Braves meet with Rainbow/PUSH officials

[JasperisOK 0]

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."

 

Maybe this is "old news" here, but I really don't care. I'm just wondering when/if this madness is ever going to come to an end. I cannot, and try as hard as I may, understand just WTF these groups are really doing to assist their "cause".

 

They can kiss my white-yankee-ass for all I care.

[Cyber Gandalf 0]

[Yer mom 2]

Baseball organizations dont discriminate talent, their trying to fockin win. Get better than whitey and you'll earn a spot on the roster ya whiny biitches

[Vikings4ever 568]

Baseball organizations dont discriminate talent, their trying to fockin win. Get better than Latini and you'll earn a spot on the roster ya whiny biitches

Fixored.

[JasperisOK 0]

I listen to 680TheFan every night on my drive home from work down here in Georgia. They interviewed Joe Beasley and Dexter Clinkscale tonight and I damn near drove my car off the highway laughing at the venomous spew that came from their mouths. (It was Beasley doing most of the speaking) I wonder, after a few days pass, that they don't listen to their own words and realize just how focking dumb they sound?

[wiffleball 4,797]

This is such utter BS.

 

#1) Blackfricans represent around 12% of the total US population. When you factor in the fact that 1/3 of all black men in their 20's is in jail, prison or on probation, The difference between MLB and overall US demographics is absolutely negligible.

 

#2) Funny, you don't see Jesse's crew getting upset when Blacks are OVER-represented in other teams/sports.

 

#3) Huh, by their logic, Whites should be furiously protesting the MLB and the NFL to weed out the over-preponderence of black players.

[Strike 6,017]

I listen to 680TheFan every night on my drive home from work down here in Georgia. They interviewed Joe Beasley and Dexter Clinkscale tonight and I damn near drove my car off the highway laughing at the venomous spew that came from their mouths. (It was Beasley doing most of the speaking) I wonder, after a few days pass, that they don't listen to their own words and realize just how focking dumb they sound?

 

Sound? Or are?

[JasperisOK 0]

Sound? Or are?

 

Yeah, good point buddy. In almost every instance the answer would be both.

[football_scooter 0]

Am I the only one that believes this is going to result in a serious backlash/credibility issue for Jesse Jackson & Co?

 

They are rapidly becomming a laughing stock.

 

Let's not blame the black man for not wanting to play baseball - no, disregard that the majority of black athletes are going for NBA and NFL because of the huge signing bonuses and in the case of the NBA the "no-college-required" policy...

 

No, let's blame the Braves because of the 10% of black americans even interested in MLB, none were there when they drafted. Blame the Braves because of all the players at Spring Training, none of the blacks they had in their farm system were good enough to make the team.

 

more of the same...nothing is ever the poor black man's fault. It's just whitey keepin a brotha down.

 

 

 

#2) Funny, you don't see Jesse's crew getting upset when Blacks are OVER-represented in other teams/sports.

 

#3) Huh, by their logic, Whites should be furiously protesting the MLB and the NFL to weed out the over-preponderence of black players.

 

despite #s 2 and 3 being identical on your list, I respect that you segregated them so you could have 3 items on your list. All lists shoud have at least 3 items.

 

Nicely done, and I agree.

[Let Da Big Dog Eat 42]

I don't know why the Braves even met with them. A simple stance of "We acquire the best available talent for the benefit of our fans" and let it go at that. Meeting with them could only make the situation worse. Then when they go on their idiotic rants just respond "We already commented on the matter and no further comment is necessary."

[wiffleball 4,797]

 

despite #s 2 and 3 being identical on your list, I respect that you segregated them so you could have 3 items on your list. All lists shoud have at least 3 items.

 

Nicely done, and I agree.

 

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of #2) (Jesse) "What? Why is it that there are so many negroes in basketball? Why must you perpetuate that stereotype?"

 

#3) Is from whitey's perspective.

 

 

But yes, all lists should have at least 3 items.

