The Black Baseball Mixtape

Black Baseball Mixtape

Black baseball insight through the lens of a hip-hop culture enthusiast.

  1. 20 Aug

    Former AL MVP Mo Vaughn is Answering the Call For More Black Baseball Coaches

    Mo Vaughn has never been a small man. He stands 6-1 and, in the height of his playing days, weighed around 225 lbs., mostly muscle. He hit towering home runs and was very light on his feet for a man of his stature. My guess is that if you saw the former 3X All-Star and 1995 AL MVP approaching you in a dark alley, you may walk the other way. But most who know Vaughn know the “hit dog” carries a jovial demeanor. Last weekend, at the Perfect Game All-American Classic, I saw Vaughn in his true element, at the ballpark. He flashed smiles and gave out daps and hugs like the true ambassador of the game he is. Vaughn was the Manager of the PG All-American East Team. The East team featured some of the very best high school players in the country (Class of ‘27), and, according to Perfect Game Rankings, the top two African American players in the game, Chase Fuller (#3) and Kinon Bastian (#4). I visited with Vaughn at Citizen Bank Park for the Black Baseball Mixtape Podcast. We discussed his involvement with Perfect Game and his passion for leading young baseball players. We also talked about why there are not more Black coaches in the the professional and college ranks. Vaughn is insightful and passionate. His work at the grassroots level of youth baseball gives him a perspective worth sharing, and I know you will enjoy hearing it. The Black Baseball Mixtape is in partnership with the Players Alliance, Minority Prospects, and Numbers Game Baseball Scorebooks. BlackBaseballMixtape@gmail.com

  2. 18 Aug

    Is Perfect Game Too Big to Fail? [PG's Kash Shaikh Visits the Mixtape]

    I’ve spoken to Kash Shaikh before. Kash’s mission-driven attitude is infectious, and his enthusiasm is contagious. You may remember him from his two previous appearances on the Black Baseball Mixtape podcast. In both episodes, Kash talked about his role as founder and CEO of Baseball United. This visit is different — Kash is different. For the first time in person, I spoke with Kash, now the Chief Marketing Officer for Perfect Game — the largest amateur baseball organization in the country. Kash’s mission is to grow PG both domestically and internationally. Perfect Game is one of those ubiquitous organizations involved in everything amateur baseball. I bet you the majority of all players in MLB have had some interaction with PG at some point in their career. But do you really know how involved Perfect Game is in setting the standard for a multi-billion-dollar youth baseball industry? Let me tell you, PG is heavily involved. But does that mean PG is responsible for the current travel ball structure? Is PG responsible for the cost of every travel organization? The actions of every travel coach? They can’t possibly be responsible for all of that, right? What I can share is that PG takes the hit for a lot of things, good and bad, within the travel ball ecosystem. The honest answer is more complex, so I’ll let Kash explain. PG is indeed the leader within amateur baseball. PG’s decisions affect the entire travel ball landscape. They wear that mantle with pride, but it’s also true that some things are beyond PG’s control. Last weekend, I set out to better understand Perfect Game. This is just the start of my journey. I thank Perfect Game and my friend Kash for sitting down with the Black Baseball Mixtape and sharing this conversation with our community.

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Black baseball insight through the lens of a hip-hop culture enthusiast.

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