Everybody reading this blog probably knows that Frank Robinson was the 1st African-American manager in baseball. (Although Ernie Banks did manage a couple of innings for the Cubs in 1973 after Whitey Lockman was ejected, but this doesn’t really count.)
Robinson was the Player/Manager for the Cleveland Indians when they began their season on April 8, 1975 against the Yankees at Cleveland Stadium. Robinson was the DH and smacked a 1st inning home run off Doc Medich. I remember watching that game, and immediately stopped being a Frank Robinson fan. (Sorry, but team loyalty comes first) The Yankees lost that game, or should I say the Indians and Frank Robinson won that game 5-3.
So Frank Robinson was the 1st African-American Manager in the American League. Who was the 1st African-American Manager in the National League?
Six years later, on April 9, 1981 at Candlestick Park, Frank Robinson became the 1st African-American to manage a National League team. The Giants lost 4-1 in extra innings.
The baseball wheel of change sure moves slowly.
Sometimes, baseball history even seems to move in reverse. In 1975, 27% of MLB rosters were comprised of African-Americans. That number, as of last season, is now down to an amazingly low 8%. It’s the lowest number since Eisenhower was President. Last year, Marlon Byrd was the only black MLB player in the entire city of Chicago!
I knew the number was low, but not 8%. The number of Hispanic players is probably the highest it’s ever been.
I believe the number of Latinos in the game is now about 27 or 28%, about the same as the all-time high for blacks over 30 years ago.