After the game, Georgetown Coach John Thompson described the level of Big East competition, “Each game in our league is big.”

The men of St. John’s (8-9, 2-4) made a strong impression on the 11^th ranked Georgetown Hoyas (14-3, 4-2) by taking a 13-5 lead at 12:18. Freshman Moe Harkless led the attack with seven points.

The Hoyas ended the Red Storm advantage by scoring 12 unanswered points to take a 17-13 lead. The first half concluded with Georgetown leading, 25-19.

Each team had identical statistics in several categories during the first half, field goals, turnovers, assists and blocks.

The Red Storm cut the deficit to three, 28-25, at 17:06 of the second half on a layup by Harkless. Each move by St. John’s was met by a stronger response from the visiting Hoyas who netted the next nine points to again raise the lead to double digits, 37-25.

St. John’s made a final run to slash the advantage to three, 48-45, with 6:36 on the clock. The Hoyas used their superiority in size and experience to crush St. John’s, 69-49, by outscoring them, 21-4 to conclude the contest.

Assistant Coach Mike Dunlap, running the games for the recovering Steve Lavin of St. John’s, gave credit to Georgetown forward Hollis Thompson for the defeat, “In the second half, Hollis [Thompson] got loose on us. He made the difference.”

Thompson, the leading three-point shooter in the Big East, uncharacteristically missed all his shots from the floor in the first half. In the second half, he netted all five of his shots from beyond the arc and both from closer range. He scored all 20 of his points in the second half.

Dunlap was fielding a team that played only seven men, five of them freshmen, “I think our resources are a little shallow to keep that [defense] up over the second half.”

Other factors also were in Georgetown’s control. The outrebounded the Red Storm (42-34); they doubled the number of field goals scored by St. John’s in the second stanza; they prevented the Red Storm from scoring a three-pointer; they received 23 from their bench to only seven from St. John’s.

According to Georgetown Coach John Thompson III the change came at a certain time, “Once we picked up our energy level, the offense improved and the defense improved.”

In the second game, the Marquette Golden Eagles (12-6, 3-2) edged the St. John’s Red Storm (11-7, 3-2), 63-55. The game was tied five times and the lead changed hands on 11 occasions.

Marquette was ahead by double figures with eight minutes left in the game, but the Red Storm cut the advantage to four points, 59-55, with 57 seconds remaining. The Golden Eagles scored the final four points to earn the win.

After the contest, St. John’s Coach Kim Barnes Arico commented, “When we bring our A game, we are capable of beating anyone in the country…But when we don’t bring our A game, anyone is capable of doing the same to us.”

Or, in the case of head coach Mo Cassara’s game night wardrobe choice, it’s sometimes better to change nothing at all.

The Hofstra Pride may be a mediocre 6-7 so far this season, but Cassara’s suit is a perfect 4-0 after his team forced 18 first-half turnovers, built a 19-point second-half lead, and held on down the stretch for a surprising 83-75 upset victory over the Iona Gaels (10-3) before 4,258 fans at the Mack Sports Complex on Thursday night.

After a 2-1 start to the season, the Pride lost six of its next seven games. Hofstra’s only win in that stretch was ten-point victory over talented Cleveland State (12-2), during which Cassara sported a dark gray suit with a white shirt and yellow tie.

Some coaches go back to the drawing board after results like that.

Cassara however, consulted his closet, and out came the same ensemble for Hofstra’s next two games – a 20-point domination of Binghamton and a 23-point thrashing of Colgate, each at home.

Naturally, Cassara went back to his strong suit again, this time, to beat Iona, the preseason Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference favorite.

“I’ve worn this suit the last three games,” a relaxed Cassara confessed after the win. “I actually wore it for the Cleveland State game. Same socks, same shoes, same shirt. I’m actually excited to get it dry cleaned because that means we’re starting to play pretty well [again].”

Hofstra did, on Thursday night, to the dismay of Iona, which came out flat and sloppy, committing a season-high 23 turnovers, 18 in the opening half, when the Pride held a 17-6 advantage in points off turnovers to build a 43-28 lead by intermission, after closing the final 8:32 of the half on a game-turning 21-6 run.

The Pride scored the first four points of the second half to extend its advantage to a game-high lead of 47-28 (matched twice later) on a jumper by senior guard Mike Moore, who rebounded from a poor 1-for-6 start from the field, to finish 8-for-17 from the floor (including 4-for-9 from three-point range) and lead all scorers with 24 points.