[kilroy69 1,268]

I don't know why the Braves even met with them. A simple stance of "We acquire the best available talent for the benefit of our fans" and let it go at that. Meeting with them could only make the situation worse. Then when they go on their idiotic rants just respond "We already commented on the matter and no further comment is necessary."

I have to agree with you on this one. Don't get on their level by meeting with them. If you know how hard it is to play baseball and know how bad people want to win the thought of passing over on talent because you are black/white/red/yellow is soooo 1950's and lauhable.

[JasperisOK 0]

I don't know why the Braves even met with them. A simple stance of "We acquire the best available talent for the benefit of our fans" and let it go at that. Meeting with them could only make the situation worse. Then when they go on their idiotic rants just respond "We already commented on the matter and no further comment is necessary."

 

I can only speculate the Braves reasoning for meeting with them. I do know that a "African-Americans In Sports" meeting was held in Atlanta as well. A couple of big names were there, Jim Brown, Alonzo Mourning. From what I saw in clips was the mention of the fact that The Braves and the Astros have no African-Americans on their 40 man rosters.

 

I guess they figured that as long as they were already in ATL, they may as well look up Mr. Schuerholz and demand that he make the neccesary changes to his team... and soon!

[kilroy69 1,268]

I guess they figured that as long as they were already in ATL, they may as well look up Mr. Schuerholz and demand that he make the neccesary changes to his team... and soon!

Or what you are going to boycot the team until some unused utility man gets to ride the pine as the token?

[wiffleball 4,797]

I don't know why the Braves even met with them. A simple stance of "We acquire the best available talent for the benefit of our fans" and let it go at that. Meeting with them could only make the situation worse. Then when they go on their idiotic rants just respond "We already commented on the matter and no further comment is necessary."

 

 

Bottom line is blackmail by the black males. Jesse's group is notorious - in fact, makes it's living - by corporate blackmail. If you don't 'donate' to their cause, they will smear you, boycott you, and generally make your life miserable. It's one of those 'not-secret secrets' that nobody talks about. That's why Neckar got involved with them. It really is a 'bottom line' kind of deal; It's just not worth the hassle. - Especially when you're in the ATL which has more Africans than Nigeria.

[Strike 6,017]

Or what you are going to boycot the team until some unused utility man gets to ride the pine as the token?

 

Speaking of token, don't you love how on South Park the one black kid is literally named "token"?

[Lionsjunkie 1]

When is Jesse Jackson gonna die...focking racist pig

 

Why isn't he bitchin about the lack of white NBA players....maybe the bro's aren't that good anymore , ever think of that you incompetent, racist POS....

[ZeroTolerance 584]

Am I the only one that believes this is going to result in a serious backlash/credibility issue for Jesse Jackson & Co?

 

Should, yes. Will, not likely. Face it, Jackson has done how many stupid, hypocritical, off the wall things and people still seem to think his opinion is relevant.

[hoytdwow 202]

Andruw Jones is black.

 

Oh, wait, he's from Curacao, so I guess he doesn't count

 

 

Black people don't play baseball because there's no thug life in it.

[Riddlen 1]

meh, whatever. it gets them i nthe news and that is what they really want

[football_scooter 0]

actually, Jackson and Sharpton should be proud - any time you see a rapper from the ATL in a video jockin ho's, saying "n!gger this" and "n!gger that" while flashing mad bling, they're often wearing Braves jerseys. Now if that isn't a positive representation of blacks associated with MLB, I dunno what is.

[kilroy69 1,268]

Andruw Jones is black.

 

Oh, wait, he's from Curacao, so I guess he doesn't count

 

 

They don't care if blacks play or not, They don't want black. They want african american.

[RLLD 4,275]

actually, Jackson and Sharpton should be proud - any time you see a rapper from the ATL in a video jockin ho's, saying "n!gger this" and "n!gger that" while flashing mad bling, they're often wearing Braves jerseys. Now if that isn't a positive representation of blacks associated with MLB, I dunno what is.

 

 

Yeah, THOSE representations are just fine...