Positional Segregation In Sports

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Positional Segregation Kahn (1991) stated that blacks were not put into positions that involved leadership and critical thinking. In the 1980s they were not pitchers, catchers, and infielders in baseball, or quarterbacks, linebackers, and kickers in football in the 1960s and 1970s, or guards in basketball in the 1980s. Many whites refused to take orders from the black players. Another reason for positional segregation was the discrimination in training opportunities. In the transition from college to pro, many black players went from central positions to non-central positions as described by Madison and Landers (Kahn, 1991). Positional segregation also occurred in hockey with the French-Canadians at defense in the 1970s and 1980s (Kahn, 1991). …show more content…

In research found by Kahn (1991) revealed Jones and Walsh’s reasoning for stating, that French-Canadians had a salary gap as soon as they played for someone outside of Quebec. Many French-Canadians at the time didn’t have many fans to boost sales. In the NFL whites received a 4% greater salary than those of blacks (Kern, 2000, pg. 124-125). The sport that saw the most salary discrimination was basketball during the 1980s and 1990s (Kern, 2000, pg. 122-123). As Kahn (1991) states, “in a survey of the literature, found that the wage gap in basketball is between 11% and 25% against black players.” “The NBA...Earning” (1999) explains, “A white player of comparable ability to a black player receives an income in excess of the black income by an amount equal to the effect that their race has on the attendance decisions of fans.” Blacks were paid between $13,000-$16,000 less than those of whites (Kern, 2000, pg.121-125). At the end of a black player's career they will earn $329,000 less than those of white basketball players (“The NBA...Earning”, 1999). Over the years baseball and football haven’t seen much salary discrimination (Kahn, 1991; Kern, 2000, pg. 122). In basketball Hamilton; Bodvarsson and Brastow, have seen salary discrimination decreasing significantly (Price 2010). As of recent years blacks are the highest-paid athletes in the U.S. (Kahn, 1991, pg.395).

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