David Justice speaks on the decline of black players in MLB | All Facts No Brakes 

MLB should stop the child labor camps in South & Central America and put those resources in the states.

Great topic guys. MLB has baseball training facilities via MLB Youth Baseball Academies in various cities across the US. My 8 year old son participates in the Texas Rangers Youth Academy here in Dallas. They have free baseball training and events going on year round. They also have travel/scout teams that play in tournaments and against the other MLB youth academies across the country. This helps alleviate the need for travel ball and gives youth participants experience and exposure. The indoor/outdoor training facilities are great. From what I have seen in the year my son has been involved, I can honestly say that MLB is trying to increase minority participation and representation via the Youth Academies. They also have umpire schools for those wanting to be future umpires. I believe several high draft picks, umpires or prospects have come from these academies over the years. Some of the youth have gone on to work in the team offices as well. They are helping a ton of youth baseball/softball players not only develop their skill, but enjoy and grow to love the sport as well. I can see in the culture at the Rangers Youth Academy that coaches and staff at the academies really want to see the kids succeed. I highly recommend these youth academies to youth baseball/softball players if there is one in your area. There is a lot of work to do to reverse the participation trend, however, undoubtedly MLB is trying. PS--I promise I don't work for MLB😂, but the Rangers Youth Academy is doing a great job. You can read the reviews on the Rangers Youth Academy website and the reviews encompass what I have experienced with my kid. You can view more information about the MLB Youth Academies at: www.mlb.com/mlb-youth-academy

Make it happen! Get programs started in all areas! $

MLB and the players should all be investing back into their cities with local baseball leagues and facilities. All free! Go look at the baseball school Ohtani came from.

Free Little League programs for kids playing through 12 years old..

You're spot on! I'll also add that players from Puerto Rico are subject to the same draft process as Black American players, being that they are born US citizens.

Exactly

Bingo

What's stopping them from building in Jamaica or Haiti?

​@@goke313Those countries haven't traditionally had baseball histories.. Athletics and cricket dominate in Jamaica, in Haiti it's football(soccer) bar none. Its the national sport, basketball, volleyball and athletics are popular as well.. Spanish speaking Caribbean and south american countries have been playing baseball for at least a century, there's a well established tradition there so it's practical to establish training academies there..

NL west braves . I hated the braves . I’m a giants fan , 93 we won 102 games and you guys won 103 . Once you guys traded for Fred mcgriff I was bitter

@@beejeeezy7933 I remember that..the day McGriff joined the Braves a fire burned out the press box at the old Atlanta-Fulton Co. stadium. The Braves caught fire too and won like 50 of the next 60 games. Justice was confident and clutch that year.

@@fredball8240 final game of the season we lost to the dodgers Mike piazza went off he I think he just got called up . Soloman Torres pitched for us and got rocked . Crazy 102 win team missed the playoffs

Very entertaining. Looking back, baseball was so dynamic back then.

And they are still a very good team. Won the World Series quite recently.

Anything you do is a racket. So might as well choose the ones where your kids can have fun.

Doesn't improve anything, the real injustice is that athletes/entertainers make toomuch money. How does any sport gave any value in society. Especially compared to teaching our youth.

I’m Irish white not Swedish white. Get it right.

That’s too funny.

Yooo 😂😂😂😂

Exactly. It's "American Black"

I no black i dominican

It's called vitilla I'm Dominican i was born here in New York but raised in Santo Domingo 👌💪

@@henryvaldez8656🇩🇴❤️

I was in the DR in 2000. Doing military charity work as in building schools. Majors had farm teams down there. Nice facilities.

See 4:37

They’re trying to erase us. You’re answering your own ? 5:05

And what's even crazier, my boy plays on a local 8u team and there are 7 yr Olds with 400 dollar hype fire bats....one kid was so tiny he could barely swing the bat, hasn't got a hit yet, and he's walking around with that in hit bat bag....some parents are wild

You do know the white parents of his teammates had to do the same thing right?

​@@Deewood612What?

@@MegaBossygirl1 You can have someone read it to you if you’re having a hard time.

Man, I'm telling you its crazy. I'm remember being provided equipment wast the top of the line but they kept it.modern and safe. You had the option to bring your equipment but wasn't necessary. My son does soccer and Now these travel sports want a few thousand dollars and you have to bring your own ball, provide your own gear and uni. Not a flex, but between my sons travel and daughters travel (gymnastics) we spent almost 15k and just goes up each yr.

Bless you man, I hope your son enjoys the experience. Travel, hotels, food, time off work.. travel ball can be a sacrifice for the family

That entry fee is Trash!

