Discrimination in Major League Baseball: Hiring Standards for Major League Managers, 1975-1994

This article examines the prior experiences of individuals who were major league managers between 1975 and 1994 to determine whether the standards used by the teams were job related and the extent to which these standards were applied equally to all who became managers. Previous research on discrimination in baseball has focused on positional segregation, entry barriers for players, and salary differentials using economic theory as the explanatory model. The focus of this article is on the hiring actions of the teams rather than on the behaviors of individuals seeking managerial positions. An examination of the prior experience of the managers as major league players, minor league managers, and major league coaches reveals that Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites had to possess different attributes to be hired as major league managers.