Kenneth L. Shropshire has joined Major League Baseball’s On-Field Diversity Task Force. Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig previously announced the creation of the task force to address the talent pipeline that impacts the representation and development of diverse players and on-field personnel in Major League Baseball, particularly African-Americans.
The wide-ranging group, which includes representatives from Club ownership, Club front offices, MLB’s Central Office, Minor League Baseball, former players, the Major League Baseball Players Association, the MLB Scouting Bureau, and collegiate baseball, will focus on the myriad of issues influencing on-field diversity at all levels of baseball.
Shropshire, a leading sports business and legal expert at both the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the global law firm Duane Morris LLP, will focus on educational aspects for the taskforce. Shropshire is the author of 10 books focused on the business of sports including a foundational work on diversity in sports, In Black and White: Race and Sports in America.
Members of the Commissioner’s On-Field Diversity Task Force include:
Stuart Sternberg – Principal Owner, Tampa Bay Rays; MLB Diversity Oversight Committee Chairman
Dave Dombrowski – President, Chief Executive Officer & General Manager, Detroit Tigers; On-Field Diversity Task Force Chairman
Tom Brasuell – MLB Vice President of Community Affairs (representing Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities)
Roger Cador – Baseball Head Coach, Southern University (Historically Black College & University)
Tony Clark – Director of Player Services, Major League Baseball Players Association
Larry Dolan – Cleveland Indians; MLB Diversity Oversight Committee Advisor
Dennis Gilbert – Special Assistant to Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf
Derrick Hall – President & Chief Executive Officer, Arizona Diamondbacks
Wendy Lewis – MLB Senior Vice President of Diversity & Strategic Alliances
Jerry Manuel – MLB Network Analyst; Major League Manager (1998-2003; 2008-2010); 2000 A.L. Manager of the Year
Frank Marcos – Senior Director, MLB Scouting Bureau
Jonathan Mariner – MLB Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Darrell Miller – MLB Vice President of Youth & Facility Development (representing MLB Urban Youth Academy)
Bernard Muir – Athletic Director, Stanford University
Kim Ng – MLB Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations
Pat O’Conner – President & Chief Executive Officer, Minor League Baseball
Frank Robinson – Hall of Famer; MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Development
Ken Williams – Executive Vice President, Chicago White Sox
According to the Player Diversity Report (released on 11/13/12), the diversity of the Player Profile on 40-Man Major League rosters was 62% Caucasian, 28% Hispanic, 8% African-American, 1% Asian, and 0.2% Native American. And according to MLB records, which is a collection of data compiled by the clubs, the percentage of players on 2013 Opening Day, 25-Man Major League rosters who identified themselves as African-American or black was approximately 8.5%, which is in a consistent range with the past few years. The first round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft featured the selections of seven African-American players, the most by total and percentage (7-of-31, 22.6%) since 1992.
Major League Baseball operates two youth initiatives designed specifically to address on-field diversity:
The Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program and its Jr. RBI playing divisions provide opportunities for young people (ages 5 to 18) from underserved communities to play baseball and softball. RBI has served more than 1 million young people since 1989, and in 2012, had more than 210,000 participants around the country, in Canada and in Latin America. MLB Clubs have drafted more than 200 RBI participants, including 14 players in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.
MLB Urban Youth Academies provide free, year-round and intensive baseball and softball instruction and educational programs for young people from underserved and urban communities. Seven MLB Urban Youth Academies are either operational or in development around the country and in Puerto Rico (Operational: Compton, California; Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Gurabo, Puerto Rico; In development: Cincinnati, Ohio; Hialeah, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). MLB Urban Youth Academies have served more than 10,000 young people, with more than 90% of its participants in the United States reflecting a diverse segment of the respective local communities. Since 2006, nearly 200 Academy student-athletes have been selected in the First-Year Player Draft, including 17 in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.
