From todays Philadelphia Inquirer.

Phillies Notes | Fans stayed away from first series

By Sam Carchidi

Inquirer Staff Writer


Another game, another record-low home attendance for the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Is it a trend or an anomaly?

"I think it's just one of those things because the kids are still in school," said Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier, the loser in the club's 5-4 10-inning defeat to the Washington Nationals yesterday. "But I think they'll show up."

Yesterday's Businessperson's Special, played with the temperatures in the low 70s, drew 21,693. The previous night, also with gorgeous weather, the club attracted 23,435. Monday's season opener, an afternoon game, was a sellout.

Season tickets have dropped about 23 percent - from 23,500 to near 18,000 - and that played a major role in the low attendance yesterday and Wednesday. Reliever Tim Worrell said he was surprised by all the empty blue seats.

"Especially with the weather and no hockey," he said. "Ed Wade put this team together to win... and maybe we can win them over."

Asked if he thought the fans were looking for some positive signs before committing their time to the team, closer Billy Wagner seemed amused.

"If they're looking for it in the first three games, they're looking for the wrong thing," he said. "It's going to be a grind; it's going to be a marathon. If you're looking for a special spark in three games [you're mistaken]. You're not going to be on all cylinders in the first week."

Larry Shenk, the Phils' vice president for public relations, downplayed the early attendance drop.

"It's typical to fall a little in the second year after a stadium opens," he said.

Fewer black players. Washington manager Frank Robinson said he was "concerned," but that there were explanations for the fact that the number of black players was dwindling in Major League Baseball.

In the annual Racial and Gender Report Card, released by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics at the University of Central Florida on Wednesday, it was reported that only 9 percent of players in 2004 were black.

"There are a lot of reasons for it," Robinson said. "One of them is that black kids have other options and avenues to make a career choice. It used to be that the only out, the only way to better themselves, was through baseball. Now they're getting an education and using other options.

"And this isn't a knock on anybody, but baseball integrated with blacks, and now they're reaching to the Latin countries much more. There are academies in the Latin countries but not in this country. You have the RBI programs in the inner cities, but they're not designed to do what they do at the Latin academies - sign young players."

Robinson said MLB is "looking around the world for talent, whereas they used to only look in the States."

Phillies centerfielder Kenny Lofton said front-office executives need to take responsibility for the dwindling number of black players.

"You have to talk to the managers and general managers who have an opportunity to put guys on the team and aren't doing it," he said.

Come on Kenny, you think MLB GM's aren't putting the best players out there and instead discriminating against blacks? What an ass.

I can see the meeting now...


Ed Wade: Ryan, We're going to send you down to the minors.
Ryan Howard: That makes sense... Jim Thome is older and better than me so naturally I shouldn't play...
Ed Wade: No, actually it's because you're black.


Anybody who thinks there is discrimination in the Majors against blacks needs a head check... the best talent is being scouted and put on the diamond, period... if Kenny doesn't like that he can move to Bhutan and eat figs

You gotta be kidding me. Baseball has got to easily be the most racially diverse pro sport. I guess maybe there are not enough eskimos playing yet. But just you wait.

I guess Philly fans aren't as loyal as certain people make them out to be.

When I was in high school, my school was over 50% black.
The varsity, JV, and Freshman baseball teams had 2 black kids combined my junior and senior years. None of the black guys WANTED to play baseball.

the NBA has far surpased the other sports in popularity in the african-american demographic.

everyone wantd to be MJ, no one wants to be Hammerin' Hank.

If they were descriminating dont you think loften would be one of the first ones out. I mean who wouild want a 40 year old black guy?

This is absurd. Next they're going to be telling us there enough black hockey players, golfers, or cyclists.

The sport of curling seems suspiciously void of black players as well.

nascar needs some of hte dark meat

There aren't enough white sprinters. I call conspiracy. The track and field community needs to reach out to suburban and rural america to find all those sprinters that are missing opportunities.

Jeremy says: I rule!

i'm personally tired of all the "race" shit,in baseball,in sports well hell in everyday life,i watched a show that said theres no more then 5 black american ballplayers on one team,but i think the problem is there isnt enough "american"players in baseball,white,black etc.and that can be traced to little league's being so damn expensive the average family cant afford to let their kids play,where as in the Dominican where players are flooding from now days where they can play in leagues practicly free.

I think there's something to be said for inequalities in the management and offices of the sports, but as far as the athletes themselves it's ridiculous.

yup, totally agree

they have magic johnson heading up the "diversity" program. they took 100 kids from the inner city of los angeles to the california race about a month ago........who wants to bet me that none of those kids go into nascar? anyone? anyone? hello?

I've noticed this lack of black players in the MLB. I've also become aware of the diminishing numbers of white players in the NBA. Something needs to be done.

Everyone says how expensive it is to play baseball for kids. All you need is a glove, a jock and some spikes. For Football you need the jock and the spikes. You telling me that the cost of the glove is preventing kids from playing baseball? Shit, the sneakers, jerseys and shorts kids are playing hoops with cost enough for you to buy 4 gloves.

Yo, how do you think this ride would do on the circuit?