It Must Have Been Black History Month
How can I tell? Because MLB, in a change from its' usual method of exluding blacks from team ownership, front office positions, managerial openings, and most of the seats in the ballpark, made some postitive news in the black, excuse me, urban, community last week. One press release celebrated the past, and the other provides a glimmer of hope for the future.
I suppose that "celebrate" is probably not the right word to use when discussing what we now call the Negro Leagues. The 60-year exclusion of Americans (and Latins) who had more melanin in their skin than those running MLB found acceptable is a sorry, shameful history that stains the past. But I suppose it is proper to celebrate the achievments of those who created their own outlet to excel, despite all the hardships in their paths.
The committee entrusted with the selections did a pretty good job; there are a couple that I question, but they certainly didn't pick anyone without a good case. I am disappointed that Minnie Minoso missed another chance to get into the Hall, where he clearly belongs, but I guess that I can keep hoping.
Hope is a fine word, and the opening of baseball's first Urban Youth Accademy is a cause to use it. I'm not going to play sociologist and offer half-baked explantations as to why the baseball, which was once so important in the black community, has slipped badly in popularity. Anything that creates opportunity is a good thing, and I'm happy to see MLB putting some of its' money where its' mouth is for once on this issue.
This is off-topic, but I will go on record against the ridiculous phrase, "urban." I've lived in cities all of my life, but I'm not "urban," by this definition. I suppose that since the Academy is located in Compton, which is urban by a real definiton, as opposed to a made-up one, the label fits, but I'd rather it just be called a Baseball Academy, without implying that it is in some way limited to a specific group.
Now if only we can see actitivity like this from MLB twelve months of the year, and not just only in February.
I suppose that "celebrate" is probably not the right word to use when discussing what we now call the Negro Leagues. The 60-year exclusion of Americans (and Latins) who had more melanin in their skin than those running MLB found acceptable is a sorry, shameful history that stains the past. But I suppose it is proper to celebrate the achievments of those who created their own outlet to excel, despite all the hardships in their paths.
The committee entrusted with the selections did a pretty good job; there are a couple that I question, but they certainly didn't pick anyone without a good case. I am disappointed that Minnie Minoso missed another chance to get into the Hall, where he clearly belongs, but I guess that I can keep hoping.
Hope is a fine word, and the opening of baseball's first Urban Youth Accademy is a cause to use it. I'm not going to play sociologist and offer half-baked explantations as to why the baseball, which was once so important in the black community, has slipped badly in popularity. Anything that creates opportunity is a good thing, and I'm happy to see MLB putting some of its' money where its' mouth is for once on this issue.
This is off-topic, but I will go on record against the ridiculous phrase, "urban." I've lived in cities all of my life, but I'm not "urban," by this definition. I suppose that since the Academy is located in Compton, which is urban by a real definiton, as opposed to a made-up one, the label fits, but I'd rather it just be called a Baseball Academy, without implying that it is in some way limited to a specific group.
Now if only we can see actitivity like this from MLB twelve months of the year, and not just only in February.
posted by Jim at
4:38 PM
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