The Babe Ruth League World Series is underway in Missouri featuring some of the best young baseball players from the United States and around the world.
This year for the first time in history there is a “Native Nations” team, a team of players representing different Native American tribes.
“They’ve been so supportive of having the first native representation as part of [The Babe Ruth World Series] from fans, to staff, to umpires.” said coach D.J. Carrasco. “They’re just so supportive of it all around.”
The tryouts for the team took place at the Salt River Fields in July where Native ball players from eight states as well as Canada and Mexico came with hopes of making the historic team.
At that tournament former MLB player and now coach D.J. Carrasco said it was an opportunity years in the making.
"This is just another opportunity for our native tribes across the country to be equals with everyone else that is out there playing. Because we too play ball," Carrasco said.
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With the tournament now underway, three players from Arizona tribes made the Native Nations team: Jace Huma from the Hopi Tribe, Angel “JJ” Medina from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and Sir Hendrix Sneezy from the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
“I would like to thank my late father, if it wasn’t for him teaching me the game and the love of the sport I wouldn’t be here right now,” Sir Hendrix Sneezy said. “I’m just grateful for this opportunity.”
“I just want to appreciate my brothers, my family, my tribe, and everyone who got me out here.” Medina said. “It’s been a wonderful time out here.”
“The experience is really fun, especially to have teammates from across the country and go against people from around the world,” Huma said. “I want to say hi to my Mom as well, hi Mom.”
For all three players, they say they’re proud to be the trailblazers in Missouri this year, and know that it is just the beginning of representation of their people in the game of baseball.
“It’s the first one in history and we’re all honored to play for the first native team in history here, and it definitely wont be the last one,” Huma said.
