Monday marks Jackie Robinson Day, and 77 years after the Dodgers star broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier and paved the way for black players, coaches like Earnest Horton know the work is far from done .
On Opening Day this year, just 6% of active MLB players were black – the fewest in decades.
“If the grassroots is suffering and there’s no baseball in the community, of course there’s a lack of black baseball players in MLB,” Horton told CBS News.
Horton is a public school teacher in Chicago and founder of Black Baseball Media, an organization that gives players from predominantly underserved communities access to top-notch facilities and exposure to college recruiters.
“Seeing is believing. People drink the Kool-Aid,” he said.
At least two members of the group, high school senior Khamaree Thomas and junior Demir Heidelberg, will play varsity ball. As Heidelberg looks to follow in the footsteps of today’s great black players, he said there are often obstacles to success for people like him.
“Kids of my skin color can’t participate because they don’t have money or they’re not exposed to it,” he said.
Horton said the best way to solve this problem is to take action.
“It’s time for everyone to get on the field. It’s time to come together,” he said. “We cannot sit back and complain.”
Charlie DeMar
Grub5
