SEATTLE -- With 10 African-American players on their current 35-man Major League roster, the Mariners had a unique panel for their African-American Heritage Night gathering at T-Mobile Park on Friday night.
Mariners broadcaster Dave Sims hosted the panel discussion in the Ellis Pavilion prior to Friday’s 9-7 loss to the White Sox. The event generated some interesting and entertaining discussion about everything from how and why the players chose baseball over other sports like football and basketball, to Dee Gordon’s tale of how teammates Kyle Seager and Dylan Moore have been invited to join the “hood" as part of home run celebrations.
The panel included second basemen Gordon and Shed Long, shortstop J.P. Crawford, outfielders Mallex Smith, Keon Broxton and Kyle Lewis and pitchers Justin Dunn, Justus Sheffield, Reggie McClain and Art Warren.
“It means a lot,” said Gordon, a nine-year Major League veteran. “Especially for myself, this whole group is pretty young in the Major Leagues -- trying to get their feet down together. So it’s pretty special for me because I get to try to help them become big leaguers every day. Everybody here has skills, so it’s about their professionalism. Being an African-American, you have to be pretty straight and narrow for this to be able to happen.”
Gordon and Smith have been with the team all season, while Crawford and Broxton were midseason additions. The other six are rookies who were called up toward the end of the season and represent a big part of the Mariners’ future.
In a sport pushing to increase the numbers of African-Americans who participate, the group recognizes the uniqueness of their situation. According to a USA Today study, there were 68 African-Americans among the 882 players on the 30 MLB Opening Day rosters this season -- including injured and restricted lists -- which is 7.7 percent.
“It makes you wake up and want to go to the field every day, to go battle on the field with your boys,” said Crawford. “This is rare, this will probably never happen again, to be honest. So every day I look forward to going to the field to get better with my boys. I know they’re going to push me and we’re going to push each other to get better.”
Sims, 66, is a Philadelphia native in his 13th year as part of the Mariners' television crew. He relished the chance to showcase the event.
“This has to be historic,” Sims said, "not only for Seattle, but for baseball."