El Bronx, NY: 22 year-old, Aroldis Chapman is not a known name in the baseball minor league circuit, however, was known to baseball fans who followed Cuban baseball. This was the young stud that was being clocked at near 100 miles per hour for the Cuban National Team and in a few international games. In 327 2/3 innings in Cuba, Chapman had 203 walks and 365 strikeouts.
Now this young fireball lefty is in the states after signing a 6 year $30.25 million dollar contract for the Cincinnatti Reds.
We are sure that many of you have heard about NY Mets star, Carlos Beltran being questioned by the FBI about steriods. It was not about Carlos using any controlled sbstance, more about a doctor linked to doping allegations.
In case you missed reading about this issue, the following article in Hispanic Business will give you and overview.
Zoe Saldaña would love to play more Volleyball (Photo ESPN.com)
We wanted to share this article on Zoe Saladaña, una Nuyorkina actress who is being recognized a lot more these days because of her leading role in the blockbuster movie, Avatar. We are a sports site, as such we thought we should share this article with you, our readers so perhaps you can share it with nuestras señoras y señoritas. Perhaps some young Latinas need to know that: Sports is more than a game......
We are proud of the fact that Zoe is a true "Antillana" with a Puerto Rican mother and a Dominican father raised in Nueva York.
A Plague honoring Fleetwood Walker in Toledo, Ohio
History books might not teach this and a Major League baseball might not recognize this, but many believe that although Jackie Robinson is honored as the first black major league player in the modern era, an Ohio athlete and civil rights advocate preceded him by 60 plus years.
From boxer Jack Johnson to Tiger Woods, a sex scandal is never so juicy as when men of color are at the center of it. Photo: Edge of Spots
Today's Tiger Woods press conference was an exercise in painful self-abasement that will achieve the opposite of its intended effect. I haven't seen anything this painfully scripted since the Phantom Menace. The same George W. Bush media advisers who gave us Mission Accomplished were hired by Tiger to present the world with Emission Regretted.
There are right now two kinds of people on earth: those who would die happy if they never hear the name of Tiger Woods again and those who want their pound of flesh. The people sick of the Tiger Woods drama could care less about his marriage, his personal life, and today’s awkward, script reading. Those who want their pound of flesh, are itching for Tiger to do the stations of the tabloid-cross: Oprah, tears, and "humility." "He owes us an apology," they say. What they don’t say is that an uncomfortable part of this is as American as apple pie: a prurient obsession with black male sexuality – particularly those African American men involved with sports. From boxer Jack Johnson to Tiger Woods, a sex scandal is never so juicy as when men of color are at the center of it.
Tiger is no Bill Clinton and he tried today, but the day’s carefully scripted message served to satisfy neither those sick of this story nor people who like their reality television in-the-raw. Tiger spoke repeatedly and vaguely about "never repeating the mistakes I made" and "running through the boundaries of acceptable behavior." I’m sure he believes he humbled himself, but the chum is now officially in the water. This particular chum stinks to the haters and just makes the fanatics hungrier.
But both sides don't get the central dynamic of today's Seinfeld-like press conference (it was about nothing). This is about brand rehabilitation for the first billion dollar athlete. This was about game-planning to get Tiger back on the course for the Masters in April. Apologies were forthcoming for Tiger's business partners, as well as the people who "work for me” at Tiger Woods, inc.
Now he returns to the "sexual addiction clinic in Mississippi" (to help those wealthy men who get caught with their pants down. Men who aren't caught need not apply).
The sad truth is that you could feel that Tiger Woods the man clearly wanted to get up and say, “I publicly apologize to my wife and family who I have publicly humiliated. To everyone else, it’s none of your damn business. Affairs happen. Welcome to the grown-up table.” That might have felt right to the Tiger the man, but today we saw what you do when you’re a brand before a man.
[Dave Zirin is the author of the forthcoming “Bad Sports: How Owners are Ruining the Games we Love” (Scribner) Receive his column every week by emailing
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Bernie Williams tried to be quiet and in a coner, but the ex-Yankee star can't hide behind his niece, Karma. (Photo LSV)
El Barrio, NY: Bernie Williams was “chillin” Friday evening in El Barrio, NYC as he was part of a musical group that was accompanying his niece, Karma’s performance at the popular watering hole in El Barrio known as CAMARADA’S.
