I think that the lack of TV clips and available footage serve to enhance the legend of the truly great early players (LaJoie, Cobb, Ruth, Gehrig, Mathewson, Johnson, Young, etc.)
But it hurts the more marginal players and non-HOFers. This is a fascinating topic, and I think about it all the time. There's no question that many of the mid-tier players of the 40s - 80s are already long-forgotten. There's just no vehicle for keeping their names and images top-of-mind (other than to the most hard-core fans and historians).
As 71buc states above... they are keeping the names of Paige, Robinson, Reese and Rickey relevant and alive. But the less "storied" players and non-Hall of Famers will inevitably fade into obscurity. There's not much we can do to stop that, and it makes me sad.
It's true of the entertainment industry as well. Few people under 20 can identify John Wayne, but they all know Lil Wayne. My kids and their friends (who I've tried to educate) probably cannnot identify Bob Hope, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, WC Fields, The Marx Bros, or either of the Hepburns. Not to mention the character actors and lesser stars of the day.
It's pretty sad that Snookie, The Situation, Simon Cowell and the Kardashians are better known today than any of the legends listed above. The only consolation is that they'll be forgotten upon the next generation. Guess that's my rant for the day