WOW! Sounds like basketball and football is starting to charge admission now

The funny thing is you can go to the local high school games and they don’t charge anything. I would gladly pay to help fund the program but they don’t charge. But I go to all these tournaments for my kid and it’s 5 bucks a day to watch them play.

Sounds like JO gymnastics

They don’t like to be called Black.

Yup just like Puerto Rico, Cuba etc

He specified American black folks

You are actually correct. I was explaining this to someone last week. I believe this started in mid to late 90s and got worse and worse into the 2000s….

@@lejonsifford3493it’s the video title that’s a little misleading

Maybe teach him something other than sports

@@mikegilbert3981 Maybe read the posts you're replying to (the kid is on the honor roll at school) instead of replying with condescending, judgmental barbs.

True and this racial element is moot. Far far more white kids miss out...because everyone is POOR. Save up and do your kid right if he shows talent. Stop buying luxury goods when you live in projects for Christ sake. It's a poor thing and not race. Race baiters.

Which is foolish. I know lots of good athletes who could play and don’t play travel ball cuz they play other sports

Travel basketball is just as expensive! The root of the problem is that most black kids like baseball and football more than baseball!

Well… travel baseball is where the scouts are. Baseball is an everyday sport, so college and pro baseball is going on at the same time as high school baseball. So logistically, scouts are able to make it to more travel baseball games when they don’t have to scout against Ohio State or Clemson coming in the next weekend.

Very expensive and was a reason why I stopped playing.. a really good Little League program can be a cheaper alternative. My brothers little league team was 1 game away from going to LLWS and now that little league program doesn't exist anymore... So maybe we need better Little League investing...

Yes, please quit interrupting!!

LMAOOOOO 😅

It wasnt that bad lol...not like vlad tv lmao

He's knew at it and learning, being a football player interviewing a good baseball player he should have let David explain it more indepted.

Was this guy married to Halle Berry?🙄\ my son played lil league baseball- shortstop, ended up receiver football scholarship D1-San Diego State later on. The Padres called him, but he said no thanks. His friend played baseball scouting team- switched to football at San Jose State California! 😮​@@williampenn3766

Interesting observation, if true. What's the name of the documentary?

EXACTLY

I saw something similar on PBS, I think the name of the show was POV.

Yes the power hitters and the base thievery were thrilling and exciting to see, it's another one I miss and is rarely seen if not obsolete, that being the pitcher pitching a complete game.

OPS+ is the main driver of success now. HRs are highlights but a guy who hits 20 a year with a 700 OPS isn't going to last long.

They only pushed the HR after the mlb strike back in the 90s when fans didn't return. I remember that MLB commercial with Chipper (Larry) Jones taking batting practice ,actress Heather Lockehear, and another female actress walking by when he hit a homerun, and they,stopped and gawked. He then looked at the camera and said,"Chick's dig the longball!!" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

​@@NerdsWorldNYC that was Maddox and Glavine

Never thought about it that way.

Nobody ever wants to admit america in general reaches out to foreign lands to cut cost be it products or even ppl

Then why you say no matter race😅 ? You're the one who mention it.

That's an insult to international players.

😂😂😂😂😂what an ignorant comment

@@mikedmacc709 Why would you even say that? I can assure you that race was mentioned in the video and is part of conversation.

because he said, "No matter race." He brought it up, not me.

Something beautiful about baseball. Hard to explain

Real talk but see my post we regret it also

I can’t really speak for ur perspective as I grew up in the Bronx (preteen early 2000s) playing baseball where the older guys joined if they seen u playing. But also in a school where the majority of kids were either black or Spanish, the Spanish definitely dominated the school team. I didn’t stop playing til a surgery I had to undergo put me out. Trust me u could have put me in the middle of nowhere no one can sway my love for baseball 😊

Bingo. Someone who actually sees it. Arizona Qb got drafted as a pitcher in MLB p. He chose NFL big first contract instead of playing in the minors and working into a 200 mil MLB contract.

Yep, Kyler Murray comes to mind. He took the football route over baseball. 100% agree.

Not to mention, the NIL money will all but destroy college and minor-league baseball

Football is the absolute worst sport for money, health and longevity yet it is the most popular. This is not a money story.

@@brichards9293 i’ll be sure to discuss that with all those billionaire NFL owners

So all Black people stay in the hood?

