1: MLB pays USA Baseball all the money it needs to buy and establish olympic-quality playing fields in every major U.S. City.

2: USA Baseball begins the establishment of a development fund for struggling highschool baseball programs, run by the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

3:All college baseball scholarship numbers are doubled at the least.

He’s mad because he’s not playing!

I would be too.

There is a huge disconnect with coaches and kids who are not White. I’ve coached in leagues. It’s the same thing everywhere.

Are there White coaches who pay particular attention to all kids?

Damn right!

Is it prevalent?

Hell no!

I tell this story all the time, but a Black kid in a league I coached in (my kids played in the league. I tell my son’s story here) was pitching a no hitter in the state championship game. He walked a hitter to lead off an inning and was pulled! I couldn’t believe it. Up to that point he was one batter over the minimum (caught stealing). They promptly loss the game later on because of pitching.

Scrutiny sucks!

Oh Dads out there…check this piece out as well.

That kid is no longer playing baseball.

Good luck Raheem.

I tell both stories here:

MT: I see the issue of the Black exodous from baseball differently. I coach little league in an area where hardly any Blacks are playing. I would say it’s 96% White. I’m one of only two minority coaches and there isn’t any Black umpires or administrators. I feel like I’m in a time warp during a game. I feel as though I have to be on my p’s and q’s all the time. I have to talk to the kids in a certain fashion without coming across as too Black or too strong. Sometimes its very frustrating and very overbearing but I do it for the kids. I would defend them against anything.

Last year in the All Star tournament, my son was arguably one of the best players on the team. I’m sure other coaches and parents would back me up in stating that. The year before he played stellar defense–throwing out many runners from centerfield and was the only player to hit a homerun in the entire tournament. They simply had a great team; great coaching and pulled it all together to win the state championship. The homerun my son hit traveled directly over my and his mother’s head. Great experience. He had a better year the next season but in the All Stars he hardly played. Other players were set up to recieve the glory and his talent was for some unexplained reason delegated down. His team had a realistic shot at going to Williamsport–they were that good. I don’t think he got more than two at bats in any game in the tournament and was replaced by younger kids late in games even though he was most definitely one of the best all around players on the team. For some reason, the coaches had him batting 8th–telling him that he was their second clean up hitter–and then inexplicably had him bunt multiple times with 2 outs, 2 strikes and runners on second and third! I couldn’t believe it. I kept my mouth shut because I didn’t want anything to upset the team dynamic because of their impending Little League World Series opportunity. I just didn’t think it would have such a adverse affect on him like it ended up having. Well, in an elimination game against the team they beat in the state semi-finals the year before, my son finally batted fourth. I was shocked! It gets better…trust. In the last inning, with the other team up by one and a runner on, my son due up next. He was pulled for a pinch hitter–as a cleanup hitter in the last inning mind you–who was put out on a bunt to end the game. I’ll never forget the look in his face. He went from licking his chops to totally devestated. I know he wanted to hit a bomb to win the game. You could see the opposing team almost celebrate when he was taken out. I still feel like shit for him just talking about it. As a father, this memory still has a profound affect on me whenever I pull up to the field that I need to get over. Needless to say, he didn’t play this year even though he has some of the best hands around. He just isn’t the same athlete and I truly don’t know what to tell him. I won’t force him to play. It’s his decision and I’m comfortable with that even though I want him out there. He said he’s sticking with basketball and football and I don’t blame him. It truly hurts me to have my thirteen year old kid to go through such heartache at such a young age.

Another example was in the 11 year old tournament the same year where my step son played. I will say that his team’s coaches were very encouraging and also game smart, but they also dropped the ball and I honestly feel bad for them. They had a Black kid pitching a no hitter into the fourth inning–with his team up by I think four–and pulled him after walking his first batter with the no hitter still intact. They subsequently lost a close game because relief pitching let them down. Raheem is no longer playing even though he hangs around the complex all the time. I talk to him every day about getting back into the league but to no avail. It just sickens me to see these two talented kids walking around aimlessly while their White counterparts continue on. I won’t say it’s all racism. I think it’s a disconnect between mainly White coaches and young Black kids. I won’t say this about all White coaches because we have some fine coaches in the league that do the right thing. You have to get to know kids and make sure you are on the same page no matter what as a coach. It’s your responsibility, not the kids. My team is almost all White. I take the time out to get to know every individual personality. It’s the only way to coach. If I take the time out, then so should everyone else. There shouldn’t be a difference.

It’s also a point that we don’t have our fathers coaching us. Kids look for guidance that just isn’t going to be there. They are forced to make difficult personal decisions that other kids don’t have to.

There are a lot of Black kids that are extremely raw and if some of these coaches just took the time to develop their skills, they would start to enjoy the game on a different level. Some kids have a chip on their shoulder because they don’t have that strong father or father figure. Some coaches don’t try to make a break through–subsequently tossing the kid aside even though in some cases he’s the most talented. They label him a head case…or he has an attitude.

A cop out.

I’m not in it just for fun because I realize the opportunity I have to teach. I know the short time I have with the kids potentially could help produce greatness or simply a future 65 year old coach who is doing it for the love of the game.

Fathers who are also coaches: please get to know every kid, not just your own. It’s discouraging to see fathers baby their own kids and spit fire holler at the rest. It’s your job to teach for the next level while still having fun. You must also give them a chance to win–especially the older kids. Your impact will be felt the rest of their lives. How do you want to be remembered? Do you even care? Is it just about your own?