CC Sabathia Raises Concerns Over Black Pitchers in the MLB

COOPERSTOWN – During his Hall of Fame induction, CC Sabathia brought attention to the Black Ace, a term referring to a group of black pitchers who have achieved 20 wins in a season. He expressed his worries again on Sunday about the absence of black starting pitchers currently in Major League Baseball.

“I don’t want to be the final member of the Black Ace,” Sabathia stated in his speech. “I don’t want to be the last black pitcher to give a Hall of Fame speech.”

This concern drives Sabathia to collaborate with the nonprofit Player Alliance and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to enhance the game within minority communities.

He reflected on fellow inductee Dave Parker as a significant influence that drew him towards the sport. “In the early ’80s and ’90s, when I first started watching baseball, my friends and I played because we saw those players on TV,” he recalled. “There was always someone who looked like me in baseball uniforms.”

However, Sabathia noted that this representation has dwindled, particularly among pitchers.

He reminisced about meeting Jim “Madcat” Grant at age 17. Grant, who played for Cleveland, won 21 games in 1965 while with Minnesota.

“The Madcat explained what a Black Ace is and how challenging it is to be a starting pitcher in the majors,” Sabathia recalled.

Sabathia himself had 20-win seasons, achieving this milestone in 2010, with David Price being the most recent to do so in 2012.

He’s clearly concerned about where things are heading. Currently, only Sabathia, Bob Gibson, and Ferguson Jenkins hold spots as black starting pitchers in the Hall of Fame.

“When you think about it, who’s next?” Sabathia reflected after his speech. “Who’s the next black pitcher to win 20 games? Will there be another Hall of Fame speech like this? It’s up to my generation to inspire the next child.”