No Black hockey players?

Question

Why not? What is it that they don't like?

Answer 1

There ARE black hockey players. Jarome Iginla, Ray Emery, Donald Brashear, Georges Laraque, Anson Carter, Mike Grier, Kevin Weekes... and a pretty sizeable handful of lesser players.

That is beside the point, however, because there certainly are less of them than in other sports. The reasons are numerous for why.

1. Hockey as a professional sport originated in areas that do not have heavy black populations. Interest in a sport often begins with tradition, and the tradition of hockey is just not developing black role models for youngsters to emulate. The number of black players will likely grow in the future now that players like Tony Mckegney and Grant Fuhr inspired players like Jarome Iginla and Anson Carter to play, and those players will inspire others in the future.

2. Many black athletes in sports where they are more prominent come from backgrounds that were not hockey-friendly. Hockey is an expensive sport to play. Inner-city kids, generally speaking, cannot afford to play hockey. Most hockey players come from more middle-class backgrounds. This, of course, does not exclude black athletes from hockey. But a sizeable group of black kids are more likely to play basketball, where all you need is one ball and a parking lot with a hoop for a dozen kids to play. What city doesn't have that in abundance?

3. Most NHL players come from Europe and Canada. Both of those areas have smaller populations of black people than the United States, where hockey simply is not as popular.

4. Due to the reasons above, there are many, many more black role models in football, baseball, and basketball for young black kids to admire. As a result, those sports have become bigger parts of their cultural identity. In addition to this, the rap culture has become a big part of basketball and football in particular, which attracts even more African-Americans to the sport. It will take a lot of time, if it is even possible, before hockey can squeeze its way into the culture. There is not a lot of room for it.

Answer 2

There are roughly 17 players of African decent playing in the NHL right now. The most prominent of them is Anson Carter of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Mike Grier of the LA Kings. Of course that is only 17 out of over 650 current players in the league.

There are various reasons why one doesn't see a whole lot of black players playing hockey besides any racism angle. It could be personal preference in the AA community where most black youths would rather be like Micheal Jordan than Wayne Gretzky. It could also be socioeconomic where the average black youth just simply can't afford expensive hockey equipment and ice time to develop any real hockey skills. It could also be geographic where in places where hockey is popular in colder regions of the US and in Canada there isn't a large black population to be had.

Answer 3

Haven't you ever heard of Donald Brashear, Anson Carter, Nigel Dawes, Mike Grier, Jarome Iginla, Georges Laraque, Jamal Mayers, Anthony Stewart, Trevor Daley, Bryce Salvador, Shawn Belle, Ray Emery, Kevin Weekes, Peter Worrell, Fred Brathwaite, and Grant Fuhr?

And that is just some of them, there is a complete list at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_black_NHL_players

Answer 4

It's a question of money. Hockey is by far one of the most expensive sports out there. Unfortunately, african americans have less buying power than other nationalities, so they'll play cheaper sports, llike basketball and football. I

Answer 5

There ARE Black Hockey players. They are just fewer in number because they have an easier time with other sports, like American Football. With all the Europeans and Canadians in hockey it is hard to get good enough to make it in unless you start as a kid.

Answer 6

The majority of NHL players come from northern 'winter' countries. There isn't that many african americans in Latvia, Finland, Sweden and Russia.

However, there are lots of african americans and canadians playing, or close to playing, in the NHL including, but not limited to, Anson Carter, Mike Grier, Jarome Iginla, Anthony Stewart, Ray Emery, Fred Brathwaite, Donald Brashear, Peter Worrell, George Laroque, and Kevin Weekes.

Answer 7

black hockey players

Answer 8

I'll name some Black Oilers. THEO "reck 'em" PECKHAM!! - Oilers Georges Laraque – former Oiler Mike Grier – former Oiler Not still playing but Anson Carter, and of course Grant Fuhr were two pretty gifted black players in their time with the Oilers.

Answer 9

There are African-Anerican professional hockey players. There is Pete Worrell, Donald Brashear, Mike Grier, Anson Carter and probably more.

Answer 10

13 that I know of.
Brashear, Carter, Dawes, Iginla, Laraque, Stewart, Mayers, Belle, Emery, Weekes, Salvador, Daley and Grier. Iginla is the first one to wear the Captain's C on his jersey. Had this question just the other day. Well actually about 1 every other day.