Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Battle for Women Sports in the US

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San Jose State University Spartan’s volley ball player Blaire Fleming (3) a transgender has been the subject of boycotts by four universities (San Jose State University photo)

The Battle for Women Sports in the US

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Although this instance involves a Bay Area University, this issue is becoming a bigger and bigger national issue. Simple, should a biological male who transitioned to female be able to participate in biological women’s sports? Several teams have canceled matches against San José State rather than compete against the team that features transgender senior Blaire Fleming.

Below: This was the official statement by the University of Reno women’s volleyball team.

“We, the University of Nevada Reno women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San José State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, and Utah State University,” the statement said, referring to the other teams who have forfeited their matches. We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any game that advances injustice against female athletes.”

So, how do we approach this issue in sports as a society? According to the professionals in academia, the people who know and are authorized to talk about biology, men have more skeletal muscle than women, an average of 26 pounds. Regarding upper-body strength, men have about 40% more upper-body strength than women. Regarding lower-body strength, men have about 33% lower body strength than women.

In other words, when a male is born compared to a female, they have deeper bones, tendons, and ligaments and a greater cardiovascular reserve. Men also have larger hearts, greater lung volume, higher red blood cell counts, plus other physical advantages.

This is not a commentary but a fact revealed by people who study and are qualified to give us this type of statistical information. We are all entitled to offer our opinions on sports and cultural issues. However, most people with any common sense agree that a biological man is born with more physical attributes than a female.

70% of the country agrees that biological males who do the transformation to women should not compete against biological females. I am part of that 70%, and we cannot criticize these women in collegiate sports who refuse to play against a team that showcases a biological man.

Lia Catherine Thomas is an American swimmer and the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship, having won the women’s 500-yard freestyle event in 2022 before being barred from competing in women’s events by World Aquatics.

Thomas’s career has been a part of the public debate about transgender women in women’s sports. I, for one, would not like any of my two grandaughters to compete against the biological men who transitioned to female. I consider myself fair, and in my book, such a thing is not fair.

This issue is bigger than sports, but since it is now part of our sports culture, I thought we should consider what we are doing, and should be open for debate.

Amaury Pi Gonzaelz does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB Post Season podcast on That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Mets tie series 1-1 with Vientos grand slam; Yanks go up on Guardians 2-0

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The New York Mets Mark Vientos rounds the bases with a second inning grand slam home run at Dodger Stadium in game 2 of the NLCS. The Mets went onto tie the series at 1-1 on Mon Oct 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 New York Mets Mark Vientos hit a grand slam home run to help defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Monday night for a commanding 7-3 win to even the series 1-1.

#2 Amaury after getting clobbered in a 9-0 shutout the Mets regrouped and scored some runs with the Vientos grand slam and that big second inning five run rally.

#3 After Mets starter Sean Manaea five innings allowed two hit and two runs. The Mets relievers Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, and Edwin Diaz came in and didn’t allow a run.

#4 New York Yankees showed their a powerhouse and they got big help in game 1 in the ALCS on Monday night with home run help from Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton for a 5-2, over the Cleveland Guardians.

#5 The Yankees got some pitching with starter Carlos Rodon went six innings, three hits and one earned run. Rodon had injuries when he first joined the Yankees but this season he’s got tracked and has been a big part of the starting rotation.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez podcasts That’s Amaury News and Commentary Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Los Tiburones – Successful Hispanic Night at SAP in San José

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NBC Sports California’s Amaury Pi Gonzalez (left and author) on color and Carlos Ramirez (right) on play by play, call the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and San Jose Sharks NHL game on Sat Oct 12, 2024, on Los Tiburones Night at SAP Center in San Jose (photo provided by Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

Los Tiburones — Successful Hispanic Night at SAP in San José

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

On Saturday, October 12, the Sharks celebrated Hispanic Night at the SAP Arena. A capacity crowd of 17,916 joined the fiesta with 100X100 Hispanic flavor, including a live Mariachi band, Balet Folklórico Mexicano.

Los Tiburones played their California rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. It was a very entertaining night, which ended with a 2-0 win for the visiting Ducks.

The action was broadcast live on NBC Sports California, with all the action in Spanish on the Secondary Audio Channel, as well as on Sharks Audio, with Carlos Ramírez handling all the play-by-play and Amaury Pi-González providing commentary and promotional announcements for the whole 2024-25 Sharks season.

Sergio Almodovar, coordinator for the Sharks Media Relations, joined us after the second half ended with insightful information about the 2024-25 Sharks season; he talked about how important the Hispanic community is for the San José Sharks.

