Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Robinson’s daughter says MLB players reluctant to speak out

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Jackie Robinson’s daughter thinks black baseball players are more reluctant to speak publicly about racial issues than their NFL and NBA colleagues because they constitute a lower percentage of rosters.

She spoke at Citi Field in New York on Sunday to mark Jackie Robinson Day, the 71st anniversar­y of her father breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

While more than 200 NFL players protested racial inequality last season by kneeling or sitting during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell was the only baseball player to take a knee.

“I don’t think they have much choice,” Sharon Robinson said. “They are in the minority and where in football and basketball you have a group and therefor you can take a group action. So players if they speak out individual­ly, they could be the only African-American player on their team and it could be a difficult spot for them to be in.”

The percentage of black players from the United States and Canada on opening-day active rosters rose to 8.4%, up from 7.7% last year and its highest level since at least 2012.

The percentage peaked at 19 in 1986, MLB said last week.

Former baseball Commission­er Bud Selig retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 throughout the major leagues in 1997, made Jackie Robinson Day an annual event in 2004 and five years later started asking all players to wear No. 42 each April 15.

An educationa­l consultant to MLB, Sharon Robinson attended the firstpitch ceremony before the Mets-Brewers game with her mom, 95-year-old Rachel Robinson.

Sharon Robinson said action among African-American players is more an individual undertakin­g.

“They do it around their involvemen­t in community themselves, and talk about why that’s important.”

Jeter won’t attend Yankees series: There will be no reunion between Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter and the Yankees in New York next week.

The Marlins visit the Yankees, the team Jeter played with for 20 years, for a two-game series Monday and Tuesday.

“I went to a spring training game when we played New York. But it would be an awkward situation for me to actually go to Yankee Stadium,” Jeter said.

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