Michaels has a family wedding which will force him to miss receiving the hardware in person.

Scully, a proud product of Fordham and WFUV where he honed his broadcast skills before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, was the inaugural recipient (2008) of the honor that bears his name. Previous recipients also include: Dick Enberg (2009), Ernie Harwell (2010), and Pat Summerall (2011).

Michaels on Scully: “There’s nothing better than receiving an honor with Vin Scully’s name attached to it.  I’ve been listening to Vin since I was six or seven years old growing up in Brooklyn and he’s been a tremendous inspiration.”

Scully on Michaels: “Al Michaels is truly a master at his craft, and the consummate professional. He has brought excellence to the airwaves in all of his assignments – from the Super Bowl to the World Series, and everything in between.”

Mike Beer, Daily Racing Form: Union Rags, Daddy Nose Best, El Padrino
John Cirillo, Cirillo World (event organizer): I’ll Have Another, Bodemeister, Dullihan, Alpha
John DaSilva, NY Post: Daddy Nose Best, Union Rags, Dullihan
Dan Illman, Daily Racing Form: Daddy Long Legs, Bodemeister, Dullihan
Dave Johnson, Sirius Radio: Bodemeister, Gemologist, Union Rags
Marc Malusis, WFAN Radio/SNY TV: Union Rags, Alpha, Bodemeister
Gene Menez, Sports Illustrated: Dullihan, Union Rags, Bodemeister
Anthony Stabile, vegasinsider.com: Alpha, Gemologist, Bodemeister

In addition, Gallagher’s Steak House and Gallagher’s Stud (Ghent, N.Y.) owner Marlene Brody, who was in attendance, picked Alpha to win.

Bill Lynch, who has attended all 12 Derby Seminars and more than 40 racing events at Gallagher’s, was on hand again, wearing of course his Derby hat.

The Daily Racing Form co-sponsors the seminars.

The Preakness Seminar is set for Tuesday, May 15, at noon. For reservations call 212-245-5336.

Gallagher’s is celebrating its 85th birthday throughout 2012.

For months, the winner, Robert Griffin III, and the runner-up, Andrew Luck, of the 2011 Heisman Trophy have been the favorites to be selected first in the 2012 NFL Draft, the annual attempt of each NFL team to improve its position in the league by adding new blood from the  college ranks.

The only difference between the NFL selection process and that of the college election announced in December is that Luck was the first pick and RG3 was the second selection. The two are the first quarterbacks to be selected first and second in the annual draft since 1999 when Tim Couch and Donovan McNabb were #’s 1 and 2.

Both proved to be true scholar/athletes while in college. Luck, the runner-up in the Heisman voting in 2010 and 2011, attended the academically prestigious Stanford University, where he majored in architectural design. He was not only the starting quarterback at Stratford High School in Houston, but was the valedictorian at the school’s graduation ceremony.

The Indianapolis Colts chose Luck, waiting only 1:19 to announcing the selection. They are hopeful the talented and experienced college quarterback can easily make the adjustment to the pro game and replace their long-time superstar Payton Manning.

The intelligent, young man deflected the comparison between him and Manning with humility, “Payton Manning, he may be the greatest ever and he was my football idol growing up. You don’t easily replace a guy like that. How can you? Those shoes to fill are huge. I’m not going to go crazy trying to do everything. I’m going to put my best foot forward and work hard at this game.”

The Washington Redskins traded to move up from sixth to second in order to grab RG3. The Baylor quarterback was a sensation on campus as well as the gridiron because of his outgoing personality and academic achievement.

Griffin was born in Japan to parents who served in the military, thus he was reared with discipline and encouraged to practice inner discipline. He had special need for that trait when he suffered a torn ACJ in his right knee in the third game of the 2009 season. The accomplished athlete explained that the time he spent away from the sport of football, “Made me appreciate the game.”

Like Luck, Griffin was devoted to his studies. The political science major graduated from college in three years. He was a regular on the honor roll each semester. After winning the Heisman in December, he spoke of his future, “Plan A is academics; plan B is athletics, but sometimes B takes over. I plan to apply to law school. If the NFL comes knocking, I’ll be sure to answer.” Griffin gave a positive answer on Thursday night at Radio City Music Hall.

From this moment on, the duo will be under intense scrutiny. Both young men have the intelligence, athletic ability and self-discipline to succeed on the gridiron and elsewhere.

On Saturday, fans of all ages will get a chance to watch and learn from some of the masters of the pitch, as the ESPN TriBeca Film Festival will debut the film “Knuckleball,” for free in an outdoor setting in lower Manhattan.

Created by documentarians Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg with the assistance of MLB productions, the film follows the history of the knuckleball, centered around the stories of veteran Tim Wakefield of those who have used the pitch for success, from Phil Neikro and Wilbur Wood to Charlie Hough and Jim Bouton, and really tells the story of these men and how they fif whatever they could to keep their dreams going, a story which is very relevant in today’s challenging times.