Bernie Looked as cool as he did playing center field for the New York Yankees. Bernie might have been outside the stadium, but the crowd reminded him of his glory days as the Yankees Centerfielder and key player when they started chanting: Ber-nie and clapping as was customary before the start of every Yankee home game. Bernie responded as he did for many years at the stadium by tipping his cap to the crowd, to which they all responded with a loud roar.
Bernie Wiliams playing guitar in the left side of stage and his brother, playing cello. (Photo LSV)
However, if Bernie was the attraction, his niece, Karma received most of the evening’s accolades as she surprised many in the crowd who heard her for the first time with her sharp, political lyrics that were the essence of her poetry. The young karma wrote all her own lyrics and she seems to be headed for another form of stardom if she continues writing and performing.
Another Williams, Bernie’s brother was on stage playing the cello. In reality it seemed like this performance was a family affair.
(Bronx, NY) – Hall of Famer, Orlando Cepeda, will help dedicate Lou Gehrig Plaza, Sunday, September 27. The ceremony will include the unveiling of five museum exhibits of baseball memorabilia from Cuba, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico. The day will also feature The Bond Street Theatre Stilt Band and movie clips from “21”, a documentary about Roberto Clemente; “Road to the Big Leagues”; and SUGAR, which was partially filmed in the neighborhood around Lou Gehrig Plaza.
The Festival is being organized by the 161 Street Business Improvement District in conjunction with Community Planning Board # 4 and the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum.
The BID is helping to dedicate the plaza as part of its launch. “We want to celebrate our launch with Yankee fans, neighbors and everyone who works,shops and visits the stadium district,” said, BID Executive Director, Dr. Cary Goodman. “The Festival is our coming out party!”.
Invited guests include: Hon. Jose Serrano; Hon. Kirsten Gillibrand; and NYC Small Business Services Commissioner, Robert Walsh.
For Festival details contact: Dr. Cary Goodman at the 161 BID, (718) 590-5433.
Yankees Hairston, Mitre wih his child and Alex Rogriguez in an ol' fashiion stickball game (LS/ Aris Sakellaridis)
On a wet Friday in August, there is nothing abnormal about seeing kids play stickball in the streets oh the Bronx. Add some Yankee players to the game and you now have the makings of a dream.
Yankees Alex Rodriguez, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Sergio Mitre decided to get some extra swings before making their way into the Cathedral they work in. They joined youngsters from the United League in a good old fashioned stickball game in a lot outside the old stadium where the Yankee Mural wall is. The kids lined up to take turns of pitching to both A Rod and Hairston. Mitre played the role of cheerleader, as he was left with babysitting duties for his son Sam. It was more than hit and run for these three Yankees players. They took time to sign autographs and pose for photos with all the kids and passersby who were stunned to see the trio playing stickball on this drizzly day.
It was a clutch moment in the Bronx all over again (LS/ Aris Sakellaridis)
The last Yankee player to be seen swinging a stick in the streets was folk hero Joe Pepitone, back in the 1960’s. NY Giants Willie Mays was also a regular swinger back in the 50’s.
After the game the players treated all the kids to lunch at Billy’s Café. Rodriguez spoke to the kids and challenged each of them to read a book a month. He stressed how education is huger than hitting a homerun. Yankees Advisor Ray Negron was hailed by Rodriguez for giving back to the children. Negron organized the event and helped to hand out gift certificates for Modell’s Sporting Goods which were donated by Mitch Modell. Certificates of appreciation were freshly signed and put together by Bronx Chamber of Commerce Lenny Caro.
A stickball game in the backdrop of a wall mural with Yankee Legends (LS/ Aris Sakellaridis)
The players then made their way to work, which was across the street, as they mingled with the well behaved crowd which showed nothing but love to Rodriguez, Hairston, and Mitre. For the few lucky players of United League who had a chance to pitch to Rodriguez and Hairston, the memory will last a lifetime. The Yankees came through providing HOPE to everyone they came in contact with.
Hairston shows his versatility once more (LS/Aris Sakellaridis)
