TheGrio’s 100: Jason Heyward, bringing blacks back to baseball
TheGrio's 100 - Right-fielder Jason Heyward had a stunning MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves this year, hitting a three-run homer on his first swing as a major-leaguer...
Right-fielder Jason Heyward had a stunning MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves this year, hitting a three-run homer on his first swing as a major-leaguer. Heyward’s impressive rookie season puts him on the verge of becoming a household name. In a sport that has seen a steady decline in black players since Hank Aaron’s heyday, this new wunderkind could revive African-American interest in America’s favorite pastime.
Jason Heyward is making history … by fanning the faltering flame of African-American interest in baseball. Even while fighting through injuries for much of the 2010 season, Heyward had a remarkable first year with an impressive on base percentage, 17 home runs and an almost perfect fielding average, garnering praise from many of the sport’s aficionados.
Among Heyward’s rave reviewers are Yahoo! Sports writer Jeff Passan, who places the sensational rookie in the same elite league as Ken Griffey Jr.:”the can’t-miss of all can’t-miss players, ones whose plaques in Cooperstown practically precede their first at-bats.” Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron said the 21-year-old “can mean an awful lot to what ails baseball… People are getting excited.”
What’s next for Jason?
In April, Heyward begins spring training for his sophomore season with the Braves and, even though Heyward is slotted by many to be the next big thing in baseball, he just wants to keep playing the game he loves.
In his own words …
“I can be a positive role model for a lot of people,” says Heyward in an April ESPN interview, “but no matter what I do or how much love I have for the game, I can’t choose the sport for anybody else… If I play the game well, it’s going to make them think about playing baseball, but it’s still their choice to make.”
A favorite quote …
“If you scared, say you scared.” — Eugene Heyward Jr.
A little-known fact …
The greatest percentage of African-American players in the MLB was 27 percent in 1975, based on a 2007 report by ESPN. In the wake of Hank Aaron’s retirement from the sport in 1976, the number of black players in the MLB entered a steady decline and now rests at 8.4 percent.
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