A prominent sports-law specialist sends down an indictment of
racism in sports that is occasionally dense and difficult to read
but impossible to ignore. Noting that 95 percent of all sports team
owners are white, while their teams' athletes are for the most part
black, Shropshire (Legal Studies/Wharton School, Univ. of
Pennsylvania) reveals the many reasons why pro and college sports
remain under the control of what is essentially a white old boys'
network. These include prevailing racial images and myths, white
racism, black apathy, athletes' and owners' self-interest In
addition to identifying the problem, Shropshire proposes several
remedies. Some, such as reforming college sports admission policies
(by dropping the use of standardized aptitude tests as a means of
judging students for admission and eliminating freshman
eligibility) seem simple, bordering on the obvious, and they have
been raised before, but decision makers have yet to embrace them.
Other proposals seem less probable, including the boycott by
athletes of some major sports events, the utilization of additional
resources to improve America's high schools, and a program to wean
society away from the creation and worship of sports heroes: "A
white kid tries to become President," Shropshire writes, "and the
skills and knowledge he picks up on the way can be used in a
thousand different jobs. A black kid tries to become Willie Mays
and all the tools he picks up are useless to him if he doesn't
become Willie Mays." Despite the author's conjecturing and frequent
overreliance on obscure legal examples, this is a solid,
well-argued, and important study. Anyone desiring to be informed
about race issues and sports should read it. (Kirkus Reviews)
Confronts the pressing problems surrounding race and diversity in
the front offices of the American sports industry From the years of
the Negro Leagues in baseball up to today, when college basketball
programs entice and then fail to educate young Black men, sports in
America have long served as a barometer of the country's racial
climate. Just as Black employees are often barred from the upper
echelons of corporate America, they are underrepresented in the
front offices of the sports industry as well. In this compact
volume, Kenneth L. Shropshire confronts prominent racial myths
head-on, offering both a history of-and solutions for-the most
pressing problems currently plaguing sports. Despite the fact that
Black athletes represent a huge majority of the American sports
industry, the majority of ownership stake in professional
basketball, baseball, and football teams is still held by white
owners. And yet, when confronted with programs intended to
diversify their front offices, many teams resort to the familiar
refrain of merit-based excuses: there simply aren't enough
qualified Black candidates or they don't know how to network. These
hollow excuses not only stigmatize and exclude Black employees, but
directly contradict the important value Black candidates can bring
to these roles. In the insular world of sports, where former
players often move up to become coaches, managers, executives, and
owners, Black candidates are eminently qualified. After decades of
active involvement with their sport, they often bring to the table
experiences more relevant to the Black players on their teams. As a
central aspect of American life, the sports industry has a
responsibility to be a leader in the fight for racial equality-a
responsibility that has not yet been met. In Black and White takes
the industry to task, revealing claims of colorblindness and
reverse racism as self-serving deflection and scrutinizing
professional and collegiate sports, sports agents, and owners
alike. No mere critique, however, the volume looks optimistically
forward, outlining strategies that will drive the sports industry
toward greater racial equality, and help it lead the way for racial
justice efforts throughout America.
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