Yep. Tough to find space. Tough to find enough people to play with you. And so many games are behind a pay wall now. Kids can't turn on the TV and see the Braves, Cubs, and their local team play at any given time like we could in the late 80s and 90s.

theres way more college football scholarships than college baseball. way more instant gratification if you're an athletic teenager to just play football

lol football is cheap man especially with the help inner city kids, in FL, Texas, Georgia, California so many youth programs. But I can’t think of 1 black youth program for baseball

baseball sucks always has been always will

Are you slow? David stated that they're purposely not doing it.

💯

Bro everything ain’t racism. Grow up

It is u goof..

​​@@thesupervisor3270If its not about race why is the video about the decline of black players in MLB.

African Americans used to play with beat up equipment and they produced some of the greatest players in the history of the game.

One of those kids from Panama, who played with a cardboard glove, turned out to be the greatest closer in MLB history

Fact

Indeed i’m 57 and we did. Baseball might’ve been my favorite sport growing up. The whole neighborhood played and we played other neighborhoods all the time

Money is the reason, I respect what you are saying but that’s not the culture here. You cannot go on the field without the proper equipment here. Bats get banned every year, the year after your parents spent $300 on a bat! Not happening bro parents don’t have it

Completely rich white and a few Asian kids

It has roots similar to golf...

True. Black kids aren't treated fair.

Sounds factual. It's starting to feel as exclusive as Lacrosse. I LOVE Baseball!! I played for years. I was usually the only brother on a team, the older I got.

@@lawrencebenjamin502 rich people want their kids to play sports. Lacrosse was perfect

Been that way since the late 80s. Some reasons are everybody wanted to be like Michael Jordan, Drugs made the average dealer decent money, & Rap music lucrative.

MLB isn’t as strict as the NFL though. MLB players wear gold chains, yell at officials & only get kicked out for the rest of the game, fighting could get you a fine & a couple days suspension. MLB is just awful with marketing & spend way too much money on child labor camps in Latin America to get cheap players. There’s also the whole minor league system.

Steroid era was to replace the athleticism lost from the exodus of Black players. Defense in MLB is atrocious. Most CFs are terrible. People who have played football and can track balls in the air make better outfielders

@@lovesgucci1not just cheap players. Black people in all areas are difficult to work with when it comes to trying to enforce a corporate agenda. We don’t go for it. They need people who are easier to manipulate so they go to Latin America.

​@@comfortmobilecarwash9561Sure hasn't, the unwritten rule shift happened in the late 2000s. That's why I stopped watching mlb.

Exactly. He's a terrible interviewer; keeps talking over Dave (and other guests) WAY TOO MUCH

Lolol

#PleaseAndThankYOU!! 😂😂😂😂 THIS IS THE COMMENT I WAS LOOKIN' FOR!! 💯🤫 #ThatscaPriBaby.

@@jimfab2655 He's a diversity hire

at this point i'm used to these former pros interrupting lol they need to get advice to enhance their interviewing skills

Well he did say that... he said multiple times it's not considered sexy in comparison to basketball and football 🏀🏈🏀🏈 but the kids don't look into playing because they're not really exposed to it like that...

No it's sad I love baseball and enjoy it more seeing more black Americans playing. What a feeling I used to get seeing Barry Bonds on deck,even though they called him every negative name ,they hated Bonds yes he gave you many reasons, man I recalled when he was going for the record they would stop what ever showing just to show his at bat.

Loud and wrong. Black kids can’t play if the don’t have access or parents that’s willing to sign them up. We play every sport if given the opportunity. Black folks are playing tennis why because of investments. Black kids are playing golf and lacrosse now. It’s about exposure

You just simplified the answer. It is not scientific. Blacks do not want to play the sport, it is that simple as you said. But baseball has hurt itself gearing towards black young men because they do not advertise it and make sexy, inviting, exciting, athletic, etc, to the young black men. Basketball and Football is a more exciting sport on its own. So if they don't push baseball then hey young black boys don't care for it, won't care for it. But you hit the point simple and head on, they don'twant to play!😅

@sportminds1094 AGREED with playing every sport 💯💯 growing up, our mother signed my brothers and I up for bowling 🎳 and we LOVED it and were competitive with it! We did it our ENTIRE childhoods, but I remember when I was around 13 or 14, I gave her resistance and headaches because I wanted to take a break from bowling and try something new... soccer, lacrosse, swim team, hockey, rugby 🏉 ANYTHING 😆 but she always said NO! Later in life, I understood our parents STRUGGLED to pay for our bowling every Saturday and get us equipment... luckily, my brother got us some cheap bowling shoes, and we got hand me down balls from another teammate 💯 The moral of the story, like you said... most black kids would JUMP at the opportunity to play other sports, but the overhead costs

So baseball stopped reaching out ? Why was baseball popular when you were growing up , but not so much when your son was playing ?

Why? Is baseball actively rejecting or discriminatory? If not then why does there need to be an over-representation of the black male population in baseball? Its very clear that black males have no problem playing other sports. Why can't we just accept that currently black culture doesnt carr about baseball?

Why is it everything has to reach out to black people? Why can’t black people start doing the reaching?

Hey Mississippi 👋🏾 Family! 💯 Facts!

Facts

What I’ve realized as a white dad with a Hispanic son, is that the coach’s kids or the wealthiest parent’s kids pitch. Even into the 11-13 year old leagues. Even if they aren’t the best. Winning doesn’t matter, it’s all about letting the richest kids get all the reps

@@BleepbloopblapppHmmmmm…

Yup and those football guys who run 4.4s would be great baseball players as well . Scouts love speed because it’s something that can’t be teach and with the pop times nowadays steals are a premium

They don’t want low income kids playing! It’s modern day racism

That's everywhere in America. Football is king, especially in high school.

That part he says is true but the rest of the stuff he says is complete BS

​@@gturcott1 Who exactly?

You definitely not wrong, from driving around in south Florida, seen African Americans playing football. Friday night is almost religion. You barely even see them playing basketball that much, that would probably be New York and Chicago. If you even see a kid on a baseball field that looks black in south Florida, You probably found a four leaf clover

Its all about the money. Professional baseball has also been put behind paywalls on TV so you're not able to watch it on regular free broadcast TV anymore. I'm in Los Angeles, the Dodgers are on Spectrum, the Angels are on Bally Sports. Both are cable or pay streaming channels so require a monthly fee. Tickets and stadium concession prices have gone through the roof, too. No interest in watching a pro game anymore.

EXACTLY!

Yes blacks should have more openly racist conversations. They definitely don't have enough. Would you watch a show about how whites have declined in baseball and how to increase whites in baseball?

Agreed 💯💯 I'm grown now, but I always speak to my nieces and nephews about it and try to get them interested in baseball ⚾️ hockey 🏒 volleyball 🏐 and other sports that go ignored

But shy? Black people don't like people. That is all.

Especially since MLB careers are longer than the NFL plus no to little CTE aka traumatic brain injury

Still baseball pulls in more people to the stadiums than any other sport in The United States. Every team plays 80 home games a season by and average of 30,000 per game gives you 2, 400.000 per season, that´s more than any American football team.

I’d love to see more Black Americans play the game but to say it has disconnected American culture and society is difficult for me to agree with. Latinos are a part of American culture and support baseball.

​@@JorgesTravelJewels-gr1ek - The real money and fame of pro sports is in the media: TV, cable, satellite, publications, now social media. And the MLB does NOT have the presence in media it had when there were significantly more Black American players. There are no more Willie Mays, Hank Aarons, Reggie Jacksons, Dave Winfields, Rickey Hendersons, Ken Griffey Jr., etc. attracting the attention to baseball.

@@jasonsastre6474 - I said the current MLB is disconnected from "...MUCH of American culture and society." I did not say ALL of it. But I will say Black people, especially Black men, have driven much of the attention to American sports for many generations. And so the absence of Blacks in the MLB is being felt and not in a good way.

@@blackurustrikes2328 much or all, I understand the difference. In the end, black Americans have contributed largely to the history of baseball past and present. I would love to see more black American players. I think that is the larger point. As a Puerto Rican, I am proud to see how Latinos have impacted the game.

It was the exact same for me. I was born in 1971 and grew up on the Southside of Chicago.

Loved baseball as a kid in the 89s and 90s, but basketball was an easier sport to be involved with.

@@cflo1386I literally just commented this. It’s easier to run and catch a football. It’s easier to dribble and shoot a basketball. It’s not as easy to hit a baseball.

Micheal Jordan happened.

@@Xenlacasa45 Yes but he played baseball for 2 years in the 90"s and Jordan had a cult following so they would have followed him into baseball

I know for a fact Betts and McCutcheon are very active in trying to get black youngsters to play ball. Their influence is helpful but a young boy is going to be interested in whatever sport his father introduces him to. Learning baseball fundamentals from a father or Uncle develops the reflexes, skill and hopefully the love a player needs to excel. You CANNOT learn baseball fundamentals by yourself (catching, throwing). You can do that in basketball (shooting, dribbling).

