ABSTRACT
Once America's national pastime, baseball has fallen from sport's hierarchy through generations of societal shortsightedness. Baseball's old-school, stifling behavioral and social norms form a barrier to emerging fans and players, especially Black Americans, who have turned to football and basketball's performative avenues of self-expression. Major League Baseball players – particularly those of color – are not embraced on a national scale, and until recently, were discouraged from on-field demonstration and off-field social justice initiatives. Major League Baseball has recently addressed its dearth of Black representation (from nearly 30 percent in the ’70s to its current 8 percent) through several measures, including the hiring of two Black administrators in its league office. The authors posit that former MLB superstar Ken Griffey Jr. (in his recent roles as an MLB “ambassador” and minority owner of the Seattle Mariners) could become a transformative figure in fomenting social change. Griffey's iconic stature and genuine “coolness” bring needed cachet to a game that lags well behind other major sports in national television ratings and in social media engagement.
