There were a lot of black players starting in the mid 50's. It was actually easier to play football then baseball for them. The bigger athletes then as now went to football. The overall quality of the opponents Jim Brown faced was higher due to a much smaller number of teams. Especially his first few years before the AFL came to be; and they did not get the real good athletes for a couple of years after that. Jim Brown faced more of the best football players of his time concentrated in fewer teams then LT is facing now. There are 3 times as many teams; many more players playing; and there are many other sports now that those players can go to. In the late 50;s there was really only the big 4; football, baseball, hockey and basketball. And really it was baseball then football as regards importance; for black athletes it was football first. There really is not much competition between football and baseball for athletes when you are looking at the bigger players.