Its a beautiful day for musing and a decent day for baseball so if you like either, keep on reading. I dont remember the first time I put on a baseball glove, but I wouldnt be surprised if I were wearing a onesie at the time. Baseball is more than a sport in my family- its a conversation piece, a conduit for bonding with cousins and parents, and inspiration for more than a few laughs and memories. Its a key piece of our culture but today I found myself reflecting on the bigger implications and influences of Americas pastime. My dad came to my class today to discuss Latin Americans, Baseball, & Diversity. Clemente was the focal point of discussion and the issues he faced being both black and latino in 1950s baseball. Language barriers were huge at that time- interpreters rare and journalists reporting players comments in pidgin English because it was funnier. Times have changed both in baseball and daily life but we still have a way to go. We followed up the days talks by watching 42, the Jackie Robinson movie. It seemed a fitting sequel to our discussion to watch how this mans (and those who supported him) actions integrated baseball, which certainly didnt hurt in later integration efforts. And its moments like this that remind me why I love the game. Because it is more than RBIs and No-Hitters, more than World Series and All-Stars games. Baseball fields are a reflection of our countrys people- their values and ideals, their flaws and imperfections. Racism once permeated the sport in every outward display, evidenced in the names and pitches taken by #42 himself. Nowadays more than 25% of players are Latin, with another 10% being Black, Asian, or Other. While Id be a fool to claim racism doesnt still exist in our society, its nice to see a more multicultural framework when I take myself to the ballgame. Much like the question of whether art imitates life or evokes change, one can ask whether sports reflect the changes already occurring in society or whether they themselves inspire such changes. My guess is its a bit of both. Today my kids wrote notes about what they got from the talk. Many of them commented on being surprised that Roberto was forced to go by Bob and their dismay at the level of racism that existed at one time. One talk is hardly enough to get them to view the world from a multicultural lens. But like those brave leaders of baseball... Its a start.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 02:56:27 +0000
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