Segregation In Major League Baseball

In 1945, 2% of major leagues consisted of blacks and in 1995, 19% of major leagues consisted of blacks. The very first black person to play major league baseball was Jackie Robinson in 1947. By the 1970’s, a little less than a quarter of major league baseball players were black. Today, major league sports teams are much different than before, many teams consist of the minority being white people and the majority being other races. Segregation has changed immensely over time, in the past 5 decades blacks went from having no basic human rights to being recognized as equal beings and it shows through sports as well as many other areas of segregation such as the lack of opportunity and safety, segregation in schools, and discrimination in public

“WARS couldn 't stop major league baseball, the Depression couldn 't stop major league baseball; it seems the only thing that could is major league baseball itself.” Said by Ira Berkow from New York Times explains how baseball is a sport that has always, and always will be round. Mark Twain mentioned in the article written by Berkow said that “the very symbol of the outward and visible expression of the drive and push and rush and struggle of the raging, tearing, booming the 19th century. ' ' The true meaning of baseball is known for the drive and push of the struggle booming during the turn of the century. Many families in America have a tradition of either playing baseball or watching it. Not only is it a tradition but it has brought families together by enjoying the game that everyone likes. Berkow also mentions in the article, ' 'And this idea of players making large amounts of money also says something uncomfortable about our society, where a ballplayer can make so much more than, say, a teacher. But it 's not the fault of the players.” Entertainment has evolved over time as well as the sport of baseball and the addition of blacks to major league teams. If it wasn’t for blacks joining major league baseball teams with their outstanding performances the entertainment within baseball could still be where it was in the 20th century. Today, both black and white baseball players income average is more than the income of a teacher. For the first time in 2015, the average

In summation of the segregation in baseball throughout the 20th century and its effects on society, it was a large contribution to ending racial discrimination. From all of the mentioned articles, it is evident that segregated baseball teams between blacks and whites were a major issue of history. It seems as if today, people still honor Jackie Robinson as a civil rights activist who has lead the way to a less racial society. Most people don’t realize that racism had a major effect on national league sports teams in the 1950’s. With racism’s great effect in major league sports teams, there were many other problems that blacks experienced, especially in the 20th century. In the play Fences by August Wilson racism is shown through baseball. One of Jackie Robinson 's quotes from Latin Times written by Peter Mulroy is, "The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue