Beisbol: the international pastime
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of positional segregation on Latino Major League Baseball players. The process of positional segregation is often perceived as being negative in practice, but has been detected in many professional sport organizations within present time. Numerous studies have examined positional segregation in sport, but many of these studies analyze a singular perspective between Caucasian and African American players. Thus, their findings may be limited and may not entirely explain the positional segregation phenomena. The intent of this dissertation was to further explore the relationship between racioethnicity, country of origin, and skin color and their influence on where Latino Major League Baseball players will be positioned in regards to centrality. To accomplish this purpose, archival data was used to create three independent samples for the 1995, 2000, and 2005 seasons. Logistic regression was utilized to analyze each independent season with centrality acting as the dependent variable and all other remaining variables acting as independent variables or control variables. The results suggest Latinos may not be negatively perceived by mangers and teammates, as Latinos were frequently found to play in central positions within each independent year and perspective of centrality. Mixed results were discovered in regards to country of origin. Generally, Latino baseball players from foreign countries were found to play in central positions within each perspective more often than non central positions. Skin color indicated results that suggested the tone of a player’s skin indicated where the athlete would be positioned in regard to centrality. Latinos players who were dark skinned were often marginalized to non central positions, while those players who were lighter skinned most often played in central positions. Generally, the findings of this dissertation further support previous works within positional segregation. Latinos are commonly found to play in central positions in regards to racioethnicity. Skin color suggests that the color of one’s skin will indicate the importance of the player in reference to centrality. These results may oppose those studies that claim positional segregation has diminished within present time. These findings suggest positional segregation is stable within professional baseball.
Citation
Sosa, Jason Phillip 1979- (2007). Beisbol: the international pastime. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /186966.