Fewer African Americans in MLB; All-Stars remain unsigned - USATODAY.com: MINNEAPOLIS — Major League Baseball is celebrating Jackie Robinson Day today. But 63 years after he broke the game's color barrier, the number of African-American players continues to suffer, with 9.5% of them making opening-day rosters, according to USA TODAY research.
'He would turn over in his grave if he saw the lack of African Americans playing ball,' Minnesota Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson said.
MLB had its first increase in African-American players in 15 years in 2009 when the number climbed to 10.2%, according to the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. This year, though, there were 17 teams with two or fewer African-American players on their opening-day roster.
