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When the Michael Jordan’s, Dr.js, Magic Johnsons, the LL CooL Js, Run DMCs , Kool Moe Dees,etc, became the celebrities and hit fame, that is what kids started to follow in the black communities.
The path to making millions and billions and becoming a celebrity was/is a lot quicker with basketball and football. That is what was being promoted on TV...Magic with the cons converse , Mike with the Jordan’s, the hip hop videos. Baseball took a huge backseat, because baseball players weren’t and aren’t marketed like that.
And the growth of basketball summer leagues and AAU in the 80s had kids leaving the diamond during the summer as well.
Just too much competition.
Look at the countries that Latin baseball players come from : Cuba, DR, Puerto Rico, Venezuela. Baseball is the number 1 sport, and really has no competition from any other sport. We all know that soccer is the number 1 sport in most Latin countries, and in those countries, like Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, etc, there are no baseball players coming from there. And if they are not playing soccer in those countries, they are playing basketball...A lot of nba players are from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, etc.
And with African American fans and players growing in hockey and soccer ...I just don’t see black kids going back to baseball. Kyler Murray ,Patrick Mahomes,and Russell Wilson got drafted to play baseball....and both passed on it to go play football.
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