As an added treat, prior to the 8:15 free screening, Dickey, Hough, Wakefield and Jim Bouton will also hold a free clinic on throwing the Knuckleball, with ESPN 1050 personality Ryan Ruocco serving as host.

Here’s a First Look At The Film.

All are invited to attend and enjoy this night of baseball outdoors — the site is Tribeca Drive-In® at the World Financial Center Plaza West Street between Vesey & Liberty Streets. The clinic starts at around six, the screening at 8:15 and there is room for thousands!

w/ General Manager Buddy Nix and Head Coach Chan Gailey

Thursday, March 15, 2012

General Manager Buddy Nix Opening Remarks:

I want you guys to remember now good things come to the people that wait so you guys have been waiting and we have a good thing here. I just want to tell you it is an exciting day for us and our football team. We got a lot better. For our organization it has been a long day or a long two days but it’s worth the wait. I want to make sure that I thank all of these people that have worked hard to get to this point. First of all of course is Mr. Wilson. A lot of times he takes some heat for not spending the money, not wanting to win and all those things. I have told you guys many times that he has never said don’t do it that’s too much money. He has always said do whatever it takes and if we have the resources we will do it. I think he has proved that and also has in the past. It has been kind of a long process. Russ Brandon knows everyone in this area and has made Mario and (his fiancé) Erin feel at home and has taken care of the things that has to be done when moving your family. Jim Overdorf I can’t tell you how much time he spent with Mario’s agents.  Jim late at night and every day working on this thing and trying to make sure we got it done. Coach Gailey let the coaches do a lot of work. Dave Wannstedt and Giff Smith, his position coach, those guys have spent a lot of time with him and have done a lot of things to help us with it. Kyle Williams and our players again I have said this in the past, if you really want to know the truth about the coaches and the front office then ask the players that are there. We are all in a recruiting mode and we say the things they want to hear but players tell them like it is. Kyle and of course ex-players like Jim Kelly that have done a lot with us to help this come about has really been a good long process but one that has been fun. The next and last group I want to thank is our fans. You drive up Abbott Road and you see all the signs that made Mario feel like he is wanted in Buffalo. Once we got him here and got him to visit with not the people that heard about Buffalo but the people that live here then you find out what a unique place this is. He is going to help it even get better.

Mario Williams Opening Statement:

I am going to talk as clear as I can. I was in the back trying to sign the papers and I couldn’t even write my name but I will do the best I can. First, I would like to thank Mr. Wilson. Without him none of this would be possible. I am just so excited to come here and see the city. Like Buddy said it’s one of those things you hear so much about living here, but until you actually get here, see what is here, what is in front of you and see the fans and everything that this great city has to offer. As far as seeing my name in pizzas that was kind of crazy but it definitely got the message across. I think the biggest thing for me is coming here, being able to see the coaches, the D-line coach, the GM, the stadium and what is going on around here as far as taking the next step and producing. Just the endless possibilities and the great guys upstairs in the front office just sold me immediately. It’s one of those things that you don’t get many chances and opportunities like this to be the guy who can help the team get over the hump and that is definitely what I am here for. My whole intention is to come here and work with guys like Kyle (Williams) and Dareus and make this thing happen. I feel like this is a great opportunity for me, the team and for us to succeed and get better. This city is looking for that and looking for the Bills to be where we need to be at and for the fans of this great city. I am ecstatic. I am excited and can’t wait for the opportunity to get out there and make things happen. My biggest thing is I have dealt with more adversity than most. There is no pressure. I have played obviously against great quarterbacks. I look forward to playing against these quarterbacks and chasing them down a bit and making this happen. My biggest thing is I am just so excited. There are so many people to thank. It has been a long couple of days and I am tired. I really am but it is definitely worth it. From day one it has been nothing but love here and the camaraderie. The biggest thing for me is feeling comfortable, not only with my teammates but with the coaches and I can already see the bond here. I look forward to working with them, turning this thing around and making it happen.

Mario Williams question and answer:

On the last two days being in Buffalo:

Number one thing I heard is it’s almost like a college atmosphere in the simple fact of this is what people bleed, breathe and live, so I am really happy for the opportunity to be part of it. I had to duck and dodge a little bit because there were a lot of people out there and I did not want to get run over by anybody but that is great. That’s what you want and you want a fan base like that. This great city definitely offers that.

On why Buffalo:

I found in my six years of being in the league that you don’t get a lot of guys that are upfront with you. I think there is a lot of blowing smoke from certain outlets, I will put it that way, and I think the number one thing like I said is coming here and seeing them embrace me and definitely the comfort level of everybody that surrounded me when I got here. Even seeing Jim Kelly was definitely a big plus for me. He did some heavy recruiting and threw in a couple of hunting adventures and things like that. Definitely just seeing everything that was here. I think the biggest shock too was my old coach Bill Kollar used to tell me that my ears lie to me but my eyes don’t. I think that’s the biggest thing that happened. I heard so much stuff about this city and it’s not fair to the simple fact that there are great people here. Caring and compassionate people that definitely have your back and I see that already. I just feel completely welcome and look at me as a person and somebody that can come here and help out so that his where I want to be the person to help out.

On the promise of playing with Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus:

It was huge. I know those guys and having coach Kollar for three years I know about Kyle. That is all he ever talked about is how great Kyle is and if we had him and this and that and all that stuff coach says. But anyways I know what we have inside and the biggest thing for a defensive end is looking to when you get around that edge the quarterback not stepping up. I know that’s what we have here and to me that is one huge sell is those two guys pushing the pocket. Then hopefully I get the sacks, hopefully that’s how it turns out. But anyway I’m excited. I had a chance to talk to them and go over things with them like scheme and things to expect and their mentalities but most importantly living. Football is 50-percent of this but the next 50-percent is how I am going to feel comfortable outside of football and outside of the stadium. They really helped me out and everybody has been a great help and telling me the odds and ends of the city.

On the point in the process that Buffalo was the place he wanted to be:

I came into this with completely an open mind. When I first got here I didn’t want any distractions or anybody persuading me left or right. I was here until about 12:30am Wednesday morning with Kyle and pretty much talked to him. I picked his brain and even Giff just talking to him and basically just what’s what. I told him this is football. If you tell me we are lining up in a 4-3 defense and go get the quarterback  then we don’t need to go over x’s and o’s. It was so comfortable after that point from talking to the coaches and just seeing this area and the facility and know what upgrades that are coming in the near future, that was it. That was pretty much it before anybody said anything about any numbers or anything like that. She (Erin) came here pretty much just to come here I think. At that point I was ready. The only other thing left to do was like I said outside of football was knowing the city, a place to live and things like that.

On what affected his decision besides the money and team:

That there’s deer in your backyard.  So, you know as long as, I don’t know how it goes as far as hunting in your backyard but no, honestly, it’s definitely different I can say that we’ll deal with that later.  I think that’s my biggest thing, that’s all that matters to me.  You look at numbers and things like that but I was the first pick in 2006 and God bless for that to go down so all that’s fine and dandy.  I just wanted to be somewhere where I felt like we got guys who are completely honest from players, to the top and somewhere where I can fit in and feel comfortable and Jim (Kelly) definitely helped that as far as him letting me into his house and talking to his wife and everything was just great and I couldn’t say no, I mean from looking at apples to apples it’s a family atmosphere here.  I think the biggest thing is you go from a big city to a small city or a small city to big city and then for this example, for this being, it almost feels like a big Richlands, which is where I’m from in case you didn’t know that.  It feels like a big home atmosphere and I mean it was just like going back.  It was just like settling in and making it happen.

On his impression of the city and organization before this process and exploring other options:

Yeah obviously like I said with the hearing thing.  You hear so much about it’s cold, well it’s cold in a lot of places.  You hear so much about there’s really nothing to do, well it’s a family atmosphere here but everything is in reach.  If you want to go to Toronto, if you want to fly to New York or Boston its right there, you know, you just hop on a plane and it’s just like Houston to Austin, Houston to Dallas or whatever, its real quick.  Once you get here and they told me when I got here, it’s like you’re going to see why people live here and stay here and I think that was the biggest thing for me is just actually seeing that it’s not just what everybody says.  Every place has its own thing and I think that’s the biggest thing that sold me.  As far as when I came here I think the two days of being here I think it was kind of necessary to digest all that and see things so when I came in with a open mind I wasn’t just here and then I’ll see you later on to the next.  Like everybody knows there’s opportunities everywhere, that’s the point of this process and that’s the point of visiting teams and even I think the biggest thing with here is all I heard about here is hearsay.  I know about other locations already so that wasn’t even a deciding factor, I’ve been to other cities just because but I’ve never been here so I had to actually take my time, be open-minded, and make my decision for myself.

On if he was told there would be future additions:

I was pretty much told, which it is what it is, there’s 11 guys on the football field and regardless of who you are, regardless of what you’ve done, you’re not going to do it alone.  So, I mean I’m sure we’re obviously going to add more pieces to this puzzle and I was just reassured no matter what happens don’t think that you have to do all this.  I can’t throw and catch the football at the same time, I can’t sack the quarterback and catch an interception at the same time.  The biggest thing is we as a team, as brothers we have to be all on one accord and we have to all have the same mentality, the same desire, and the same get after that the man besides you has.  So, I think the biggest thing with me coming here, you know I’m not a vocal guy, I go out there and I play and my biggest thing is to have everybody put  everybody else on the same standard and level and continue to grow and continue to get better.

On why he visited Buffalo first:

I know everywhere else, like I’ve been some way, shape or form I’ve been everywhere else.  I played here I think it was three years ago and pretty much all I saw was this.  When I was coming out from the draft I came here and that’s the first time I met Bill, Bill Kollar.  So I’ve seen a little bit of it but I’ve been to other cities that were interested so like I said football is 50% of it but you got to be comfortable with the other 50 if you don’t anything about a city.  If you don’t know anything about what goes on or what there is to do or how comfortable you’re going to be when you leave the facility.  So I’ve been to the other cities that were involved so like I said it wasn’t even a thought, I had to come here first because this is the one thing I haven’t seen in depth, I’ve just heard things.  I knew that from the beginning I was definitely interested in this team and I have talked to other players about it prior to even getting up to this point weeks ago so that was already in my mind we got to go here first because I got to see what they have, I got to see how I’m going to live, and when I first got here that’s the first thing I said was besides football what is there? Where can I be at?  Where can I live?  What is there to do? How am I not going to feel like all I got to do is go to football practice, play football games and then it’s like oh I got to go home and not know what’s there.

On the motivation and pressure after signing this deal:

The only pressure and motivation I have is to come in here and do what I need to do with my teammates and for us to succeed.  I mean everything else, I’ll let you guys talk about numbers, that’s fine but after that, after signing and everything like that, its football now and me being comfortable, my teammates being comfortable, my coaches being comfortable.  What happened to me in the past, like I said from the day I got drafted to last year missing that part of the season, I got a lot to do for myself and that’s what matters, to go out and play to get me better, to get my teammates better, my teammates to make me better and ultimately for us to win games.  So, pretty much I don’t see any pressure, I just see work that needs to be done, not just for myself but for my teammates because we all have to hold each other on the same level, the same accord.

On how close the Bills are to being a playoff team:

Last year, the season was going and I, obviously the buzz that was here we all were like wow, you know, look their 5-0, they got something going on over there.  The injury bugs hit here just like they did there and some key players were missing and things like that so it’s here. We saw that last year from the beginning of the season the main thing is maintaining that and keeping it going and comes with that you got to have the leadership, you got to have guys continuously pushing and keeping the motor running and keeping things going where we’re not going to fall off, we’re here we’re in these games that are close, we got to win these games and so forth.  You saw from the very beginning of last year what is capable here.  We are just adding more pieces.

Buddy Nix question and answer:

On how this process worked for him over the past few days:

It was actually longer than two-and-a-half (days). As soon as the season was over, Tommy Gibbons and the pro department put all of the unrestricted free agents up on the board of we think this guy’s going to hit the market and whose number one for us at this position. And the number one guy for us from day one was this guy (pointing to Mario Williams). And so it’s been a process that’s been ongoing and obviously you don’t do anything until the team that’s got him doesn’t sign him and then he hits free agency. But it’s been a long process and it’s been fun, especially since it turned out right.

On how much he thinks this signing will help his recruiting process:

I think it’ll help us. I think when you see a guy of his stature and what he’s done choose Buffalo – and again we all talk about the big money and the contract, but a lot of teams have those – it’s got to be something else, too. And it’s like Mario said: 50 percent of it is what the surroundings are, what he’s got to do and where he lives. So I think all of that helps. I think if he did it there’s something there.

On how a signing of this caliber fits in to his philosophy of drafting and developing:

It doesn’t change any of that. Again, we’ve said from day one – and you guys never believe us, don’t listen and don’t believe what we say anyway – but my point is we’ve said from day one that if there’s a guy there that we think can make the difference we’ll be aggressive and go after the guy. So this just plugs up a piece of the puzzle and he’ll get us over the hump. He’s a position of need that we were able to fill but the same philosophy will hold through in the draft.

On how concerned he was after the first night of losing free agent WR Robert Meachem to make sure Williams would stay in Buffalo and sign:

We bring in a lot of people. But I’m going to say this again, our number one goal was to sign Mario. That was our number one need and our number one goal. We felt like it was something we had to have. We like Robert and we think he’s a good player. We have good receivers and there are a lot of them out there. I actually got a call in the middle of the night and they said he’s (Robert’s) been offered this. We said good luck; it’s really good for him.

On if they are still actively in pursuit of adding another receiver via free agency:

I told you guys when we met one time before that we may be out of the business by Friday… have you seen his (Mario) contract? We may be out of the business (laughs jokingly).

On if he is surprised that the first 48 hours of free agency had an exploding market:

I’m not. I think everybody talks about the salary cap and it’s going to jump and all that kind of stuff, but it hasn’t. Still people do what they have to do. You use your resources and you get your priorities straight. And if it’s important enough to you, you do what you have to do.

Chan Gailey question and answer:

On how this allows his defense to progress:

Anytime you add a player of this caliber, and I think he said it well, he’s a piece of the puzzle. He’s not really any bigger than any other piece of the puzzle. He can go play great and if we don’t have 10 other guys playing well it doesn’t make any difference. That’s what makes football such a unique game. I told him not to feel the pressure of having to be some kind of unbelievable player, unbelievable leader, and unbelievable entity of our football team. He’s a great player in his own right or he wouldn’t be standing up here. He wouldn’t be where he is. Just go do what you do and he’ll make us better and so I feel like we’ve added this piece of the puzzle and the front office, Buddy and everybody did such a great job. Now this takes us one more step closer to where we want to be. We talk about wanting to be champions and that’s the goal. There is no other goal and he helps us get one step closer to that. We’ve got to do it, you can’t just talk about it, but you’ve got to go do it.

On if he feels like the signing of Williams along with getting his injured guys back will shift the defensive landscape in this division:

That’s a pretty broad statement to say it’s going to shift the landscape in the division but I know we got better. We got a lot better and I think our pass rush has improved greatly just in the last 45-minutes.

On how much he expects the pass rush to be improved percentage wise:

I can’t put a percentage on how much better we are but I know we’re appreciatively better and I know that we will get more pressure on the passer. I don’t think there’s any question about that. You add this piece, you add a healthy Kyle Williams to it, we will be able to put some pressure on the quarterback that we were not able to do last year.

On how much a move like this helps the rest of the defense:

It’s a lot easier to play in the secondary now. It is. A better pass rush makes a better secondary. A better defense makes a better offense. It all works together. That’s what’s great about our game. I think Mario said it best ‘everybody holds everybody accountable to a standard to get us where we want to be and that’s the key.’ And that’s what he reiterated to me in our meeting one-on-one. He expects to come in and be that worker. He’s not going to stand up in front of the team and talk, that’s not what his role is. His role is to go out and be a worker and produce and play on Sunday’s and help us win a championship. That’s what he told me he wanted to do. And that’s the answer you’re looking for. It’s not how many sacks can I get, how many this can I get, how many can I … (it’s) how can I help the team? And that was a great answer to me or a great conversation I had.

On if he had Williams in mind when they made the decision to switch to a 4-3 defensive scheme:

After talking to Buddy, yes I did. It sure was. And when I said ‘who’s the top guy?’ he said this guy (Williams) and I said ‘well that’s the guy I want, too, then.’ You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out (laughs).

While the above facts may seem only to be matters of trivia, they reflect Miñoso’s love of the sport of baseball and his dedication to it. At a press conference held by the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame, to which Miñoso has been elected, on September 1, the star player and humble gentleman said the following, “I don’t know how to express how I feel. Coming to the United States to play baseball was great. Without baseball, I don’t think I would be able to live because it’s in my blood. I gave 100 % not for the money; it was for the fans. I’m proud that I came here to play baseball. God bless the United States. God bless baseball.”

Minoso’s years in the majors when in his 20’s and 30’s were anything but trivial. Baseball and America were very different in the 1940’s than they are today. After starring with the famed Marianao club in his native land in 1945-6, Miñoso left his native Cuba to play baseball in the United States. At that time, he was barred from playing in organized baseball because the color of his skin was dark. Thus, he joined the New York Cubans, a team in the Negro League. He played his home games at the Dyckman Oval, the Polo Grounds and at Yankee Stadium, but he lived on Lennox Ave. because choices of residence were restricted.

He made an immediate impact as the third baseman and lead-off hitter for the New York Cubans. His efforts and ability led to success for the Cubans as they won the Negro National League pennant in 1947 and defeated the Cleveland Buckeyes in the World Series. He also earned personal recognition for his outstanding play. Mioso was selected as the starting third baseman in the 1947 and 1948 East-West All-Star games.

In 1948, after three seasons in the Negro League, when Miñoso was 25 (he was born on November 29, 1922) he signed a minor league contract. After a short stint in the minors, he made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians on April 19, 1949. He played nine games that season and did not return to the majors until the start of the 1951 season.

On April 30^th of 1951, Miñoso was traded to the Chicago White Sox, where he played in 12 of his 17 big league seasons. The young man demonstrated his ability as a major leaguer in his rookie year, 1951. He batted .326, scored 112 runs, drove in 76 and led the American League in triples (14) and stolen bases (31). The very impressive stats were not enough to convince the baseball writers as Miñoso finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Gil McDougald, even though Miñoso’s numbers were clearly superior. The Sporting News did give the Chicago left-fielder its Rookie of the Year Award.

On May 1, 1951, at Yankee Stadium, the Cuban outfielder became the first black player to wear a White Sox uniform. He not only played superior baseball but had the pressure of being a pioneer thrust upon him.

During the next decade, Miñoso remained consistent in his high level of play. In his first 11 years in the majors, Miñoso placed second in the American League in hits (1,861), runs scored (1,078), extra base hits (579), stolen bases (193), triples (81), total bases (2,879) and times on base (2,806). He was fourth in on-base percentage (.395) and fifth in batting average (.305). He connected for double figure totals in home runs in each of the 11 years, and drove in 80 or more runs in eight of the seasons.

In his first three years in the big leagues, he led the AL in stolen bases and three times paced the league in triples. In 10 of the 11 seasons, Miñoso led the league in being hit by pitches. Did the color of his skin or his nationality cause him to be so frequent a target of pitchers or did he wisely use this as another means of reaching base successfully?  He was also an American League leader in hits (1960), doubles (1957), sacrifice hits (1960 and 1961) and games plated (1960).

There was recognition at that time of his excellence on the field as he was a nine-time All-Star (two games were played in 1959 and 1960) between the years, 1951-60. He was cited for his superior defensive abilities with the Gold Glove three times. Also, during the years from 1951-60, Miñoso finished in the top 10 of AL voting for the MVP five times (1951, 53-54, 57 and 60).

Miñoso’s superior performance during that era takes on even more luster when considering the high level of competition. His excellence was achieved in the post-integration and pre-expansion epoch of the late 1940’s and 1950’s, a period of years called by many observers “the golden age of baseball”.

After his career in the majors concluded, Miñoso played ball and managed in the Mexican League through 1973. He also played Winter Ball for many years in his native Cuba and in othe Latin American nations during most of his big league career.

Not only did Miñoso prove to be superior to his contemporaries on the field, but his statistics fit in quite well with position players who have been installed in Cooperstown. According to the statistics published in the 2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Yearbook, Miñoso had a career major league batting average, .298, superior to 62 of the 161 position players already in the Hall.

Fans and players who saw Miñoso on the field understand that even the impressive statistics are not sufficient to describe the effort and skill displayed by the sterling player and the excitement he provided. Tany (Tony) Pérez, the Hall of Fame first baseman of the Big Red Machine on September 1^st said of his fellow countryman, “Every young player in Cuba wanted to be like “Minnie” Miñoso and I’m one of them.” Bill Stimers, 64, a lifelong Yankees fans, remembers seeing “The Cuban Comet” play against the Yankees in Yankee Stadium, “I love Miñoso. He was a great player. He played with a lot of energy because he loved baseball, not to earn big money like the most of the ballplayers today. I hope he makes the HOF because he deserves that honor.”

In October, a new means of electing previously neglected candidates to the Hall of Fame, the Golden Era Ballot (1947-1972) will be unveiled. Miñoso’s name deserves to be placed as one of the ten candidates on the Golden Era Ballot. Miñoso has earned a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 88 year old former baseball great deserves to receive this honor this year.

“I really don’t need that fight,” Pacquiao said about the often discussed bout with Mayweather. “If it happens good, It’s the fight the fans want. If not, I’m satisfied with what I’ve done in boxing.”  Mayweather prepares for Victor Ortiz on September 17^th and Pacquiao, hinted he really isn’t interested in the outcome. “I think I am more focused on this fight compared to the last two because Marquez denied he lost the fight, complaining he won the fight, complaining blah, blah, blah, and that makes me focus and train hard for this fight,” he said.

Truth be told, Pacquiao is relaxed and ready for his third meeting with Marquez. The press conference at Chelsea Piers started with Pacquiao singing a rendition of “Sometimes When We Touch” with Dan Hill the original composer. At previous media events in New York City, Pacquiao would make his entrance, sit quietly at the podium and wait to be introduced. This time it was a different tune but the same Manny Pacquiao acknowledging his legion of fans from the Philippines who observed in a rear area of the Lighthouse.

“I still enjoy the press tours,” he said. “It’s a good thing. You meet a lot of your fans.”  Earlier, Pacquiao did a jog in Central Park and headed to the press conference. After a twenty minute sit- down with the media he did a live spot with ESPN, stopped at HBO headquarters in midtown, and then to JFK Airport with a destination to Los Angeles for the next stop on this latest media tour.

This may not be the fight Pacquiao wanted, but it sparks interest for boxing fans. After all it is Manny Pacquiao, and it is a trilogy with Marquez. They met at featherweight in their first fight and at super featherweight in their second encounter.  Pacquiao has graduated to be a record eight- division champion and once again is favored to win this time at a catch weight of 144 pounds. Marquez is a three-division champion and went down three times in the first fight in 2004, though the outcome was a draw. The crafty (53-5-1, 39 KO) veteran at 38- years of age is not concerned about the outcome of this one. He says moving up in weight is not an issue.  To which Pacquiao says, “I don’t know what Marquez can improve moving up in weight. We fought at 130 pounds in the last fight, and the third fight is 144. I don’t know what he can do.”

Marquez claimed he won both fights. “I know I can do it again,” he says. “I did it in 24-rounds. I was able to get a draw even though I knocked him down three times, so I beat him. I just have to be fast and I have to hit him hard enough.” And if Marquez prevails, or even if he sustains the loss, there is a rematch clause in the contract. But he deeply feels he will dethrone Pacquiao and take his welterweight title.

“I already proved it,” said Pacquiao about their previous fights and disputing Marquez when it came to the controversial draw. “But somebody is claiming they won the fight. I have to work again and prove I won the fights. I want to prove that somebody is wrong and somebody I right.”  But this fight will not be a legacy for Pacquiao, even if it is a trilogy.  He says there will be adjustments since the last fight with Shane Mosley and in the previous fights with Marquez. “I learned more techniques and strategies for being a fighter,” he says.

Freddie Roach, his trainer says, “Pacquiao will knock him (Marquez) out along the way. Manny can’t walk in like we did in the first two. He was just a young kid then. He’s a much more intelligent fighter. I am very confident he will knock him out.”  But Pacquiao is not underestimating Marquez. He saw his last fight on July 16^th, a first-round TKO over former WBA interim super featherweight champion Likar Ramos.

“I saw a still good Marquez but the difference is, I changed a lot of my style and improved my technique and strategy and my power,” commented Pacquiao. There has never been a question of the power, or the technique, just that Marquez is now in the way of continuing the legacy that Manny Pacquiao has established. Far from retirement though, as promoter Bob Arum looks at his main fighter continuing a fight schedule and serving in the capacity of Congressman from the Philippines at least until re-election time in 2013.

Yes, it was a different entrance for Manny Pacquiao in New York City Tuesday. And the trilogy with Marquez should close some issues and put a conclusion to whatever controversy that occurred in their previous fights. Pacquiao has nothing much more to prove, even if we still don’t have a resolution to the Mayweather question.

Arum still wants the Mayweather fight to happen. For now the trilogy bout with Marquez will fill the void and because it is Manny Pacquiao, who happens to be the face of boxing, there will be continued interest.

In the following year, the native of Havana, Cuba joined the Troy Haymakers, making him the first Cuban player in professional baseball in the United States. After six seasons in the U.S., he returned to Cuba, where he had a major influence upon the growth of the sport in his native land. Rafael Pi Román, of Channel 13, the program’s moderator, officially dedicated the conference to Bellán, who died in 1932, moments after the proceedings began.

Nine hours later, another legendary Cuban ballplayer was honored. Fortunately, 88 year old Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso, was present to hear the accolades. After Miñoso modestly responded to a standing ovation that began upon his entrance into the auditorium, he was presented with an award for his outstanding career by Iraida Iturralde, the vice president of the CCCNY.

The octogenarian was gracious in his appreciation for the recognition and spoke of his pride in being a player and a Cuban. Miñoso reminisced about his lengthy career and his time in New York as a member of the New York Cubans of the Negro Leagues.

Before beginning his sterling career in the majors, Miñoso played with the Cubans at the Dyckman Oval, the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium. During those years, 1945-9, he lived on Lennox Ave. From 1949-1964, Miñoso displayed his skills on the major league level. He batted .298, drove in 1,023 runs, produced 1,983 hits, scored 1,136 runs and thrilled the fans who watched him with his outstanding defensive skills as well. The star outfielder was awarded three Gold Gloves and was a six-time All-Star.

Miñoso played in the Cuban Winter League during the off-season during his sojourn in the U.S. He also was a star in the Mexican League (1965-73) after his career in the majors concluded. He was elected to the baseball hall of Fame in Cuba and Mexico. Many who saw him play in the U.S. believe he was worthy of election to the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown as well.

Miñoso briefly appeared twice more as a major league player, in 1976 and 1980, to tie Nick Altrock as the only two men to play five decades in the majors. He again appeared on the playing field in 1993 and 2003, for the St. Paul Saints in the Independent League, making him the only man to play during seven decades in professional baseball.

The extremely gracious and seemingly tireless former player signed autographs, posed for photos and answered questions from the guests at the conference long after his presentation ended.

Part I-Morning program

The keynote address delivered by Roberto González-Echavarría was entitled “The Origins of Baseball in Cuba: A Historical Context”. The distinguished professor of Hispanic and Comparative Literature at Yale University traced the game from the 1860’s and spoke of Bellán’s importance in its development within Cuba.

The professor told of baseball’s growing popularity in Cuba in the late 19^th century based upon its connection to the modernistic United States as opposed to the sport of bull fighting that many in Cuba considered a symbol of the backwardness of the mother country, Spain.

He also explained that baseball was intricately tied to other forms of culture in Cuba. Unlike baseball in the U.S., literature recitals and dance programs followed directly after ball games concluded. He spoke of a shortstop on the Almendares club who was a minor novelist and then quipped, “How many novels has Jeter written?” The literature scholar described baseball as a “mock war in which heroics are performed” and as being vastly “different than back and forth sports such as football, soccer and lacrosse.”

Professor González-Echaverría, who wrote an award winning volume on the history of baseball in Cuba in 2002, summarized major events in the sport’s history far beyond its beginnings in his discourse. He concluded his address on baseball within his homeland by discussing the changes in the sport made by Fidel Castro, “Castro revolutionized Cuban sports to their detriment. Cuban baseball endures. It runs deep in the Cuban’s soul. It came with the promise of democracy and, I believe, it will be there when democracy returns.”

The keynote address was followed by the morning panel at which five papers were presented detailing several diverse topics regarding Cuban baseball history. The moderator of the panel, César Brioso of USA Today, read a statement of greeting from Conrado Marrero. Marrero is presently hospitalized in Cuba with a broken hip suffered in a fall. The former pitcher is the oldest living former major leaguer at the age of 100. Marrero’s doctor emailed a message in which he said Marrero is lucid and is expected to be able to leave the hospital. The former pitcher, an idol in Cuba, sent his greetings to the conference and offered “his compatriots a fraternal embrace.”

The first panelist to speak, Manuel Márquez-Sterling, a professor emeritus at Plymouth State University, discussed the two conflicting schools of baseball offense in Cuban history. Scientific baseball or little ball was typified by Ty Cobb and the prodigious long ball by Babe Ruth. Both barnstormed in Cuba, but Ruth’s appearance in Cuba did not have the effect upon the game as it did in the U.S. He explained that Dick Sisler, a major leaguer in the late 1940’s and 1950’s, helped popularize the home run in Cuba. He explained the convergence of factors that led to the change in Cuban baseball strategy, “Political stability and economic prosperity grew the Cuban middle-class and lessened the resistance to smaller parks and home runs. Social, cultural, economic and political changes in Cuba together with Dick Sisler led to the baseball changes.”

Marino Martínez, a newspaper reporter from El Nuevo Herald in Miami spoke of the La Liga de la Uniόn Atlética (Cuban amateur baseball) that ran from 1914 through 1960. The speaker detailed a number of successful teams and star players of the various eras and locales within the nation. He, like all of the others who addressed the gathering, made ample and effective use of photos to bring the times and people of the past to life and create additional interest. Audio visual materials, including films were quite effective supplements to the spoken word at the conference.

The topic of amateur baseball in Cuba was brought to the present by Rogério Manzano of Univision, who explained the changes instituted by Castro, after assuming control of the Cuban government. He cited the Cuban National Team’s record in international competition during this era to exhibit the ups and downs. He believes amateur baseball is in a crisis situation today and that Raúl Castro, a more pragmatic leader than his brother may institute needed changes.

Gary Ashwell, a young baseball historian, used statistics displayed on the large sized-screen behind the speaker’s platform to help inform the audience of the marks achieved by Cuban players during the Negro leagues epoch. Interestingly, the first back team (1885) was called the Cuban Giants, although none of its members were Cuban. Ashwell highlighted the records of pitcher José Mendez and slugging outfielder Christóbal Torriente, both of whom excelled during their years in the Negro League.

Leslie Heaphy of Kent State University discussed a much neglected topic of Cuban women in baseball. She talked on the history of women’s baseball with emphasis on Cuban women who played in the AAGPBL (All American Girls Professional Baseball League) during the 1940’s and 1950’s. One of the women, Luisa Gallegos, was in the audience. Gallegos was a teenager when she and several of her countrywomen joined the league in 1948. She did not fear going to a new land to work as she was not alone. The youngster found the experience interesting and appeared pleased that people asked her to reminisce about that time in her life.

Part II-Afternoon program

After a delightful almuerzo, the afternoon session began with an interesting and entertaining documentary, “Greener Grass: Cuba, Baseball and the United States”. The film, produced in 1999, focused on two nations in conflict, two economic and political systems and one sport loved in both lands, baseball. The film focused on the reaction on the island to the first visit of a major league team, the Baltimore Orioles, since the Castro era began. The many interviews with people on each side of the 90 mile shoreline showed the wide diversity of opinions and feelings. Many telling facts were given that produced greater understanding of Cuban baseball history and are worthy of further study. In the years 1911-1947, before the color barrier was broken, only 58 Cubans played in the majors, yet 223 played in the Negro Leagues during those same years. In 1991, Luis Arocha became the first baseball defector from Castro’s Cuba, but in the next decade, 40 baseball players defected from Cuba.

The speakers at the afternoon panel were all former big league players who were born in Cuba. Tony Pérez, the only living former player in the Baseball Hall of Fame born in Cuba was the first guest. The first baseman and the players that followed were interviewed by José Roig of Uniivision and also responded to questions from the audience. Pérez modestly gave credit to managers Dave Bristol and Sparky Anderson and to the pitching staff for the success of the Big Red Machine of which he was an important component. Despite belting 377 homers, Pérez said he never considered himself to be a home run hitter. When asked why there are so few Cubans in the HOF, he replied, “I think there’s a person sitting here who should be in [he pointed to Luis Tiant].”

Julio Bécquer, 79, was the next player to join the panel. Bécquer was one of the many Cubans signed by scout Joe Cambria for the Washington Senators in the 1950’s. He played in the American League from 1955-1963. He recalled the glory days of the Marianao club he played for in his native land as well as his experiences in the majors.

“Cookie” Rojas, born in 1939 in Havana, began his lengthy time in the majors in 1962. He has been successful as a player, coach, manager and currently as a broadcaster in a variety of venues in the bigs. In addition to very intelligently responding to perceptive questions from members of the audience, Rojas recounted his experiences as a member of the Havana Sugar kings in its final years of existence.

Jose Cardenal, the youngest of the former players present had a fine big league career from 1963-80. After his playing days ended, he coached for five teams. Cardenal was exceptionally good humored in his responses.

A big favorite of baseball fans everywhere, Lusi Tiant was interviewed by Grammy winning jazz musician Paquito D’Rivera. The second generation baseball great openly replied to questions on many of his experiences. When speaking about his visit to Cuba several years ago, Tiant broke down into tears after talking about his family.

The program ended with a festive reception held in the Fordham Law School Atrium. The entire long day’s proceedings were an educational treasure. The CCCNY certainly fulfilled its mission of being an “organization devoted to the preservation, advancement and dissemination of Cuban and Cuban-American culture with this superlative 12 hour conference.