Pirates first baseman Josh Bell discussed being a black player in baseball, Colin Kaepernick and trying to use his platform to inspire change during a roundtable discussion hosted by Major League Baseball Tuesday.
The panel, "Being Black in Baseball and America," was hosted by MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds. Bell was joined by Diamondbacks pitcher Jon Duplantier, Marlins pitcher Sterling Sharp and Sharon Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s daughter and an educational consultant for MLB.
As the conversation shifted towards players feeling the need to keep their opinions to themselves in order to not rock the boat, Bell praised Kaepernick for speaking out for what he believed.
“I don’t think he could have done a better job of trying to voice what he was standing up against, and I don’t think he had any opportunity to in the minds of the masses,” Bell said. “There was a narrative slated against him … In the weeks following him first taking a knee, I think a lot of players in all leagues were thinking, ‘Is this our time to take a stand and try to voice some of the injustices in the world?’ And the response from the masses told us, 'no. No one’s ready to hear this right now.' This man hasn’t gotten an opportunity to play in three or four years. He got kicked out of the league that offseason, really. He was booed all across America.
“It was tough looking in the mirror like, ‘Man, I know I should probably say something about this, but I’m trying to make a life for myself.’”
Bell added that he feels the narrative has started to change since Kaepernick's protest, with the public being more willing to hear athletes voicing their opinions on racial matters.
"More and more, people are accepting of actually listening instead of just taking initial opinions response and trying to shun people for using their freedom of speech," Bell said.
Bell has tried to use his social media platform to keep the discussion going in recent weeks, reaching out to other players of color to find different ways to impact their communities. Using the hashtag "Social Reform Sunday," players will promote positive change that fights injustice.
players across the league are coming together to promote social reform. #SocialReformSunday is an opportunity for us to use our platforms to promote positive change. Join us in our mission to fight injustice and make this country a better place for all. pic.twitter.com/79mAZg4gj3
— Chris Archer (@ChrisArcher22) June 7, 2020
"I'm really excited to look up this time a year from now and see the changes that we've created in our own communities, but also nationwide," Bell said.
Throughout the roundtable, Bell stressed the importance of keeping the conversation going and to make sure people listen and stay informed.
"The key is education," Bell said. "I think the key is continuing to understand the system that we live in, because without that understanding, we are not going to be able to enact any sort of change."
The full roundtable can by found on MLB's Youtube channel:
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