8.16.2007

White Privilege in Little Leage Baseball

I found an interesting article in a recent issue in Leisure Science an academic journal. The author describes in the abstract:
This paper adopts critical race theory as a framework to expose elements of racism embedded within the seemingly "color-blind" policies of little league baseball. It attempts to uncover the hidden subtext of race in a popular children's sport in America. Inspired by interviews conducted with the African-American founders of a grassroots baseball league for neighborhood children, the story focuses on the experiences the founders encountered with little league baseball that prompted them to create "a league of their own." Policies and practices related to player selection, travel/transportation to games, isolation of minority players, spectator behavior, and coaching/role modeling are shown to privilege white children while disadvantaging children of color.
You can find the article probably in your local library or at your local library or university library website.

Glover, Troy D. "Ugly on the Diamonds: An Examination of White Privilege in Youth Baseball." Leisure Sciences 29, no. 2 (March/April 2007): 195-208.