Dear Nica Times:
Regarding the article “Gov’t Aims to Revive Old Baseball League” (NT, Nov. 7): I am pleased to see that the government has a vested interest in revitalizing baseball, and if it is thinking of heading to a world championship competition in Moscow, it should find the best players.
Now what I say here might–create some major disagreements, but I have been interested in race relations in the Americas and I think it is about time that Nicaraguans and the other countries of the Americas take a hard look at Afro–Nicaraguans, Afro–Costa Ricans and let them take a major part in sports.
The United States has probably the best athletes in baseball, football, basketball and in other Olympic sports and most of them are black.
Cuba–has also realized the powerful athletic ability of Afro–Cubans and is not ashamed to have them represent the country, similar to the United States.
Maybe Nicaragua is missing out because it has failed to recognize the powerful competitive spirit of its Afro–Nicaraguans.
There are black people in communities all over the Americas and they are citizens of their respective countries.
And those Afro–descendants who already have influenced the dances of the Americas can also help put the various countries on top as it pertains to athletic events.
There are blacks in Peru who are great soccer players but they may never get a chance to play.
Ecuador did well in the last World Cup because most of the team members were black.
I am not saying that other ethnic groups cannot be competitive, but when a country has a diversity of races and ethnic groups, it behooves that country to find the best players because it is winning that matters.
So let us go to the Caribbean coast and get some athletes.
Michael Sylvester
Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
