SV Sports talks with baseball player Alex Kelsey about Jackie Robinson for Black History Month

Paul Roberts of SV Sports spoke with Exeter junior Alex Kelsey during Black History Month. Although Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier back in 1947, Kelsey is well aware of his significance. "Very impactful, especially to me because it taught me to be humble, and don't let anybody get in your head," said Kelsey. In 1981, 19% of Major League Baseball players were African American. That number dropped to 7% last year. Kelsey thinks MLB should do more to encourage parents to let their kids play baseball at a young age. He started playing when he was four years old. His favorite part of the game was running the bases. The 6', 175-pound lefty swiped 21 bags in 26 games a season ago. Kelsey was selected for the Big 26 Baseball Classic last summer. Top players from Pennsylvania and Maryland square off in Harrisburg. "It felt amazing. It was a great experience. It got me college exposure that was needed. A lot of coaches started to hit me up," replied Kelsey. As a sophomore, he hit .385 with a .982 OPS and a .495 on-base percentage. The speedster led the Eagles with 30 runs scored and was second on the club with 30 hits, including three triples. Kelsey's best time in the 60-yard dash is 6.7 seconds. Exeter finished (18-8) last year and reached the state playoffs for the first time since 2008. They will need to replace eleven seniors. Kelsey doesn't have much free time. In addition to playing basketball, he works at Redner's Markets and mows lawns in the summer. The OF/P carries a 3.8 GPA. "It's really important. If you want to get into a good school, you gotta get your grades up," noted Kelsey. His favorite MLB player is Mike Trout, but his favorite team is the Phillies. Kelsey is hopeful that Exeter will make another postseason run in 2023.