Almodovar, born and raised in the Bay Area, is of Mexican heritage. San José is over 30% Hispanic and a community that keeps growing. Some of the most famous Spanish media in the Bay Area are in San José, including KSTS CH 48 Telemundo Network, and some of the highest audiences in Spanish on radio stations in the Bay Area’s largest city.

San José is California’s third most populous city, #1 Los Angeles, #2 San Diego. The largest city in Northern California is a global hub for the high-tech industry, home of world-famous Silicon Valley—hosts annual conferences like Facebook F8 and the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference.

Spanish is the State of California’s unofficial second language. With a total population of around 40 million, there are nearly 20 million Hispanics. Here in the nine=-county Bay Area, 20% of the population is Hispanic/Latino, by far the largest minority in the State and in the Bay Area.

As of July 1, 2023, the Hispanic population in the United States was 65.2 million. The United States of America is #2 with the most significant number of Spanish speakers. México is number one, with 128 million people who speak Spanish.

The Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Vegas Knights have all added Spanish-language broadcasts to serve their Hispanic fan bases.

As Sports Anchor of Telemundo CH 48 San José in 1991-92, I covered the Sharks, even before they built the SAP Center. Covered their first game at the Cow Palace in Daly City (before moving to San José to their current digs).

It was on October 5, 1991, against the Vancouver Canucks, during that 1991-92 season, their first they played at the Cow Palace before moving to the SAP Center in San José in 1993.

In 2016, they covered the first Stanley Cup for the team as they played the Pittsburgh Penguins and lost the series in seven games.

The San José Sharks partnership with the Hispanic/Latino community is more important today than ever.

The Sharks are now a Bay Area institution for the last 33 years. And we all hope their best season are soon to come.

Catch Amaury Pi Gonzalez on That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Thomas hits grand slam and lands Cleveland in ALCS; Dodgers to face Mets in NLCS

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The Cleveland Guardians Lane Thomas celebrates after hitting his fifth inning grand slam home run against the Detroit Tigers in game 5 of the ALDS at Progressive Field in Cleveland (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Well Amaury, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled it off with a 2-0 shoutout over the San Diego Padres on Friday night to advance to the next round of the playoffs winning game 5 and the series 3-2. Dodgers starter Yoshi Yamamoto was effective for five inning of work allowing just five hits and two strikeouts.

#2 The Dodgers face off against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium for a 5:15pm PT on Sunday night start in game 1 of the NLCS. Starting pitcher for the Mets Kodai Senga (0-0 ERA 4.50) for the Dodgers Jack Flaherty (0-1, 6.75). The Mets took out the Philadelphia Phillies three games to four last Wednesday.

#3 Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt might win AL Manager of the Year just yet. Down 1-2 in the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers the Guardians came back to win game four 5-4 on Thursday to tie the series 2-2 and won game five 7-3 on Saturday to advance to the ALCS.

#4 The Guardians Lane Thomas had a big day with a grand slam home run and five RBIs. The Tigers starter Tarik Skubal got lit up by Thomas and ended up with a line of six plus innings, allowing six hits and five runs. Skubal had been a top contender for the AL Cy Young Award.

#5 The Guardians now face the New York Yankees in the ALCS for game 1 in the Bronx. These two teams have met over their history six times in October. They last met playing five games in the ALDS in 2022 with the Yankees winning the series.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does That’s Amaury podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Luis Tiant -“Solo hubo Uno” -There was only One

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Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant (left) signs autographs at the Manchester NH Fire Firefighters Department with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (right) who was running for president smiles and looks on Mon, May 7, 2007. Tiant passed away on Tue Oct 8, 2024 at age 83 (AP file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Luis Tiant -“Solo hubo Uno” -There was only One-

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Solo hubo Uno -There was only One

Born in Cuba in 1940, he passed away on October 8, 2024 he was 83. This Cuban-born pitcher was a great and funny guy who approached life really ‘one day at a time.’ He could lose a game and be okay with it, although he didn’t like it. He would say, “Esta bien,voy a lanzar otra vez en cuatro —trans: “That is okay, I will pitch again in four days.”

When I was a kid in La Habana, my father, Joaquin, would take me to the Cuban Winter League games. I saw him pitch, with the Leones del Habana, and he was a dandy, a fan favorite. Later, in the Major Leagues, he was an outstanding pitcher with great character.

Luis Tiant’s father was also a good pitcher, and he pitched for the New York Cubans of the Negro Leagues, but because he was black, he never pitched in the Major Leagues. Oh yes, the ex-MLB star always had that incredible delivery when he threw the ball, one of the most distinctive in history. Some great Latino pitchers, i.e., Dominican Juan Marichal, with that high-leg kick, had those traits that generations of fans remember.

During his visits to Oakland, I interviewed Luis. He was wearing the Boston Red Sox uniform in the late 1970s. He was funny but a friendly, genuine, typical Cuban player (of the old days). He loved a cafecito Cubano (Cuban coffee) and then an authentic Habano, a Cuban cigar, but he truly loved to talk baseball.

After retiring from a career of close to 20 years in the Major Leagues, he was seen signing autographs at Fenway Park, especially near his Cuban Sandwich stand and beloved by Red Sox fans, El Tiante, who also left Cuba (like many Cuban players) because of the strict restrictions imposed on Cuban citizens by a communist system that nationalized all sports and owned the players.

Tiant remained active with the Red Sox in spring training and was visible around Fenway Park, often signing autographs to anybody who asked before the game at the ballpark’s El Tiante Cuban Sandwich stand; it was an authentic Cuban sandwich, none of the imitations that we often see all over the place today, which the only thing Cuban on the sandwich is the name. Although nominated but never inducted into MLB Hall of Fame he is in The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Luis-Tiant

Descansa en Paz hermano… Rest in Peace brother.

Catch Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Charlie Hustle should be in Cooperstown 

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Former Cincinnati Reds hitter Pete Rose at the bat against the Atlanta Braves on Aug 2, 1978 at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta (AP file photo)

By Amaury Pi-González

When I first arrived in the United States as a young teen in 1961, I remember people saying, “In America, everybody deserves a second chance.” Well, Pete Rose, as a player, never got that chance by the MLB Hall of Fame.

Charlie Hustle was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling on the Cincinnati Reds team he managed; that makes a lot of sense. As a manager, he made the moves; some of them could win a game, and some could not, but he had absolute control throughout any match. Common sense tells us that for baseball, it was correct to ban him for life as a manager. But as a player?

In the United States of America, even criminals, big-time felons, go to prison, serve their time, rehabilitate later, and join society again. Example: O.J Simpson, and we know that story.

As a player, Pete Rose is the all-time Hits King, with 4,256 hits. #2 in Ty Cobb, 4189 hits; if we used today’s standards, Ty Cobb should lead a new Hall of Fame, “The Racist Hall of Fame, and ‘trust me’ he will have competition, even managers.

Today, the Hall of Fame’s various committees elect participants other than recently retired players. The most active is the Veterans Committee. I hope that for the sake of the great game of baseball and future generations, Pete Rose could be elected to the Hall of Fame as a player. Why?

Because he was one of the best baseball players ever to wear a uniform. Whether or not you like his personality, you do not elect people for their personality flaws but for the merit of their performance. With 4,256 hits, who could argue with a career of such magnitude, especially during this time in baseball history when the average batting average in baseball is a paltry .240. I covered Pete Rose as a player, and he should be in the Hall of Fame. Period.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Tigers get all the runs they need in 2nd inning in 3-1 win; Royals Witt with RBI helps defeat O’s 1-0 in game 1; plus more Wild Card news

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Detroit Tigers starter Tarik Skubal (29) is stoked after striking out Houston Astros Yanier Diaz in the bottom of the sixth inning at the AL Wild Card Game in Minute Maid Field at Houston on Tue Oct 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, just wanted to ask you about the four MLB Wild Card games being played today and see if you can share your thoughts about today’s results. We’ll start with the Detroit Tigers who played the Houston Astros today at Minute Maid Field in the AL Wild Card game. Framber Valdez started for the Astros and Tigers did all the damage against Valdez in the top of the second inning scoring three runs coming away with a 3-1 win in game 1.

#2 The Royals and Orioles battled for the second AL Wild Card game at Camden Yards. The Royals came away with a 1-0 shutout to defeat the Orioles at Camden Yards. The Royals Bobby Witt has been doing it all season Tuesday he drove in the winning run and Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragan pitched six innings of shutout ball to close down the Orioles in game 1.

#3 The New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers might be a tight match at American Family Park in Milwaukee.

