I've read that the people of Mexico do not celebrate Cinco de Mayo, at least
not to the extent it is celebrated here in the United States. I never
understood why the anniversary of France's defeat at the hands of a much
smaller and less trained Mexican army in 1862 would be a big deal for us, but
to each their own. While I'm well past my partying/drinking days, I can at
least use the day to appreciate the colorful culture of our southern
neighbors. Plus, Mexican food is delicious!
Here's an interesting piece of trivia. Do you know the name of the first
Mexican-born player to appear in a Major League game?
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1991 Conlon Collection TSN #234 Mel Almada |
Baldomero "Mel" Almada was born in the town of Huatabampo, Mexico. His family
moved to the United States when he was a child, where he grew up playing
baseball in Los Angeles. He eventually signed with the Boston Red Sox and
played his fist Major League game on September 8th, 1933. That year he also
had the distinction of collecting three hits off
Babe Ruth in the last game he ever pitched. In all, his career lasted 7 years, with stints in Boston, Washington, St.
Louis, and Brooklyn.
If you'd like to read a brief but interesting piece on the history of baseball
and Mexico, there is an excellent one courtesy of the Baseball Hall of Fame:
"Mexican Baseball A Source Of Pride South Of The Border"
I'm all in on some Tex-Mex
ReplyDeleteThe name doesn't ring a bell. Nice to see someone with a place in history like that get some recognition.
ReplyDeleteAnother great piece of baseball history. As a teacher, I probably should know a little more about the history of Cinco de Mayo... so thanks for that tidbit as well. Being born and raised in California... I've had the privilege and honor of being surrounded by amazing Mexican restaurants. I absolutely love their cuisine. Just had tamales that were made from a former student's mom last night for dinner.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a thing that I actually already knew!
ReplyDelete