​@@braviafeedyou know there are some very good all around athletic black kids ie Dione Sanders, Bo Jackson and 1 or2 more played both baseball and football, if I had a son with that much talent I wish, it would be his choice and play both would be a dream come true. I notice most credits are being given to the father, when it was plenty role mother some single that most black professional give credit and built the house for. How often you hear a black says he going to buy his father a house.

@@williampenn3766exactly Deion sanders was raised by a single mum and played multiple sports . Ceedee lamb of the cowboys said his mum would drive 40-50 mins back and forth each day to bring him to football practice. There are also male figures in those communities such as older bros , uncles , stepfathers and coaches that help

Its worth noting that many of the football and basketball camps are heavily sponsored. Its easy to market sneakers and jerseys. Its not easy to market a bat or a glove.

162 game season is a lot. The traveling got to suck⁸

Of course he didn't... 1% of high school baseball players get a scholarship... About 10% maybe more play travel baseball

What do they object when you try to put them on ?

@@yurp7643the cost and low social ROI is why it’s a hard sell

@yurp7643 I think that it has something to do with the $5-10k.

College baseball doesn't give full scholarships? Where did you hear that? Not true. College D1 at least has full rides, NIL, everything basketball and football has.

Hey im dominican we sign for atleast 30k hahah dont downplay 😅😂

Same idea for pros. Whereas there is more immediate money in football and basketball. For baseball you can technically make more but it can take more time to get that money.

@@MrAitraining my bad, they only give 11 scholarships divided by 35-40 kids, where as basketball and football will give a full scholarship to every player on the team. So if a good baseball wants to play and they don’t have enough scholarship money that kid will play basketball or football and take the full ride. There’s a really good college baseball documentary on YT it talks about it in depth.

college footabll and basketball have way more opportunities via scholarships than college baseball does. If you're athletic you might as well be on the football team and enjoy your college years that way

Yup we did that in STL, MO also

Well in the United States we can go to the store and buy a $15 football or basketball and start playing in 5 minutes.

Also wiffle ball. That was our version growing up.

Because they are getting overseas players

Boring to you. Basketball and Football are boring to a lot of folks too. If you don't understand the game, it'll seem boring. Basketball and Football have become so scripted on the professional level, it's not that interesting anymore.

@@anthonym7133 Well put! Baseball is chess with 100 mph fastballs, split second reaction and quick decision making. If that's boring to you that says more about you than the game. I love all the big North American sports but my heart belongs to baseball!

Partial scholarships for baseball is just simply not true

yep if you're an athletic teenager you'll have more fun being a bench player on a college football team than walking onto the baseball team without a scholarship

Played travel ball in middle and high school and the level of competition was almost equal. Definitely higher on the high school end nowadays. Out of all high school sports it probably has the highest learning curve.

A lot of high schools are struggling to field more than a varsity team for baseball and softball. The reason? The level of time and money commitment is more than most kids, even good players, want to do. The system caters to the top 25% of kids whose only interest is baseball. I've seen parents spend their last spring break as a family not on a family vacation, but at baseball/softball tournaments. I'd be tempted to not have my kid play their senior year so we have more family time before they leave the home.

That's not true. Black kids overall don't like baseball. David was right with his first answer. It's not sexy enough for this generation. We have facilities in my community that we all played but can't get these kids to play. I hate that Keyshawn wants to turn it into a race issue. That's BS.

Football and basketball are the more popular sports for most black kids

How is little league baseball unaffordable?

Understand, we as BLACK folk have the means in most cases to afford things. It's just what we're choosing to afford or invest our money in! I see pre-teens & teens all the time wearing this shoe, that wearing apparel, have this phone, going here and there all the time, but often times may tell a coach he or she doesn't have the funds to do x, y & z.

​@@khines2994 🎯🎯🎯

Again ... They have the resources early and at their feet . In the " hood " you have rec & churches .

They're not being pushed. They're just good. Wouldn't really say its the same phenomenon. More black kids play basketball now than ever before.

Luka wasn't "pushed to the front." He is flat out beating the blacks in skill. Stop crying.

@@lexingtonconcord8751That’s bullshyt. Luka isn’t even the best player in the nba.

