Thread: ESPN Top 100
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Old 02-20-2022, 10:26 PM
BobC BobC is offline
Bob C.
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Ohio
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike D. View Post
It's worth noting that this is true, but there was also a 40 year stretch from 1968-1998 that the % of black players was more like 14-19%.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/topic/baseb...ics-1947-2016/
Doesn't really matter or affect the Negro League situation and questions as the numbers I was pointing out were so disproportionate back then that even if we take into account the higher % of black MLB players at certain times in history, as you pointed out, and double the expected average annual number of black players to be recognized as MLB level players each year from 13.7 to 27.4, it still comes nowhere near the actual 115.7 Negro League players they began calling major leaguers each year. The Negro Leagues were basically a few major league players spending their years playing in the minors, and padding their numbers against weaker overall talent. And is why to me, any Negro League player on any all-time records or lists is suspect, and likely may not fully deserve the acclaim, ranking, and standing they are being afforded. I am not saying anyone was not a great player, but there is evidence that if people are basing at least some of their opinions on stats, they may not be as accurate and comparable as one would hope, and otherwise expect, due to the reduced overall level of talent they were primarily playing against.
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