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Their Way Down South In Dixie

MFS62 May 09 2007 07:26 AM

Some folks still count these things. Probably the same kind of folks who came up with the name "Los Mets" http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2007/05/07/0508bravesminority.html Later

Edgy DC May 09 2007 09:27 AM

Is Beasley even interested in being informed?

metirish May 09 2007 09:33 AM

That is so fucked up,if anything Jackson should meet with MLB and help publicize the RBI program,get more African American kids playing the game,I don't for a second believe the Braves intentionally have no African Americans on the team. RBI link http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/rbi.jsp For those that can't read the AJC link. ] Braves meet with Rainbow/PUSH officials By CARROLL ROGERS The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 05/07/07 Upset over the lack of African-Americans on the Braves roster, members of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow-PUSH Coalition asked for a meeting with team officials. They got one Monday. Joe Beasley, Southern Regional Director for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, said he and Dexter Clinkscale, the director of sports for the organization, met Monday morning for nearly two hours with Braves general manager John Schuerholz, assistant general manager Frank Wren and three other Braves officials. "The team slipped ... down to [no African-Americans]; it wasn?t something that just happened," Beasley said Monday afternoon. "I think it was a lack of diligence on the part of the Braves to recruit African-American players. There's not diminished enthusiasm for African-Americans playing baseball. It's simply the opportunity hasn't presented itself." Schuerholz acknowledged the meeting Monday but declined further comment, saying in a statement: "We had a meeting with Mr. Beasley and another member of his organization this morning and discussed a variety of topics." Less than 10 percent of major league players are African-Americans. In a recent interview on the subject, Schuerholz said: "You go to where the talent leads you. Finding major league-caliber baseball players is far too difficult if you try to narrow your criteria down to demographics." Countered Beasley, "As I expected, [Schuerholz?s] idea is the bottom line: I'll put the best 40 men I can get wherever I can get them from on the field, and that's fair. But the fact of the matter is if they put resources into recruiting here in the United States, and more specifically here in Atlanta, there are talented players here." The issue was brought to the attention of the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition during the 60th anniversary celebration of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. The Braves and Houston Astros did not have any African-American players on their 25-man rosters at the time. The Braves' total grew with the promotion of left fielder Willie Harris, who is from Robinson?s hometown of Cairo. "You slipped down to nothing, now you've got one, we expect it to start going up higher," Beasley said was the sentiment he voiced in the meeting. "We want to see incrementally it move back up, rather than moving down. There was an openness on [Schuerholz's] part to talk and to be in dialogue and hopefully be in partnership in trying to make sure that it happens. He was very nice, a gentleman. I'm going to hold him to his word to work with us and move those numbers back up to a respectable level." Sponsored Links

Nymr83 May 09 2007 02:02 PM

Edgy DC wrote: Is Beasley even interested in being informed? he works for Jesse Jackson's organization, thus, at best, he is interested in self-promotion. i don't see anyone complaining to the NBA about the lack oh white people.

Willets Point May 09 2007 02:10 PM

That's because there are lots of white dudes in the NBA including the guy who's won the MVP for two years running.

Nymr83 May 09 2007 02:48 PM

Willets Point wrote: That's because there are lots of white dudes in the NBA including the guy who's won the MVP for two years running. the underrepresentation of whites in the NBA is probably alot greater than that of blacks in MLB.

metirish May 09 2007 02:49 PM

Nymr83 wrote: ="Willets Point"]That's because there are lots of white dudes in the NBA including the guy who's won the MVP for two years running. the underrepresentation of whites in the NBA is probably alot greater than that of blacks in MLB. Whites in the NBA are called owners.

Nymr83 May 09 2007 03:11 PM

which has zero to do with athletes, unless you are actually seriously suggesting that any of the owners could be playing instead

metirish May 09 2007 03:12 PM

Nymr83 wrote: which has zero to do with athletes, unless you are actually seriously suggesting that any of the owners could be playing instead Jim Dolan trying to guard Jordan would be more exciting than some of the crap out there... back on track here,I do take your point about why they don't go check out the NBA...

Nymr83 May 09 2007 03:16 PM

well, 10 reasonaby talented players on the street are more exciting than the NBA because they don't play a team game (for the most part) anymore. the college game is a million times better.

Yancy Street Gang May 09 2007 03:25 PM

It just seems bizarre to apply affirmative action to the roster of a sports team. If Jesse and friends had any evidence that a black player was left off the roster in favor of a less qualified white player, or that the Braves don't send scouts to teams that play in areas with heavy black populations, then maybe they'd have some grounds for complaint, but I doubt that that's the case. I agree with Namor. This smells like showboating to me.

Frayed Knot May 09 2007 03:53 PM

"The team slipped ... down to [no African-Americans]; it wasn?t something that just happened," Beasley said Monday afternoon. "I think it was a lack of diligence on the part of the Braves to recruit African-American players. Those are the offending statements. If this Beasley guy has a whit of evidence to back any of it up - other than: number is low therefore mgmt must be racist - he should come forth with it or STFU.

Nymr83 May 09 2007 06:16 PM

the problem is he doesnt have evidence because he just CAN'T have evidence. i think if you combined the 4 major sports leagues, took out all the roster spots held by foreigners, you'd find blacks, whites, and hispanics in roughly their proportion of the general population. you'd probably find that american-born asians are under-represented, but there aren't any asian-americans out there like jesse and al who feel the need to play victim for their own personal gain.

Edgy DC May 09 2007 08:09 PM

Who's the top active American-born Asian athlete? I guess the answer is half of Tiger Woods. Who do you have after that?

metsmarathon May 09 2007 08:23 PM

apolo anton ohno?

Edgy DC May 09 2007 08:55 PM

That Michelle Kwan is pretty damn accomplished.

metsmarathon May 09 2007 08:59 PM

but is she active? is ohno?

Edgy DC May 09 2007 09:33 PM

Hanging in there, she is.

Nymr83 May 10 2007 12:52 AM

i can't think of a single american-born asian in MLB, NFL, or NBA. i don't know hockley well but i'd have to doubt there are many there either... and yet you don't hear any of them crying and whining about it...

seawolf17 May 10 2007 06:11 AM

Don't you think that if word got out that the Braves had a player on their roster just because he was black, the Reverend Al would have a conniption? You can't have it both ways, Al.

MFS62 May 10 2007 07:51 AM

Nymr83 wrote: i can't think of a single american-born asian in MLB, NFL, or NBA. i don't know hockley well but i'd have to doubt there are many there either... and yet you don't hear any of them crying and whining about it... I think if you include Hawaiian and Samoan players of Asian heritage, there will be a bunch in the NFL. But why should we be counting this kind of stuff at all? When we stop counting , it will probably be a sign that we have achieved racial harmony. Later

Edgy DC May 10 2007 08:13 AM

Danny Graves, Asian-born, US-raised and half-Vietnamese is on the roster for the Long Island Ducks.

seawolf17 May 10 2007 08:46 AM

I'll start a Duck thread next week; our first game is Tuesday or Wednesday night. Graves actually blew a save the other night.

Frayed Knot May 10 2007 09:43 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Danny Graves, Asian-born, US-raised and half-Vietnamese is on the roster for the Long Island Ducks. Also has an Asian parent: Johnny Damon, Dave Roberts NFL: Hines Ward. NHL: Paul Kariya (Japanese/Canadian)

Yancy Street Gang May 10 2007 09:50 AM

Don't let Jesse Jackson find out that this thread about black players is now about Asian players.

metirish May 10 2007 10:05 AM

This could be a classic shake down by Jackson,I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Braves made a "contribution" to Jackson's Rainbow-PUSH Coalition .