▁Major ▁League . ▁However , ▁their ▁representation ▁has ▁been ▁stead ily ▁decl ining ▁as ▁the ▁African ▁American , ▁Asian , ▁and ▁Lat ino ▁representation ▁has ▁been ▁stead ily ▁on ▁the ▁rise . ▁The ▁Society ▁for ▁American ▁Baseball ▁research ▁shows ▁that ▁white ▁representation ▁was ▁at ▁ 9 8 . 3 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁Since ▁then , ▁representation ▁has ▁decre ased ▁to ▁ 6 3 . 7 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁journal ▁titled ▁Using ▁G idd ens ' s ▁Struct uration ▁Theory ▁to ▁Ex am ine ▁the ▁W an ing ▁Part icip ation ▁of ▁African ▁Americans ▁in ▁Baseball , ▁it ▁says ▁“ N umer ous ▁studies ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁African - American ▁youth s ▁are ▁more ▁likely ▁than ▁Wh ites ▁to ▁be ▁encourag ed ▁and ▁even ▁directed ▁to ▁play ▁basketball ▁over ▁other ▁sports ." ▁ ▁National ▁Basketball ▁Association ▁▁ ▁Although ▁Japanese - American ▁Wat aru ▁Mis aka ▁broke ▁the ▁National ▁Basketball ▁Association ' s ▁color ▁bar rier ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 – 4 8 ▁season ▁when ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Kn icks , ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁is ▁recognized ▁as ▁the ▁year ▁the ▁NBA ▁integrated . ▁That ▁year ▁African - American ▁players ▁joined ▁several ▁teams ; ▁they ▁included ▁Ch uck ▁Cooper ▁with ▁the ▁Boston ▁C elt ics , ▁Nat ▁" S weet water " ▁Cl if ton ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Kn icks , ▁and ▁Earl ▁Lloyd ▁with ▁the ▁Washington ▁Bul lets . ▁ ▁In ▁another ▁example