Astros in the Wrong?

[Txbroadcaster]

In 2007, Ken Griffey Jr. asked permission to wear No. 42 on the annual Jackie Robinson Day. Commissioner Bud Selig loved the idea and invited other players to join in. On some clubs, one player wore No. 42. On other clubs, several players did. On still others, every player did.

This is what Los Angeles Angels outfield Torii Hunter said, to USA Today: "This is supposed to be an honor, and just a handful of guys wearing the number. Now you've got entire teams doing it. I think we're killing the meaning. It should be special wearing Jackie's number, not just because it looks cool."

What upset Hunter, he says now, was this: The Houston Astros had no black players on their team last April, and yet the entire team wore No. 42. Said Hunter: "That got it away from, 'OK, we don't have any blacks,' " he said. To Hunter, a roster with no black players did not represent the progress for which Robinson stood, and baseball celebrated according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Has-baseball-lost-the-meaning-of-Jackie-Robinson?urn=mlb,76568

[Bull Butter]

If Hunter was so worried about the Astros not having any Black players, why didn't he press for a trade to Houston instead of Anaheim?

[Emerson1]

I remember him crying about the issue around the time when they were doing it.

[crzyjournalist03]

geez...I know that the Rangers plan on having every player wear it this year. I don't think you have to be black to realize the significance of what Jackie Robinson did. Many of the greatest players both of all time and in the game today are black.

I don't think that whether or not an individual team has a black player on it determines whether they're undermining Robinson's spirit. Heck, we wouldn't even have Latin American players in the league today if there was a color barrier. And I'm fairly certain that the Astros' roster last year wasn't 100% "white".

[pirate4state]

How does he know what their intent was? :doh: :doh: :rolleyes:

I wasn't aware there was a rule that stated there had to be x amount of black, hispanic, puerto rican, white, etc. players on each team? :confused:

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Emerson1
I remember him crying about the issue around the time when they were doing it.

yeah, if I remember correctly, he was whining because he was one of the guys who came up with the idea and asked Selig if he could wear No. 42. Selig thought it was a great idea, and opened the invitation for anybody to wear it. For Hunter, it was more of a deal where he wanted to stand out and have people notice that he was paying tribute by a grand idea, and instead he didn't look special anymore since there were entire teams wearing it, so he got ticked off.

[Maroon87]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
In 2007, Ken Griffey Jr. asked permission to wear No. 42 on the annual Jackie Robinson Day. Commissioner Bud Selig loved the idea and invited other players to join in. On some clubs, one player wore No. 42. On other clubs, several players did. On still others, every player did.

This is what Los Angeles Angels outfield Torii Hunter said, to USA Today: "This is supposed to be an honor, and just a handful of guys wearing the number. Now you've got entire teams doing it. I think we're killing the meaning. It should be special wearing Jackie's number, not just because it looks cool."

What upset Hunter, he says now, was this: The Houston Astros had no black players on their team last April, and yet the entire team wore No. 42. Said Hunter: "That got it away from, 'OK, we don't have any blacks,' " he said. To Hunter, a roster with no black players did not represent the progress for which Robinson stood, and baseball celebrated according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Has-baseball-lost-the-meaning-of-Jackie-Robinson?urn=mlb,76568

Get over yourself, Torii.:rolleyes:

[LH Panther Mom]

Cry me a river! :bigcry: :weeping: :bigcry: :weeping: :bigcry:

[Fotbol]

Originally posted by pirate4state
How does he know what their intent was? :doh: :doh: :rolleyes:

I wasn't aware there was a rule that stated there had to be x amount of black, hispanic, puerto rican, white, etc. players on each team? :confused: :
:rolleyes:

[jason]

Originally posted by Fotbol
:
:rolleyes: ???


its true, you dont have to be black to realize the significance of what jackie robinson did - you think only black people should celebrate what he did, just because he (jackie robinson) was black ???

[eagles_victory]

Originally posted by Bull Butter
If Hunter was so worried about the Astros not having any Black players, why didn't he press for a trade to Houston instead of Anaheim? He didnt get traded he signed with LAA as a free agent.

[IHStangFan]

I remember that crap..."oh no...there are no black players on the Astros..." blah.....I think I'll apply for financial aid through the United Negro College Fund and try to enroll at Grambling State and then raise hell and cry racism when I get denied. :rolleyes:

[g$$]

What a joke. Astros this year have players from all over world. Check the roster & you will see Japan, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, USA, Mexico, etc. Have had coaches from all over too. You play ther best guys, period. It's a business & Hunter needs to pipe down. Blacks only make up less than 10% of entire league, but that is another matter altogether with a variety of reasons for it. Start with the problem of 11.7 scholarships in college baseball for whole team & go from there...

[SWMustang]

If blacks are making up 10% of the league and the general population is 10% black, I think MLB is compliant with EEOC guidelines.

The Astros may not be. I think Bourne is the only Black player. I wonder if someone tried out for the Astros but didn't make it, could they file a complaint with the feds?

[g$$]

Originally posted by SWMustang
If blacks are making up 10% of the league and the general population is 10% black, I think MLB is compliant with EEOC guidelines.

The Astros may not be. I think Bourne is the only Black player. I wonder if someone tried out for the Astros but didn't make it, could they file a complaint with the feds?

Would never stick...Bourn is Black, but look at Lee, Matsui, Tejada, Quintero (called back up), Perez, etc. They are sure not White. There is no rule for quotas in MLB or any sport. The best will play.

[SWMustang]

Originally posted by g$$
Would never stick...Bourn is Black, but look at Lee, Matsui, Tejada, Quintero (called back up), Perez, etc. They are sure not White. There is no rule for quotas in MLB or any sport. The best will play.

Oh, I know there's no qouta's but it would be cool if there was.

Why should sports be any different?

[g$$]

Originally posted by SWMustang
Oh, I know there's no qouta's but it would be cool if there was.

Why should sports be any different?

Why should there ever be quotas, esp in sports? Highly disagree on that in principle. Best should play & color of skin should never be a factor.

[Gobbla2001]

as for african-american players, the Astros had none when this comment was made, but they did have an assistant (now Manager, Cecil Cooper) who was african-american...

#1 - The players who wore the number had nothing to do with there not being any black players on the team (minus they may have been taking up that spot)...

#2 - The Astros have had black players on their team before and I'm sure had some in the farm system

#3 - Are non-african-american players not allowed to honor, respect and look up to african-american players who have left a very large and positive mark on the game?

#4 - Be American

#5 - Hunter needs to stick to what he knows best, hitting, catching and throwin' balls

#6 - The Rockets were almost all black

#7 - Texans had some black folks

#8 - So all of Houston aint racist

#9 - no number 9 sorry

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by g$$
Why should there ever be quotas, esp in sports? Highly disagree on that in principle. Best should play & color of skin should never be a factor.

I agree... that would suck... the best should make it...

[Gobbla2001]

Originally posted by g$$
Why should there ever be quotas, esp in sports? Highly disagree on that in principle. Best should play & color of skin should never be a factor.

I mean what about basketball? what if there were a quota on that? I wouldn't be watching much NBA... sorry, but I'm racist, there just aint as many good white basketball players as there are fully bad-to-the-bone black players... and it would be unfair to the truely talented hard working black player that couldn't make it because the team needed two more white guys and a Frenchman to keep 'em legit...

[AP Panther Fan]

purely random thought...it sure is a good thing that they put the names on their uniforms in addition to a number...lol, can you imagine trying to announce or keep books straight with two entire teams having the number 42.:cool: