Guillermo Rigondeaux, Pugilism and Purgatory
When two-time Olympic gold medallist and Cuban boxing legend Guillermo Rigondeaux first arrived in the U.S. in 2008, his handlers believed he could earn $100 million fighting professionally. And when he dismantled Nonito Donaire to unify the 122-pound titles in April, he believed he’d finally claimed a hard-earned spot among boxing’s top performers, and thought … Continue reading
Yasiel Puig: Arrogance, Awesomeness & Annoying Double Standards
As a journalist I’m enamoured with facts, so here comes one: Yasiel Puig is awesome. That’s not an opinion but an ironclad reality. In first 36 games since his promotion to the Los Angeles Dodgers he hit .397 with eight homers, 27 runs scored and 19 more batted in. And in the six weeks since … Continue reading
The Fallacy of Effective Aggression, and other thoughts on Rigondeaux-Donaire
Even those of us who thought Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux would defeat Nonito Donaire in Saturday’s hotly anticipated 122-pound title unification bout couldn’t have foreseen a whitewash. And lets not kid ourselves. If you gave Donaire more than two rounds on Saturday you either work for Top Rank, or you might as well. Yes, I … Continue reading
July 14, 2010: Brothers in Baseball Destiny
For the remainder of infield practice they stood at shortstop, arms folded, smiling in the fading sunlight. Two boys becoming men, united, separated then thrown back together by their big-league dreams.
“In some ways it’s easier to live without seeing your family,” Iglesias said of his separation from Hechavarria….
May 2, 2010: Chasing his dream a lonely pursuit for Chapman
Cuban pitching phenom Aroldis Chapman confronts both batters and the reality that he may never see his family again May 2, 2010 Morgan Campbell, Sports Reporter BUFFALO, N.Y.—Baseball’s the easy part for Aroldis Chapman. The Cuban pitching prodigy has dominated stateside batters, totalling 22 strikeouts against just 14 hits in his first 21 innings with … Continue reading
April 17, 2010: Jays’ prospect Hechavarria faces plenty of hurdles
Fellow Cuban big leaguers caution Jays’ signee to learn English and the value of a dollar. April 17, 2010 Morgan Campbell Sports Reporter Three days after Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria arrived in Dunedin, Fla., to finalize his contract with the Blue Jays, he took a short trip to St. Petersburg with his agent, Bart Hernandez, … Continue reading
Feb. 16, 2010: Cuba facing big-league baseball crisis
Exodus of star players to the majors could endanger the game’s future in socialist country February 16, 2010 By Morgan Campbell On Friday afternoon, scouts from half the teams in Major League Baseball converged at a stadium in Cancun, Mexico, to watch a single player’s private workout, wondering if the man could match the mystique. … Continue reading
Morgan Campbell: A Writer on Sports and More 