Mexican American Baseball in East L.A.

Today there will be a great celebration at Belvedere Park in East L.A. from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The festivities are in honor of the dedication of a plaque honoring Manuel Shorty Perez and the release by authors, Francisco E. Balderrama and Richard A. Santillan, of their book "Mexican American Baseball in Los Angeles".

Up until 6 years, like many other folks, I knew about Negro League baseball, but had no idea that there had been Mexican League baseball, too. I certainly had no idea that there had been a team, the Carmelita Chorizeros, whose home park was Belvedere Park.

This celebration is being presented by the Baseball Reliquary; the Latino Baseball History Project,California State University, San Bernardino; the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina; and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.

I'm going to be there selling my book and learning about some of the stars that played for Shorty including: Ernie Sierra, Armando Perez, Richie Pena, Babe Ornelas, Chilo Herrera, and ex-Dodger Willie Davis.

You can drive to Belvedere Park or, even better, you can take the Goldline from Pasadena to the end of the line by East L.A. Civic Center. It will take you about the same time and you will get to enjoy the sight from here to Highland Park, Cypress Park, Chinatown, Boyle Heights, and the colors of East L.A.