Unlike in some of the Pride’s losses this season, Moore this time, had enough help, especially from a pair of players – senior guard/forward Nathaniel Lester and junior forward David Imes – whom the Pride had counted on as being the second and third scoring options to Moore, but who had largely disappointed this year.

Eclipsing 13 points for just the third time this year, Lester added 21 points (14 in the second half) on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and ten rebounds, and Imes (16 points, game and season-high 15 rebounds) finished well above his season averages of 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Cassara knows he’ll need that type of production from his forwards if Hofstra is to continue its turnaround, and he’s hoping that a win over the Gaels this year will have the same effect that a humbling 25-point loss was to Iona exactly a year ago.

“Last year at Iona was a turning point for us,” Cassara said. “From that point on, we played very well for the rest of the season.” In Cassara’s rookie year as a Division I head coach last season, the Pride went on to its highest finish (tied for second place) in the Colonial Athletic Association.

This time, performing so well against Iona might be just what Imes and Lester needed to help Hofstra get hot again.

“It’s a big confidence booster,” Imes said. “I needed that.”

Lester, who entered the game shooting just 36.9 percent from the field for the season, added, “Seeing the ball go through the basket helps [my] confidence, it puts confidence in my teammates, and [can] help us get on a roll.”

Senior point guard Dwan McMillan also outplayed former high school (St. Benedict’s Prep, NJ) teammate and Iona star Scott Machado (who entered with 14.3 points and 10.4 assists per game).

With junior point guard Stevie Mejia sitting out for the fifth time in six games with an injury, McMillan played the entire game, scoring ten points, handing out nine assists, and committing four turnovers.

Machado meanwhile, scored just five points and committed a game-high six turnovers despite posting a game-high ten assists before fouling out with 2:37 left.

The Pride maintained as much as a 13-point lead until Harlem, NY product and University of Arizona transfer Lamont “Momo” Jones, who scored 16 of his team-high 20 points in the second half, helped keep Iona in the game. The Gaels closed to within seven points on five separate occasions in the final 7:46, but could get no closer.

Both Jones and head former C.W. Post (Division II) head coach Tim Cluess (who was passed over by Hofstra when the Pride hired Cassara) each admitted that some Iona players were more concerned about their families and friends in attendance, and finally getting to play near their own New Rochelle, NY campus again, after a starting a road swing 6-1, at mostly much further locales than Hempstead.

“We didn’t come out ready to play,” Jones said. “I think we were too happy to be [near] home, not really taking this game as we would have, naturally, on the road [further from home].”

Cluess added, “I knew we were in a little bit of trouble when it became more about tickets for the game than about the game itself.”

He also thought his team was complacent from its earlier season success and some resulting media publicity, while praising Hofstra.

“I thought they played a heck of a game right from the get-go,” Cluess said. “They came with more energy than us, [and] they played harder than us, right from the start. It looked like it meant more to them than it did to our guys… I think our guys were drinking the Kool-Aid a little too much… way too many second-chance opportunities. I think 45 of their 83 points were handed to them.”

The first-year Division I head coach was referring to Hofstra 26 points off of turnovers, 13 second-chance points, and six fast break points. In contrast, the Pride gave the Gaels 33 easy points, including 18 points off of 16 Hofstra turnovers and ten fast break points, but just five second-chance points.

Powerful star senior forward and Bronx native Mike Glover (20 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the field), who scored six of Iona’s first ten points on three dunks, chimed in on the intensity shown by the Gaels’ opponents, saying, “I think they were very hungry.”

Reflecting on his team’s other big win this season, Cassara said, “Probably on paper, the two best teams that we’ve played this year are Cleveland State and Iona, RPI-wise, record-wise, everything-wise, personnel-wise, and we’ve beaten both of them, so we certainly have the capability to be very competitive.”

As for the lucky suit?

Cassara didn’t say if he’d wear it for Hofstra’s next game, on Monday night at 7 pm ET, when Hofstra (0-1 CAA) hosts last year’s Final Four participant Virginia Commonwealth (10-3, 0-1 CAA), as the calendar turns to 2012 and the schedule focuses exclusively on conference play (except for a February non-conference Bracketbuster game) for the remainder of the regular season.

Being able to wear a lot more post-victory smiles however, would suit Cassara just fine.

