LatinoBaseball.com Celebrates Latino Achievement in Baseball

In commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month, LatinoBaseball.com along with sponsor Johnnie Walker, launched an exciting campaign to celebrate the prolific history of Latinos in baseball, including Hispanic Heritage Day at the Ballpark, a national radio campaign with future hall of famer David Concepción, and baseball trivia contests for readers of major national magazines. At six stadiums in major Hispanic regions – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, and Dallas – Latino players such as Alex Rodriguez, all-star Yankee and this season’s homerun leader; Miguel Cabrera, all-star third baseman of the Florida Marlins; and the Texas Rangers’ Sammy Sosa, currently fifth on the all-time homerun list, were honored for their contributions to baseball. The events drew particular excitement among fans, as they coincided with the approaching heat of the Major League Baseball playoff race.

Hispanic Heritage Day at the Ballpark asked fans over the age of 21 to vote online at LatinoBaseball.com for their favorite local Latino players. The players that received the most votes were then honored in a pre-game ceremony on-field before their hometown crowd as the 2007 Latino Player of the Year. Along with representatives from Johnnie Walker and LatinoBaseball.com, one lucky voter in each market was also given the opportunity to present the prestigious award directly to the player.

“It’s remarkable to see the impact that Latinos continue to have on baseball,” said Ralph Paniagua, President and Founder of LatinoBaseball.com. “We’re so proud to honor these incredible athletes who have not only changed the sport, but inspired millions of fans across the globe.”

The first ceremony took place at the Florida Marlins’ Pro-Player Stadium, followed by events at Texas Rangers Stadium in Arlington, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park, and New York Yankee Stadium. The final award ceremony was held in Chicago at the White Sox’s U.S. Cellular Field.

During each ceremony, Latino baseball legends of the past were honored through a special video presentation displayed on the scoreboard. Many of the stadiums also featured live musical performances throughout the presentation.

About LatinoBaseball.com
LatinoBaseball.com is the leading historical and statistical site about Latinos in baseball. The site features great moments in Latino baseball history since the 1860s and documents current statistics about Latino ballplayers. It also offers a database of all records of Latino players throughout professional baseball history as well as those of the Caribbean Winter Leagues and Caribbean World Series. For more information log on to: www.LatinoBaseball.com.

About Johnnie Walker(R)
The Johnnie Walker(R) portfolio features award-winning whiskies such as Red Label(R), Black Label(R), Green Label(R), Gold Label(R) and Blue Label(R) imported and distributed in the United States by Diageo North America. More than 4 bottles of Johnnie Walker whisky are consumed every second, and more than 120 million bottles are sold every year in more than 200 countries. The product line covers a broad range of occasions for the whisky drinker from every day to special moments. The five premium brands represent a range of prices and tastes that share a remarkable 180-year history and a commitment to quality. Additional information about Johnnie Walker may be found at www.johnniewalker.com. Please drink responsibly. “*

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