Sports
McClendon: MLB Not Reaching Blacks
Lloyd McClendon would like to see MLB have a greater reach into inner cities. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
ARLINGTON, Texas (ESPN) — Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Sunday he’s concerned about the lack of African-American players and managers in baseball.
In the last few weeks, two African-American managers left the game in Houston’s Bo Porter, who was fired, and on Friday, Texas’ Ron Washington resigned, leaving McClendon as the only black man as a manager.
“It’s concerning,” McClendon said. “Not just from a managerial standpoint but from a player standpoint, in what’s happening with baseball in the inner cities. I think from all the conversations I’ve had, I know Major League Baseball is committed to bringing [it] back to the inner cities. I think from a philosophical standpoint we’re missing some ideas that need to be in there.”
The number of African-American players in the game is down to 7.8 percent. In 1995, African-Americans comprised of 19 percent of the big league rosters and in 1975 it was its highest at 27 percent.