* * *

Notes: In attendance, were well-known WFAN (New York) sports radio talk show host Mike Francessa (opposite the Hofstra bench) and to the left of the Iona bench, along the west baseline, former NBA player Wally Szcerbiak (who starred at nearby Cold Spring Harbor high school) and his father and ex-ABA player Walter Szcerbiak.

The consolation game was the first of two scheduled non-conference meetings between the Cowboys and the Hokies. They will face one another again on New Year’s Eve. Playing two non-conference games with the same team in one season is a rarity. It occurred most recently for Virginia Tech in 1992-93 and for Oklahoma State in 1993-94. Hokies coach Seth Greenberg said, ”It’s almost like a 13^th league opponent.”

Both the consolation and championship games on Friday were very competitive with the outcomes not decided until the final seconds. The Cowboys scored the first eight points in the opening contest on Friday afternoon. With the score 12-7 in favor of OSU, the Hokies scored 14 unanswered points to go ahead by a score of 21-12 with 6:40 remaining in the first half. Neither team could take advantage during the remainder of the half as Virginia Tech still led by nine, 32-23

A lay-up by Eric Green opened the second half to give the Hokies the game’s only double digit differential in points. A 14-6 scoring run by the Cowboys cut the led to three, 40-37 with 12:10 left in the game. The Cowboys shot more accurately than Virginia Tech in the second half, but could not capture the lead. Virginia Tech was victorious, 59-57.

After the contest, Cowboys’ coach Travis Ford explained the reasons for his team’s defeat, “I thought in the first half, we gave up way too many points off turnovers (12)…It’s tough to win any game when you give up 21 offensive rebounds, very tough. 21 offensive rebounds to go with 30 free throws is tough to overcome.”

The championship contest was ugly, especially in the first half, but very competitive. It was the first time the two teams ever played. Despite Syracuse’s favored status, especially at MSG which is like a second home to the Orange, neither team led by more than eight points. Syracuse won the title by a score of 69-63.

Four points were the greatest advantage that either team could muster in the opening half. The score was tied twice and the lead changed hands nine times during the first 20 minutes. Each team committed double figures of turnovers, shot under 40 % from the floor, sunk only one three, and missed more free throws than it netted. Stanford was ahead by one point, 25-24, when the buzzer sounded to end the first half.

The play of both teams improved greatly during the second half. The percentage of shooting from the floor, from three point range and from the charity stripe was much higher in the final 20 minutes. As in the opening half, the score was twice tied and the lead changed hands on nine occasions. The size, athleticism and capability of the Orange allowed to turn an eight point Stanford lead with 6:47 remaining to a six point victory.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was victorious in his 862^nd game, 2^nd among active coaches and 5^th all time. The veteran coach spoke of his team’s play after the contest ended, “We played 40 minutes of good defense and 35 minutes of horrendous offense. Without the pressure we wouldn’t have won. That [full court press] was the difference.”

The tournament MVP, Kris Joseph of Syracuse, modestly gave credit to his teammates for his award, “If I could cut it up [award] and share it with all the players, I would.

Until the NBA season begins on Christmas day, the focus of hoops fans will be on college basketball. The next college basketball doubleheader at MSG will take place on Sunday afternoon, December 4, The Big Apple Classic.

It is not HBO or Showtime that granted King an opportunity to televise four championship fights, part of 11 fights to be held Saturday November 5^th from the Seminole Hard Rock & Casino in Hollywood Florida. The feature bout will be WBA cruiserweight champion Guillermo Jones defending his title against 14^th ranked Mike Marrone.

King made an indirect reference to HBO and Showtime the two major broadcast networks of the sport. They would not give him an opportunity to showcase Jones or Joey Hernandez the United States Boxing Organization Junior middleweight champion. He made references to the past and how Wealth TV will provide an opportunity for people across the nation to see fights like they did on ABC, CBS and NBC, the major networks that televised free boxing when King was on top of the business.

Not to say that Don King is history. He is still visible but does not have the major fighters that promotions like Top Rank and Golden Boy have to offer for the networks. He wants to see boxing return to the glory days, the old school theory of putting boxing on free television. It means more for King now to see the sport thrive again.

“The downward spiral,” said King about the sport, as he held court with media before introducing Robert and Charles Herring, a father and son who launched their network in 2004. King was referring to the ineffective people running the sport and how fans have been turned off with the recent and bizarre outcomes of major fights seen on pay-per-view and the networks.

There were references by King regarding how he had to advocate and get a return bout for his fighter, bantamweight Joseph Agbeko, who will get the opportunity against Abner Mares on December 3^rd. And he cited how boxing has been embarrassed with the recent outcomes of the Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz and Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson title fights.

“Yesterday, today, tomorrow,” is what King said will be the theme of the telecast on a network available to over 100 cable systems across the country.  The promoter, who now does most of his business in the state of Florida, said the Wealth televised card is a celebration for the people. The President of Panama is expected to attend, as well as legendary boxing champions Larry Holmes and Roberto Duran.

“A celebration for Roberto Duran and celebrate the birthday of Larry Holmes,” he said. It was vintage Don King as he waved the flags of different countries, said, “Viva Puerto Rico,” referring to one of his greatest champions, Felix Trinidad, and he of course provided his views on the economy and opportunity. It was Don King smiling, playing to the cameras, and bringing back memories of the old days.

And this will be a venture for Wealth TV. They admit this is an opportunity to expand their base.  Boxing to the premier lifestyle and entertainment network may be a risk. They invested an undisclosed amount of money and days ago made the deal with King, but the 70-year old Herring, a boxing fan said, “It nicely fits into the programming vision of WealthTV.”

More televised boxing cards, by the network if successful could mean a revival for King. He said, “Return boxing back to the masses, to the fans and not pay-per-view.”

It is technology incorporated into the old school theory that Don King is attempting to do. And it was convincing enough to convince Herring that boxing needs something different, another shot for King and a new way to present boxing to fans. The availability of viewing the telecast on Verizon FIOS TV and AT&T U-verse will also enable boxing fans to see the telecast on their phones and I-Pads.

King has always been an innovator with the sport and this year reunited and co-promoted a card with a former adversary, fellow Hall of Famer Bob Arum of Top Rank. This is his latest deal that could work, and with the technology available by the network, to say the least, old school could work with the new school.

And as much as Don King has been criticized over the years, a boxing fan will always recall the heyday of King being the dominating promoter, his success with Ali, Frazier, Norton and the “Thriller in Manila.” He made references to that in a small room at the Phillippe restaurant in New York City.  “All the champions are now in foreign countries,” he said. “They have escaped the country. The networks did it. You want to see fair play. Let us have a coalition for truth,” making reference to how HBO and Showtime would not make a deal for Jones, a legitimate champion with a 37-3-2 record along with 29 KO’s.

So this could work, and King did offer a WBA championship fight to his new network. “Give the people an opportunity in the land of opportunity,” he said about Jones not getting his chance on the major networks ,and thanking Herring for the chance to put his promotion back on a network.

“Go back to pride, dignity, and glory,” he continued, advocating for a national boxing commission, if done properly. No, it won’t hurt to have Don King visible again. A little more of old school boxing and a new network can’t harm the sport.

email Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

RUTGERS-The Scarlet Knights,off of a surprisingly good 15-17 record under first year head coach Mike Rice, return stars Gilvydas Biruta and Dane Miller and shooter Mike Poole. They also bring in a talented freshman class anchored by St. Anthony’s point guard and Jerome Seagears from Baltimore. The Knights will mss the scoring of Jonathan Mitchell, now playing in Europe, but for the first time in years have much depth and athleticism. They play a challenging schedule which includes LSU and Florida at the RAC and Miami on the road.  Prediction: NIT.

SETON HALL- They return pg Jerome Theodore and forward Herb Pope, but lose leading scorer Jeremy Hazell from last year’s disappointing squad. Second year head coach Kevin Willard brings in some talented but untested frosh who will have to contribute.    Prediction: No postseason.

ST. JOHN’S- The surprise of the Big East regular season last year under new head coach Steve Lavin. The veteran coach and former UCLA mentor had 10 seniors on his squad and they finally performed as a unit. He lost all of them, along with a frosh transfer and he returns exactly 3.0 of scoring. Lavin brought in a Top 10 nationally recruiting class, but 5 of them will not be eligible until second semester.The star of that class is 6-8 Maurice Harkless. He also has one of the most challenging out of Conference schedules in the country. Lavin is a good coach and Gene Keady, former Purdue coach is an excellent bench assistant, but the team will struggle, especially early on. Prediction: No postseason.

“The thing with Margarito was 2008 the chapter that was closed in that book,” commented Cotto about the first fight in July 2008. That is a night that saw Cotto with a battered face, dethroned of the WBA welterweight title in the 11^th round. The result was talk about Cotto being done, that he no longer had it. Cotto would rebound later, and Margarito, after winning the title from Shane Mosely, would eventually see his boxing license suspended for using tainted hand wraps under his gloves.

So a lot transpired since their first encounter. Both fighters went to war with Manny Pacquiao and  Cotto, quietly had been seeking this rematch for revenge. He leaves business to the promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and in the last year made it known that Margarito is what he wanted, and at Madison Square Garden his favorite venue where he is undefeated in six fights.

Though Cotto does admit he did have flaws in that first fight and will make no excuses or accusations that Margarito had tainted hand wraps then. But for the first time he showed writers a picture on his cell phone that was given to him earlier this year. It indicated a tear in the wrapped hands of Margarito. There was evidence of a tear with the tape and gauze. Again this was pure speculation by Cotto and he will not make accusations. However, the facts later on make one to believe that Margarito had an unfair advantage, even if Cotto that night was not at his best.

Margarito remains silent about the hand wrap controversy except when he is asked. “I never used any illegal bandages. I can’t change the opinions of everyone. I always fought clean. He claims to have paid his dues and the subject is a thing of the past.  He is also promoted by Arum and never went against his Mexican fighter when it came to the hand wrap issue. A win this time would put everything in perspective. He takes care of business in New York and Antonio Margarito indeed has the number of Miguel Cotto. Though the early line favorite is Cotto gets a commanding win and vengeance for what happened a few years ago in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena.

“I accept my defeat like a man,” says Cotto about that uneventful evening in Las Vegas. “It’s the first time I show the pictures to anybody,” referring to the Margarito wraps. “I over trained and won’t make the same mistakes again. I will be watching the first fight again soon to see what I did wrong.” He did not have the veteran Emanuel Steward in his corner then and he will once again have him for the third time in his corner at the Garden.

Steward was able to correct some flaws when he worked with Cotto the first time in June of 2010 at Yankee Stadium, a Cotto 9^th round TKO and defense of the WBA title over Yuri Foreman.

“He is sharp and will be ready at 154,” said Steward when reached for comment because was preparing Andy Lee for his rematch with Brian Vera. “Nothing will go wrong. We will watch the wraps and the gloves. Miguel has picked it up and learned what went wrong the first time.”

And with vengeance obviously on his mind, though Cotto will never show a vindictive trait, Margarito could see the same approach that was used in March. Ricardo Mayorga, saw enough punishment before being stopped by TKO in the 12^th round in the WBA super world light middleweight title fight. Cotto was aggressive and finally put Mayorga on the mat in that final round. It was vintage Cotto, punching with authority, and throwing combinations that propelled him to be a three division world champion.

“I’m going to give it all my body and soul to make this a great match,” said Cotto, (36-2-28 KO’s) one of those in the loss column coming to Pacquiao. He reiterated, ”It’s going to be the same as last time but the ending will be different.” Meaning of course, the punishment this time will show on the face of Margarito who is fully recovered from an injured eye socket that occurred when he lost to Pacquiao last November.

Cotto insisted also that the fight be at 153.  Margarito says that is unfair and that Cotto should be at 154. “If he is a real champion he should fight at 154,” says Margaritio. And Cotto would later respond that the weight was not an issue. His win over Margarito will tell the story that the first loss was because Margarito was with the advantage, once again briefly making reference to the hand wrap controversy.

“Boxing is a sport when you use your skills,” said Cotto. “He played with my health and that’s not fair.”  The wraps for both fighters will be placed in a suitcase prior to the fight and inspected by the New York Commission at the weigh-in. So there could be an end to the issue about Antonio Margarito and hand wraps that have tarnished his career.

Arum stated the Garden has a record advance gate for the fight with an undercard that also includes the undefeated Mike Jones, another of the rising stars in the welterweight division and junior welterweight Pawel Wolak.  And Cotto always sells out the Garden with a strong contingent of Puerto Rican fans from New York City.

But this is not about Puerto Rico against Mexico. It is the fight that Cotto wanted and he anticipates the coming months of training, saying he is a much more matured fighter with his new team under the direction of Steward.

“We accepted 153 because we don’t want Antonio Margarito to make any excuses,” says Cotto. Indeed this looks like it could be another chapter though this time a different and better one for Miguel Cotto.

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.