They don’t ‘have much choice’

Jackie’s daughter: Black players silent because they lack numbers

NEW YORK — Jackie Robinson’s daughter thinks black baseball players are more reluctant to speak publicly about racial issues than their NFL and NBA colleagues because they constitute a lower percentage of rosters.

She spoke at Citi Field on Sunday to mark Jackie Robinson Day, the 71st anniversary of her father breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

While more than 200 NFL players protested racial inequality last season by kneeling or sitting during “The Star-spangled Banner,” Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell was the only baseball player to take a knee.

“I don’t think they have much choice,” Sharon Robinson said. “They are in the minority and where in football and basketball you have a group and therefore you can take a group action. So players if they speak out individually, they could be the only African-american player on their team and it could be a difficult spot for them to be in.”

The percentage of black players from the United States and Canada on Opening Day active rosters rose to 8.4 percent, up from 7.7 last year and its highest level since at least 2012.

The percentage peaked at 19 in

1986, MLB said last week, citing Mark Armour of the Society of American Baseball Research.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 throughout the major leagues in 1997, made Jackie Robinson Day an annual event in 2004 and five years later started asking all players to wear No. 42 each April 15.

An educational consultant to MLB, Sharon Robinson attended the firstpitch ceremony before the Mets-milwaukee game with her mom, 95-yearold Rachel Robinson. On a chilly afternoon, the game time temperature was 42.

Sharon Robinson said action among African-american players is more an individual undertaking.

“They do it around their involvement in community themselves, and talk about why that’s important,” she said.

“Part of the protest with the NFL or the NBA is how do we funnel some of these proceeds from the games, where we’re helping to bring these proceeds, and funnel them into the African-american community? So some of the baseball players do that through their own charities or their own work within communities that they’re playing (in).”

Kathy Willens The Associated Press Rachel Robinson, left, widow of Jackie Robinson, the first African-american in the major leagues, and daughter Sharon with a plaque honoring Jackie on Jackie Robinson Day before the Brewers-mets game on Sunday at Citi Field in New York.

Andrew Harnik The Associated Press Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, a Las Vegas baseball product, wears shoes with Jackie Robinson’s signature in honor of Jackie Robinson Day on Sunday.

Andrew Harnik The Associated Press U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-GA., throws out the ceremonial first pitch for Jackie Robinson Day before a game Sunday between the Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals.