It’s been awhile, so let’s get straight to it.
But first I need to weigh in on a few things that have occurred since I last rapped to you.
All of you who consider Kansas City Star writer Jayson Whitlock a hero for talking about rappers and all that during the Rutgers University women’s basketball Don Imus controversy can chill out right now.
Rappers don’t have anything to do with the racist comments Imass said. Now, I might have misspelled his name but it doesn’t need to be printed anymore anyway. Besides he’ll be working soon.
Next, I want to say what’s up to M.T. 20-20. He knows whom I’m talking about. WATCH OUT NA! Stop drinking and driving yaw hear?
*Congrats to Martavious Hines Jr., Jerdo Williams, and Clyde Young of the Defending State Champion Cahokia Comanches’ track and field Team. The three student-athletes signed letters of intent to attend Mississippi State University. Hines one of the all-time leading rushers in Cahokia history will walk-on as a football recruit as well.
* Now let’s talk about this issue regarding the lack of participation in baseball. First, people tend to support each other when they are visible. Right? I mean if MLB was serious about this lack of blacks in baseball, look no further than every third base coaching box and dugout in Major League Baseball.
You don’t see many brothers flashing signals to players, and waving a runner home for a potential winning run. And what ever happened to Cito Gaston, Don Baylor, and my man Dusty Baker?
Can’t MLB put a RECYCLING PATCH on their backs when they get fired? I think the brothers would take that parting gift for another chance to be a manager again.
This isn’t the first or last time that this subject will come up. In the late 90’s, Tony Dungy was a regular guest on a local show called the Daily Planet on which Program Director Steve Mosier allowed me too discuss these topics very candidly with black coaches across the country in ALL SPORTS. Phil Ford, Randall Cunningham, Turner Gill, James Lofton were among those who would visit from time to time. Mosier even supported me when the daughter of Josh Moody, a guest on the program regarding our local team not wanting to honor some of our living LOCAL NEGRO LEGENDS on the field, but in the Stadium Club.
Kevin Pulley, along with myself and family members of Moody, Cowan ‘Bubba” Hyde, and Joe “Prince” Henry met with Cardinals officials and they held and ON- FIELD celebration in response to the rest of Major League Baseball who celebrated this feat honoring Negro Legends in all of its parks. I give much of the credit at the time to Cardinals’ President Mark Lamping who has always made himself available to the black media.
Not all the blame belongs to Major League Baseball. Some of MLB’s programs are full of it. For example, it’s very nice to build baseball diamonds in the black community, but if you don’t provide any uniforms, equipment or hold people accountable for maintenance, Those fields will be unused and will soon be dumps.
But the black male is partly to blame as well. Yes the BLACK MAN! In an age of basketball, football, track and field, sports including baseball, softball, tennis, golf and soccer go by the wayside.
In addition, you don’t see cork ball games against school’s buildings and fences in yards anymore. You don’t see kids playing softball in the hood with potato chip bags as bases anymore. It’s easy to take your son or daughter inside, sit your butt down and stick your chest out.
All I hear is “baseball is boring”, it takes to long. No, it’s a thinking man’s game that requires constant attention and love for it. You know when a father and son/daughter have a love for the game when I see them in the yard, in the park while the sun is setting hitting ground balls, or Fungos to them.
Seeing dads at the batting cage with them telling them to keep that elbow up and keep their hands away from there bodies. I do not hate the other sports because I love them to. But baseball can prepare you for all of them.
Maybe we need to look at how many are blacks are coaching in high school, junior college and major universities.
Then, maybe, brothers would get more involved and parents would let little Johnny play. The black community has to take it seriously.