@@ecalebw Lemme guess, you black??? It's called "denial," my black brother. And you've got it bad. Luka is the best player on a team that just beat every single other best team in the West, which has all the West's best players. Kyrie is really good, but Luka is the leader of the Mavs. It's time you take your black filtered glasses off 👍🏻

And ironically, Allen Iverson‘s first love was football and Randy Moss first love was basketball

And baseball hasn’t seen a game changer like AI Jordan Kobe Lebron……since Ken Griffey Dwight Gooden Daryl strawberry we need a culture identifier in baseball

@@djjohnson4701 Aaron Judge has entered the chat

It wasn't really Allen and Randy, because you could also say it was also Jordan. it's the parents. Kids usually play sports based on what their parents lead them to play. As baseball declines with parents, it will decline with the kids. Because the Latin kids, and white kids in America saw Allen and Randy also, and they are still playing baseball. During that same time, baseball had players fun to watch (griffey, Jeter, bonds, Sammy, and Arod) to name a few.

Black kids are turned off by the steroid taint in baseball like everyone else --- that alone explains why few black kids wanted to grow up to be baseball stars when true superstars like Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, TO, Randy Moss, Patrick Mahomes were getting the big money contracts without any Roid Taint

?!?!?!

Never

Exactly , I really hate that for our young blk inner city kids.

They do have this but the black parents do not get the kids there Texas Rangers Nike RBI program is proof and theres a league for youth to travel for free

Black Latin players are also known to not play victim

This is true nobody likes admitting south american/non american blacks have more of a pandering spirit to the US because they either not from here and didn't experience the levels of pain we historically have or they've been told to listen to the whyte man if you wanna succeed cuz all of these pro immigrant grants n benefits in America right now

@@ReflectiivDiimond777 get some new material

Still pretty small proportion when looking at the two other major sports, which are wayyy more AA represented

@@JasonJia909 Yeah but that number is higher than the percentage of African Americans in the country. Asian, Native and Hispanic Americans are underrepresented across all sports.

It's been that way for years. What you don't see is the development of black ball players and their upward movement in minor league systems. They get drafted and you never see them on MLB rosters. You will be told their not good enough. However, if it's between a average white player or average Latino player against a black player...now you see my point.

@@JamesMattzmattzmegagroup Hunter Green for the Reds will be superstar in a few years. I guarantee.

Thats 6 players out of 30! and your point is?? 🤔

Not going to happen. You can get cheap Latin labor

RBI for decades. DECADES

You think basketball and Football is any different for thr kids trying to eventually go pro? Its not.... If you can afford AAU basketball and football camps+7on7 etc year round. You can afford travel ball.

@@Bones12x2 My family wouldn't have been able to afford any of these kind of travel programs. Thankfully I grew up playing ball in a time period when travel ball wasn't a major component of getting looked at for college or pro ball.

@@Acalltoservice03 fair enough but that doesn't defeat my point which is to imply that there os a correlation to race and the challenge of affording travel ball yet black families can afford the same type of things for other sports. Baseball simply isnt poplular with black kids as much and 6% is actually a reasonable represention in the MLB as it matches the general population. So the answer to the original question of why are there so few blacl players in the MLB and how do we fix it is... 1. There actually isnt too few and 2. We don't need to fix it unless young black kids simply decide they want to play baseball more. Its ultimately a false nerrative. Not everyone can be heavily represented in everything, nor should they be.

Oh yeah, the same guy who briefly interrupted his NBA career to find out he couldn’t hit a breaking ball in the minor leagues to save his life

@yell0wberry Jordan started it, and then Allen Iverson and Kobe finished it. After those guys, black kids didn't want to play baseball anymore.

​@@charlesmontgomery9208nah its cost. I played little league baseball in the 90s it cost $10. In 2024 it costs $200

My Father and I were talking about this last night he's Old School and hates the fact that foreign players are rising to the top of the league of NBA all I say is Business is Business

@@Lottoboi100 I don’t know how old your father is but you could also explain to him by making comparisons to the African American community of the 40s 50s 60s to the other countries that they’re getting these players from today. Most of these young men are poor, well raised and simply want the opportunity to prove themselves. American youths think that society needs to prove something to them in order for them to contribute. We’ve created this problem through comfort.

My opinion the NBA will always be at least 65 to 70 % black Americans, football perhaps a little less which is mostly black and white Americans with a foreign place kicker here and there

@@williampenn3766 Have you been looking at the trends over the last 20 years? A lot of GM’s and coaches have said that today’s black youth are more worried about individual highlights, and RU-vid dunks than actual cohesive playing. Basketball has also started to go global. You see the results when they are international tournaments. Look at the MVPs of the last six orseven years, whether we like it or not it’s happening. But at the end of the day life is all about changes and we either adapt.or one becomes obsolete.

all american corporations are pushing globalism and undermining american workers. baseball is just one example of that.

Because republican conservatives will attack it and call it woke.

DEI money dried up really quickly.

@@rgood1204 Yeah, it went into rims and hair dids

@@flutebasket4294 Tell us how you really feel about Black Americans who built this country

@@greenivygrad90”helped” build this country. Do some research if you actually think they alone built this country.

100%. Could you imagine the cost of materials and permits building a large facility in Southern California?

You said what a lot of people know. We have always been exploited for our talents, and our plight. It won’t change.

@@darianwilliams3452 exploited? How else would you get paid if someone didn’t think your talents were worth anything?

Without fans a sport has no ticket sells, thus no league.

Shhhhhhhh….

Bingo!!! You are correct! I live in Atlanta also and regularly play catch and have fielding practice at baseball diamonds that are always empty. Youngsters NEVER approach or show any interest in playing or learning the game. My grandfather and father taught me the game, many of these youngsters don't have that influence.

u need 9-18 people to play baseball, thats why they dont go.

I Absolutely Agree! And this is something those in denial will never admit to.

Why don't they have access? Learn to think outside of dumb narratives

There is plenty of space for baseball diamonds in America. Also the Bronx NY had tons of baseball diamonds and softball fields. Inner city black people are not programmed to like baseball mostly. Inner city black people like swag. Football and basketball go hand in hand with the hiphop community, sneakers gear clothing etc. Baseball has a different kind of swag that doesnt translate as well to the street culture. Also attention spans is a thing. Inner city black kids like flash. They grow up needlessly buy the latest clothes or high end even if they cant afford to save money, because its their only chance at getting recognized and feeling good about themselves from other poor people. Also getting to the majors is very difficult. Playing A ball vs a prestigous college is a huge gamble.

@@ivanvalentin3898 so like anything, these things rarely boil down to a single reason. There's almost always a multiplicity of reasons why people make the choices they do, and this is no different. I'm not suggesting you are wrong in what you said, there almost certainly is some truth to it. Although, if you are going to buy swag, you need money. Baseball has the highest average salaries, and careers of all the 4 major professional sports, so that does put a bit of a dent in your theory. Second, I'm not suggesting I am correct in my theory, I could very well be wrong. I don't live in inner city LA, NY, Chicago or Baltimore, so I don't know if I am right or wrong. However, you haven't said anything to prove that I am wrong. Whether or not there's space to build baseball diamonds in America isn't the issue, since I wasn't talking about building baseball diamonds in Iowa, or Kansas. I was speaking specifically about inner cities. And yes, there WERE plenty of baseball diamonds in the Bronx. The issue, though, is are they still there? Or are they now apartment buildings, or parking lots? If there's nowhere to play baseball, it kind of is a deciding factor in whether kids will choose to play baseball or not. I stand to be corrected, but I also stand by what I said in my original post.

@@pocobull they are still there and there are plenty of open lots that they can put more in. They dont spend the money because black people kids dont care about their neighborhoods nor do they care about baseball. Baseball pays more but it takes longer to get to have that big check. Anyone can get lost in the minor league system which has thousands of players all competing to make it. That AFTER youve competed with thousands of player in highschool and college. Plus baseball requires an attention span and has less action and flash. Going back to the swag thing. There are plenty of kids who save up their scrap money only to waste it on a pair of jordans.

@@ivanvalentin3898 fair enough. I'm not arguing with you. Your points are valid. As for diamonds, well that's one borough of 5 in NY. I have no idea what the situation is in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, LA, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, or the inner cities of multiple other major US cities. That being said, I'm not suggesting this is the only reason why inner city black kids have lost their interest in baseball. Just suggesting it's one of many different reasons. Thanks and take care :)

Y'all seem to be describing why practically all the problems in America keep getting worse. The most Obvious cause is obscured in favor of searching for the most obscure.

Basketball is the same thing. Kids need to play travel ball if they hope to play college.

I wouldn’t expect some pampered multi millionaire who’s never been in the hood for over 40 years, to understand this simple fact.

A1 basketball as well as travel football cost money too, playing sports takes talent and dedication. If you’re good enough and talented in something, people will make a way for you. The one thing you cannot supplement, is passion. Passion starts from a young age, as well as from someone to show you what’s there. If no one is playing the sport, how do you expect someone to love it?

Still around but more resources are being pushed into those child labor camps in Latin America! You watch, the same will happen in the NBA.

im still looking to hear the great alumni's from that. Baseballs version of the rooney rule, put in for PC purposes

The runs batted in stat is still an important stat forever to be used and apart of the triple crown crown

@@williampenn3766 The RBI Program is a MLB sponsored youth baseball league that centered in black American neighborhoods. A ton of big time players came out of the RBI program but has since, unfortunately, lacks the same attention & recourses because MLB figures that a black player out of the DR is the same thing, only more cost effective.

Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (for anyone unclear on the acronym)

Indeed. He needs to let the guy speak before interrupting. 7:43

It’s in our culture everyone in Dr loves baseball.

But they are not “black.”

David Justice spoke on it above

@@user-np1mt5pq4u so what if we not Black, what does that have to do with being passionate about the game?

@@Grimmes12 Absolutely nothing. Some people try to undermine the identity and culture of a group (however subconsciously) by corralling them under a term of evil origin.

YESSSSS

Everybody has to travel to compete at the next level

@@HazeleyedbriNo they don’t.

@@ecalebw yes they do. Do you watch the Little League World Series? I'm from Toms River and Toms River Little League is always at the Little League World Series every year. Do you watch when Monteverde and IMG travel all over America to play against the best competition? To be the best you have to compete against the best and that involves traveling

Jerry Sandusky like.

Awe poor guy. Playing the victim is tough business. I hope you're not teaching that type of mentality to your children

@@hehateme542 Bruh, you don’t even know me to make any kind of statement about my life experiences.

​@@stevenanderson7807typical race card playing 🤡

@@ZomegJ I have never ever used the race card in my life. Because, I have served 25+ years in the US Army and have 4 combat tours. What about you Sir? What have you done for your country?

if you're good enough, you would get noticed in any sport. What school you go to is irrelevant

Black American youth don't care about baseball anymore. NFL and NBA flood the TV and Internet with commercials

Not really

​@@yusefnegaoyeah he is

@@TheMrsweet39 nope he is misinformed it’s not some great conspiracy their investing their money in Latin America because the best talent comes from their particularly the Caribbean

This is also True I'm from Florida my mom uncle's son just came up he playing youth football 🏈🏈 Now

Kyler Murray is a prime example.. given the choice black Americans will basketball and football over baseball 🤷🏾‍♂️

So you don't think he knows what he talking about??

Yep, google local high school team rosters..last time I checked a poplar HBCU, the entire team WASN'T BLACK!

I think for one thing there's too many distractions in the U.S, in urban neighborhoods... Every kid in the 'hood' has a smart phone, has access to malls, shiny things even if they're poor.. There's a lack of incentive for many of them.. The Dominican, Cuban or Venezuelan kids are laser focused on making it to the big leagues, for most it's their only way out of grinding third world poverty.... The level of discipline is on another level, plus there's the immense passion for the game...

@@BLACK_MikeHammer 💯

It's also team based and not MLB based like DJ is implying here. Each team has made the choice to invest or not. In DC the Nationals have a local "academy" but it has a LONG way to go to bear any fruit.

Plenty of white guys in the NBA the best are arguably white guys right now

They aren’t easier routes. They are OVERSATURATED and if you aren’t genetically gifted with height chances are you won’t make it. Also the aau teams aren’t actually teaching kids how to play. They just play tournaments and rarely practice. One percent makes it out of millions of people

@@ILoveGod320 Does football and basketball have a four tier minor league system to get to the top level of their sports? In both football and basketball is their anything in each sport where being successful thirty percent of the time is considered a success? Football and basketball are both easier sports to play. Did you not hear David Justice say out of the 30 players the Braves drafted in 1985 only two of them made the Major League?

@@zvbxHow many players out of the 1,000’s of college football players were drafted to nfl teams? There is no tier system for those college players that don’t get drafted. For the majority of them their playing careers are over and they move on to other things. Those percentages are much slimmer than baseball. Also nba teams have 15 player rosters!!! How many on a baseball team?

@@ILoveGod320 You didn’t answer my thirty percent question but I didn’t think you would but I understand why. There are 252 players drafted into the NFL each year and 30% of them will make an NFL roster. On the other hand there will be 600 players drafted into MLB where 5% will make a major league roster and here’s the kick between the legs, only 40 percent of first round draft picks will make a roster in MLB. Thousands play each sport. One is much easier than the other. For the majority of baseball players their careers are also over. Baseball has a 26 man roster but I don’t know why you’d ask that question unless you expect the same pitcher to pitch everyday.

@@zvbxthe MAJORS is one level for baseball, which a player has the potential to play for a much longer period of time than the nfl just due to the nature of the sport. There is no farm/developmental system for football. The nba has a g league for players that aren’t up to the standard yet. Playing for a minor league baseball team is still an affiliation and evaluation process for a MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM.