Positive signs of progress

trina

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Jan 3, 2002
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What a great article, Cleef

Thanks for sharing!

As you know, Calgary has recently become host to a new semi-pro baseball team, the Calgary Vipers. A couple of years ago, the CBL (Canadian Baseball League) tried to form and failed, resulting in the Northern League starting a team in Calgary, the (former) CBL's only profitable team. Before the CBL came, we had the Calgary Cannons AAA team, but Calgary couldn't sustain it and it went bankrupt after many years of struggling. Many famous players had played for the Cannons, including Alex Rodriguez.

Anyways, when new Dominicans come to town, my husband Angel and a few of his Dominican friends always go to the games and welcome them. The Dominicans who come to play are always relieved to see someone from their own country. We always try to help them adjust, because they are generally left here on their own. They are often put up in hotels or college campus dormitories and need to completely fend for themselves. They are left with no dishes, pots, pans, bedding, pillows (in the college dorms), etc. - so their diet becomes terrible, and they can't sleep - it's totally detrimental to the team to leave them like this, but that is what is happening. I keep a set of dishes, blankets, pillows, towels, glasses, pots, and pans in a couple of boxes in the basement for when they arrive so they will at least have some basics to live with. We had a ballplayer living with us last year because his host family didn't work out - they didn't expect a person who couldn't speak English to be such a burden.

I also take them shopping when they arrive and help them get what they will need to survive. Many have never been off the island, and don't speak a word of English. When the boys are in town, we have them over at least once/week so they can get a good Dominican home-cooked meal. Most are starving by that time, because they live off hamburgers and junk food they don't like on the road. I help those who want to learn English.

I am wondering if this is the norm for the minor league teams, or if it is happening in Calgary only because it is a new franchise, and they don't have the experience of dealing with this situation. We've talked to Dominicans in the Northern League's other teams, and found there were similarities in their living conditions. Has anyone else had similar experiences? If you are able to help the Dominicans that come to your city to play minor league baseball, I highly recommend you get involved.