The Players Alliance
A’s Kemp, Pinder donating Jackie Robinson Day salary to support racial equality
A’s utilityman Tony Kemp said he is among majorleague players who will donate their salaries from Thursday, Jackie Robinson Day, to back initiatives for racial equality.
More than 100 players pledged their full or partial game-day salaries to The Players Alliance, a nonprofit founded last year by active and former major-leaguers to promote Black participation in baseball, the organization said.
Kemp said he is donating his full salary from Thursday and that teammate Chad Pinder plans to do the same. Funds raised will benefit Players Alliance efforts to distribute baseball equipment in Black communities, and the organization said it will make a financial commitment to the Jackie Robinson Foundation to support the launch of a joint scholarship.
Kemp’s base salary, according to spotrac.com, is $1.05 million and Pinder’s is $2.275 million. Dividing that among 162 games, Kemp’s donation would be just less than $6,500 and Pinder’s just more than $14,000.
“Jackie is a guy that will always be looked up to and being able to donate your day’s salary to the Players Alliance and being able to do all these things, it’s huge,” Kemp said Thursday afternoon. “I think just building the game and getting more Black players to get into the game of baseball and to break more barriers, it’s big.”
This offseason, the Players Alliance launched its “Pull Up Neighbor” tour to deliver baseball gear, pantry items and health supplies to areas of need in 33 cities. Its California stops were canceled because of pandemic restrictions, but the group estimates it reached 20,000 people.
The immediate effect is “huge,” Kemp said, providing kids with equipment “that they can’t necessarily afford on a regular basis.” The longer-term goal of diversifying baseball is “going to take some time,” Kemp said. Black players made up 7.6% of MLB rosters on Opening Day, according to the MLB Racial and Gender Report Card released by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, an increase of 0.1% from 2020.
“What we started last year and what it’s growing to, you can’t really see the impact it’s having just yet,” Kemp said. “I think obviously the best we can do right now is just to insert ourselves in those inner cities and just be a light. I think that’s what we’re doing.
“I’m sure years down the road, we’ll hear of a kid and he’ll say, ‘My first bat was when you guys came to Atlanta or Charlotte or New York.’ I think it’s going to take some time, but I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Last summer, Kemp started a campaign to spark conversations about racial and societal issues in America that he called the +1 Effect, engaging people in talks over social media. He said Thursday he is still engaging in talks and that seeing fans at games wearing +1 Effect shirts “is a big deal.” Kemp joined the rest of the league Thursday wearing No. 42 in honor of Robinson — he said there is “no way to not get emotional or get some chills” donning the jersey.
“Especially being in Oakland and letting Black players know that they can do it, too, and they can make the big leagues just like any of us, it’s a big deal,” Kemp said. “So continuing to pass the game down, continuing to be the best person you can be, that’s what matters.”
Briefly: A.J. Puk (biceps) is playing catch out to 90 feet but has yet to throw off a mound ... Pinder (knee) “feels a bit better” and could resume baseball activities this week ... With two off-days this week, the A’s moved up Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas to start the first two games against Detroit with Cole Irvin pitching Saturday. Manager Bob Melvin said that was partly to ensure Manaea did not go six days between starts.