Baseball brings people together all over the world. The United States is no different. However, it hasn’t always been the most inclusive for people of color.
minority representation in Major League Baseball wasn’t common before the year 2000 and onward. Before the year 2000 especially in the 70s minority players weren’t common. According to the Society For American Baseball over 70 percent of the players were white. Baseball had no representation for the minority population of America.
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier back in 1947 on April 15. Robinson would change the game of baseball by being the first African-American to ever play in Major League Baseball.
Even though the first African-American male was making strides, equal representation still wasn’t any closer to happening. A heartwarming story is that of the 1957 Little League World series, a team from the city of Monterrey, Mexico took home the championship. Even though those kids showed the world they could play, the ostracizing didn’t stop. The mistreatment felt by Jackie Robinson and fellow African-American players dissipated in 1980 because more minorities started to play in Major League Baseball.
When Fernando Valenzuela started playing for the Dodgers. Opening day of 1981 launched “Fernandomania” in Los Angeles, and soon the nation as a whole.
The Latino players featured in MLB went up each year Valenzuela was playing. Mexicans were often discriminated against in baseball and the United States as a whole. “Valenzuela brought a new face,” said Francisco Moise Hernandez, sophomore, when asked why he felt the jump in support happened. Hernandez shares his heritage with Valenzuela.
Finally, Hispanic Americans increased their representation quickly.People couldn’t get enough of Valenzuela and the Dodgers as a whole. fans of the Dodgers when Valenzuela was first played stayed fans even after Valenzuela’s exit. “My dad has been a fan since he was a kid. No other team showed off Mexican Americans like the Dodgers,” said Nathan Mojardin Antunez, sophomore, when discussing his love for the team.
Baseball still isn’t perfect, but the strides made since Robinson and Valenzuela are felt everywhere. Progression has happened over the years for inclusivity in baseball and will continue to march forward to that perfect lineup. The inclusion of other minorities has skyrocketed the last few years. Players like Shohei Ohtani are continuing to break the barriers Jackie robinson started knocking down.
