[Petronski]

I think you've hit upon the kernel of truth here.

[Defiant]

I think it's part of the reason, not all of it certainly. Youth leagues in the inner city require volunteers and fields and money. The rise of other sports decreases the number of kids who want to play baseball. The view of baseball as a game that is more "white" than basketball or football may play into its popularity among black youth. But baseball is a game that if viewed from a distance may seem boring and slow. To appreciate it, it helps to come from a family where people watch games, talk about strategy and trades and such, and go to the stadium once in a while. Take that away, and you're going to have fewer kids finding baseball on their own.