American-Latino Immigrants Proudly Assisting the Community

from Philly.com:

By Matt Katz
Inquirer Staff Writer

One player even brought back a jersey stained from a bloody nose he suffered from an errant throw to first base.

But those most affected by the game between the kids from Camden's Cramer Hill neighborhood and a team from Puerto Rico were the Camden parents, all of whom are Latino. For them, the symbolism far outweighed the novelty.

"You can see that this is an American dream," said Abner Garcia, a Nicaraguan immigrant whose two sons were among the 4- to 7-year-olds.

"It's more than a T-ball game. It's about being accepted now," Garcia said. "The highest office in the land is willing to open the doors for us to spend time with the first lady and the president, to feel important for a little while."

Dolly Oquendo, the Puerto Rican-born mother of player Jeremy Rivera, 6, said several times that she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She tried hard not to cry all over her Cramer Hill T-shirt.

"Being right next to the president, I'm so proud of my son being a Latino," Oquendo said. "You very rarely see a Latino group sit right next to the president. . . . I'm very proud I'm representing the Hispanic community."

This was the 19th game to be played on South Lawn of the White House in a tradition started by President Bush in 2001. But it was the first with a Latino flavor, thanks to the pairing of the Angels from Manati, Puerto Rico, and the group from Cramer Hill, a largely Latino neighborhood.

The day was themed "Béisbol: The Latin Spirit." U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutiérrez, a Cuban native, coached third base and Roberto Clemente Jr., son of the Puerto Rican baseball great, was the game's honorary commissioner. The elder Clemente's No. 21 was retired during the proceedings.

Joined by his wife, an ebullient, shirt-sleeved President Bush dropped some Spanish on the field and in the third row of the bleachers, where he joked with the Cramer Hill Red Sox parents and talked across the aisle - literally and figuratively - with U.S. Rep. Robert E. Andrews (D., Camden).

When the game announcer called out a Red Sox player's name and favorite team, the New York Mets, the Camden contingent booed passionately. And the president loved it, doubling over in laughter.

Andrews, who is leaving office this year, shared a few quiet words with the president, then talked exclusively about baseball.

"Go Camden!" Andrews cheered.

The congressman said he was aware of the struggles of the Cramer Hill Little League, which for years has lobbied City Council for improved playing fields and a clubhouse with equipment storage, bathrooms and an adjoining concession stand. The current fields lack water fountains and permanent bathrooms, and are prone to flooding.

"Hopefully this [game] will give them a little bit of a boost," Andrews said.

Due to economic need, the league waives the registration fee for 40 percent of its players. More than 400 boys and girls, ages 4 to 17, played this year, but about 60 were turned away because of lack of playing space and coaches.

"The fields are so underfunded, we really do need support," Garcia said. "We need to feel like we count."

Pete Perez, president of the Cramer Hill league, said the program is constantly in peril.

"We're still getting kids we want to keep off the streets," he said. "If those resources don't come to us, the league could fall apart."

The publicity surrounding the team's White House invitation has resulted in donations pouring in. They covered the cost of two buses from Camden to Washington.

The players and their families boarded the buses just before 8:30 a.m. at the Susquehanna Bank Center on the waterfront. Big sisters and mothers tucked the players' brand-new red South Lawn Sluggers jerseys into the children's gray pants, a coach led the team in a prayer and, with some cheers, they were off.

"I'm going to hit the ball high," declared Abner Garcia II, 6. "We're number one, baby!"

The one female team member, Alexis Santos, 4, flaunts her gender. She uses a pink glove, wears jewelry to games and refused to wear her cap in a team picture "so they know she's a girl," said Jenise Santos, her mother.

During a private tour of the White House before the game, Alexis asked the tour guide, "Can I see the president? Is he in his room?"

They would see him soon enough. Bush led the crowd in the Little League pledge before the game and shook each child's hand afterward.

There was no winner: Official scores are not kept in T-ball. There was only one inning - the game ended after each batter was given an opportunity at the plate. All the Cramer Hill players made contact with the ball off the tee.

Still, there were low points. The Puerto Rican squad pulled off a sensational 4-2 double play practically unheard of in T-ball. And Cramer Hill's star first baseman, Andy Fortuna got hit in the face with a throw.

He returned later to shake the president's hand, despite the blood on his uniform.

After the game, the kids munched on burritos and hot dogs, and a handful of players did TV interviews.

Jose Delgado, a Camden school board member and Little League coach, said the joy of watching the children transcended all the political issues that concern the Latino community.

"The Hispanic parents weren't thinking about heavy-duty immigration issues," he said. "It's just an outing at their home, on their lawn."