Game this leased. viving Baseball in Inner Cit-
League Baseball color bar- ery single team to reach summer at Dodger Stadi- Philadelphia power-hitting ies (RBI) program.
rier, there project to be no the World Series had at um, Betts wore a T-shirt with rookie Darick Hall made MLB also has pledged $150
U.S.-born Black players in least one U.S.-born Black the message: “We need his debut in late June and million in the next decade
this World Series. player until the 2005 Astros more Black people at the played 41 games his moth- to the Players Alliance, an
Zero. did not. stadium.” er is white and his father is organization of current and
“That is eye opening,” said During that half-century, But on the field this week- Black and white, and he former players working to
Bob Kendrick, president of Black greats such as Hank end, despite encouraging identifies as multiracial. Hall increase Black involvement
the Negro Leagues Base- Aaron, Barry Bonds, Lou indicators and multi-lay- wasn’t on the Phillies’ ros- at all levels of the sport.
ball Museum in Kansas City, Brock, Bob Gibson, Rickey ered efforts by MLB, it will ter for any of the first three Chicago White Sox execu-
Missouri. “It is somewhat Henderson and Frank Rob- be a World Series shutout rounds this postseason and tive vice president Kenny
startling that two cities that inson commanded the Oc- for the first time in over sev- isn’t expected to be on the Williams is the only Black
have high African Ameri- tober stage. In 1979 alone, en decades. World Series roster. leader of baseball opera-
can populations, there’s Willie Stargell and Dave “It’s the exclamation Houston lost in the World tions for a major league
not a single Black player.” Parker were among 10 point,” said Richard Lap- Series last year with Michael team.
“It lets us know there’s ob- Black players on the “We chick, director of The Insti- Brantley, a Black outfielder, “I think surely but slowly,
viously a lot of work to be Are Family” Pittsburgh Pi- tute for Diversity and Ethics on the roster. Brantley is out we’re going to see a pen-
done to create opportuni- rates champions. in Sport at Central Florida. for the season this year be- dulum shift,” Kendrick said.
ties for Black kids to pursue For much of that time, “It’s been a story that’s cause of a shoulder injury. “The problem is we’re not
their dream at the highest baseball was clearly the been ongoing since the Relief pitcher Josh James patient. I don’t like instant
level,” he said. dominant game in the late 1980s, the decline of is also Black and on the grits. I’m from Georgia I
Robinson debuted in 1947 United States, the national Black baseball players,” he team’s 40-man roster, but like mine slow cooked,” he
with the Brooklyn Dodgers pastime. Over the years, said. he had arm surgery in early said.q
and played in the World as basketball and football Lapchick, lead author for October.
Series that year. Since then, increased in popularity, his group’s annual reports MLB had 38% players of
the 1950 matchup be- pensive with an emphasis in sports, said Black players ters, including Altuve, Yor- ARUBA
on diversity hiring practices color on opening day ros-
baseball became more ex-
tween the New York Yan-
kees and Phillies has been on travel teams and elite made up 7.2% of opening dan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, CLEAN
the only World Series with- showcases. day rosters this year. That Yuli Gurriel, Cristian Javier
out a Black player. “Kids started shifting to oth- dipped from 7.6% last year and Framber Valdez of the
Houston and Philadelphia er sports,” Matthews said. and marked the lowest Astros and Segura, Ranger
will announce their 26-man One of Matthews’ sons, since study data was first Suárez and Seranthony
rosters several hours before Gary Jr., was an All-Star collected in 1991, when Domínguez of the Phillies.
Game 1 on Friday night at outfielder. 18% of MLB players were Many Afro Latino players
Minute Maid Park, where Another son works in the Black. embrace Black identity, yet
Dusty Baker, a Black out- commissioner’s office with The Phillies had no Black perhaps not for the same
fielder for the 1981 cham- diversity programs. players on their opening reasons that Black U.S.
pion Los Angeles Dodgers, By 2020, when the Dodgers roster this year for the first players do.
manages the Astros. beat Tampa Bay, Los An- time since 1959. Race and skin color hold a
Starting in 1954 when Wil- geles star Mookie Betts was Roman Quinn, a Black different currency in places IS MORE
lie Mays and the New York the only Black player in the backup outfielder, played like the Dominican Repub- DUSHI
Giants played against Larry World Series. 23 games before being re- lic, Panama, Cuba and Be-