Role of baseball in Mexican American communities topic of Oct. 16 program

The Cal State San Bernardino Libraries will present “The Role of Baseball in Mexican American Communities - A Panel Discussion among Baseball History Scholars” on Zoom beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16.

The program of the Latino Baseball History Project is free and open to the public. Join the livestream on Zoom; meeting ID is 840 0720 4410, and the passcode is 455209.

As the title of the program suggests, discussion will center on the role and impact the sport of baseball has in Mexican American communities – more than just a spectator sport, baseball became the reason people would come together to meet, network and socialize.

Panelists scheduled to participate are:

• Ron Gonzáles, who worked as a reporter and editor at three California newspapers during his 38 years in journalism. He is a co-author of “Mexican American Baseball in the South Bay” and “Mexican American Baseball in the Santa Maria Valley,” both of which are books of the Latino Baseball History Project.
• Richard A. Santillán, professor emeritus from California State University at Pomona. Since 2011, he has been the editor for a series of books on Mexican American Baseball and Softball for the Mexican American Baseball History Project housed at CSUSB. He currently teaches as an adjunct professor at East Los Angeles College and Harbor College.
• Olivia Cuéva-Fernández, author of the book “Mexican Americans in Wilmington,” which is about the Los Angeles-area community in which she was born and raised. She is a co-author for both the first and second editions of “Mexican American Baseball in the South Bay.” She graduated from California State University, Long Beach and taught for more than 40 years. She is a member of several South Bay historical societies and organizations.
• Rod Mártinez, a native of Kansas who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He was employed in the aerospace industry for 45 years. He father and uncle were outstanding baseball players, his father (who was offered a contract by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939) also played military ball during World War II in England. Rod has been a member of the Latino Baseball History Project since 2012 and has co-authored the book “Mexican American Baseball in Kansas City” and is currently a coauthor and editor for the forthcoming book, “Mexican American Baseball in Kansas.”
• César Cabállero (moderator) is dean emeritus of the CSUSB Libraries after serving the university for 15 years.  He has also served as the Latino Baseball History Project director since it began in 2004.