Best of the Week, 4/8/18 – 4/15/2018


Since Sunday was Jackie Robinson Day, I did not identify a “Best of the Week” for last week – but better late than never! On Sunday, the Washington Nationals celebrated Jackie Robinson Day and Black Heritage Day. Throwing out the first pitch was another civil rights icon, Congressman John Lewis. The celebration was definitely the best of the week!

~ baseballrebecca

Advertisements

John Lewis Discusses Jackie Robinson


Yesterday, for Jackie Robinson Day, Congressman John Lewis threw out the first pitch at Nats Park. Prior to the game he was interviewed by MASN and asked to comment on Jackie Robinson’s contributions:

~ baseballrebecca

Stat-urday, 4/14/2018


img_1621
Jackie Robinson Statue at Dodger Stadium

The Jackie Robinson Foundation “perpetuates the memory of American hero Jackie Robinson by addressing the achievement gap in higher education” and provides “college and graduate school scholarships as well as leadership development opportunities for highly motivated students of color with limited financial resources.”

What are their stats?

  • Founded in 1973, the Foundation is now 45 years old.
  • Over the years, there have been 1,500 JRF Scholars, 98% of whom have graduated from college.
  • The Foundation has awarded $75 million in grants.
  • The scholars have attend 260 different colleges and universities.
  • 39% attend public colleges and universities, 37% attend private schools, 15% attend Ivy League Schools, and 9% attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Below is more information from the Foundation.

~ baseballrebecca

Best of the Week: 4/1/2018 – 4/7/2018


Being baseball season, a lot of great things happened this past week, including Minor League Baseball Opening Day. Perhaps the most interesting was the Orioles and Yankees’ 14-inning game Friday night. MLB’s Cut 4 described it the best:

~ baseballrebecca

Stat-urday, 4/7/2018


FSU's_baseball_team_celebrates_their_victory-_Tallahassee,_Florida_(7115463979)
Florida State University baseball teams celebrates in 1991, photo courtesy of the State Library and Archives of Florida via Flickr

A few weeks ago looked at the high schools and colleges attended by professional baseball players. But what are the odds of moving from high school to college to MLB? Fortunately, the NCAA provides those stats for us. Of the approximately 490,000 high school baseball players in the United States, about 7.1% end up playing in college, 2.1% go to Division I schools.

Of the 34,544 college baseball players in 2016, 7,679 were draft eligible, 1,206 were draft picks, and 695 were drafted by MLB. Thus, 9.1% of college baseball players ultimately ended up in professional baseball.

Stated another way, the odds of a high school baseball player making it to the Major Leagues is about 764 to 1.

~ baseballrebecca