It occurred to the cub there might be an ideal height for baseball players, big enough for power but not big enough to present a huge strike zone. He surmised that Japanese baseball teams were second-rate not for lack of zeal or athleticism. They simply did not measure up. A big-league sport is about winning. On the athletic battlefield meritocracy is king.
Athletes fill slots in rank order of ability.
There is no room for affirmative action. Winning demands meritocratic selection. Politics on the playing field and winning do not mix. Motivation is provided by breathtaking financial rewards that await those who make the big time. Not many with the potential to make the NFL or NBA could afford to abandon the pursuit of such a career while any hope remained.