#4 The Atlanta Braves will be starting SJ Smith-Shawyer (0-0, 0.00) and the San Diego Padres will be starting Michael King (13-9, 2.95) Shawyer will be pitching against one of baseball’s best teams the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: End of an Era-I feel I was Evicted

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Oakland A’s Spanish radio announcers left to right Manolo Hernandez-Douen, Jose Orellana (engineer), and Amaury Pi Gonzalez at the last MLB game ever played at the Oakland Coliseum between the Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers on Thu Sep 26, 2024 (photo furnished by the author Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

End of an Era -I feel I was Evicted

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–It ended on a Sunday afternoon in Seattle, the Oakland A’s run since 1968. The Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland A’s (last time we can say Oakland A’s): Seattle 6, Oakland 4. It has been an emotional hangover for most of us who worked at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

I do feel like I have been “evicted” for no fault of my own, and I know many feel the same way. I have been there from the Charlie O Finley ownership[ days to Joh Fisher’s days}. I met Mr. Finley, but never A’s owner Mr. Fisher.

I started broadcasting Major League Baseball at old Box 19, a broadcast booth at the Oakland Coliseum, in 1978. It has been a long time since then. In 1978, the NY Yankees beat the LA Dodgers in the World Series, and Bucky Dent was the MVP.

The highest-paid player in 1978 was third baseman Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies, who earned $560,000.The US turned the Panamá Canal to Panamá. Louise Brown became the first human born from in vitro fertilization, and the average gas price in the United States was .70 cents per gallon.

But back to the Oakland Coliseum. A’s Manager Mark Kotsay and his players were a “class act” playing during a difficult season, not because they were trying not to finish last, they did not. They looked like a team that could be a .500 team starting next season, but because of all the circumstances with the team moving to Las Vegas, with an expected stop in Sacramento.

This time in history is not like it was back in 1978 when everybody got their news from three television Networks and a couple of local stations (no 500-plus cable channels like today). In the Bay Area, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, Oakland Tribune, and San José Mercury News were mostly our daily sources of information. That was when people actually read whole newspaper articles, not just a big-fat headline on YouTube.

Today, everybody has a cell phone in their pockets (including the players), and rumors, fake news, and innuendo move faster than the wind at old Candlestick Park in San Francisco during batting practice around 5 PM. As I remember, this includes the games during the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989.

I do not have an exact count of the many days, afternoons, and nights that I spend at the Oakland Coliseum, but I have called it “my second home” since the 1970s in the business. I not only called games on the radio but also covered games. In the 1980s, I broadcast games for Telemundo CH 48 San José, which was first a tiny station but is now part of NBC Universal.

No matter how you analyze the Oakland Athletics story, it is sad, and I, for one, feel like I was evicted from the Coliseum.

Adiós al Coliseo y todas las memorias.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Oakland is a Transitory stop for Sports teams

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The Oakland Coliseum Complex which hosted such teams as the Oakland Raiders, Golden State Warriors, California Golden Seals, and Oakland A’s since opening in 1966 (file photo ABC Sky 7)

Oakland is a Transitory stop for Sports teams

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–This professional baseball team played in Oakland for 52 years. The Oakland Oaks, played in Oakland from 1903 until 1955 and then relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. While playing in Oakland, the Oaks symbol was the oak tree (today the official logo of the City of Oakland) Oaks Park, formally known as the Oakland Baseball Park and at times nicknamed Emeryville Park, was a baseball stadium in Emeryville, California.

It was primarily used for baseball and was the home field of the Oakland Oaks baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, located within the city limits of Emeryville between Oakland and Berkeley. The address where that park was located today is 3229 Kempton Avenue, Oakland.

Baseball stars like Dominic and Joe DiMaggio, Lefty O’Doul, Casey Stengel, Billy Martin, and Eddie Lombardi played there with their respective teams. Also, Hall of Fame Negro Leagues players like Josh Gibson, Satchel Page, and Jackie Robinson took the field in this cozy ballpark.

During their history, the Oaks were in the Pacific Coast League 1903-1940 and 1942-1955 Previously, they were in the California League in 1901 and 1941. Other professional teams that played in Oakland and left Oakland NHL: California Golden Seals from 1967 to 1976.

They were an expansion team in 1967, one of the six teams added to the league. Their home was Oakland, and they played their games at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. They moved to Cleveland. NFL -The Oakland Raiders played at the Oakland Coliseum (1960-1981).

In 1982, they moved to Los Angeles (1982-1994) and then back to Oakland (1995-2019). finally, they settled in Las Vegas, where they have played since 2020. NBA -The Golden State Warriors moved from Philadelphia were they began play in 1946 to San Francisco in 1962 and until 1971 when the San Francisco Warriors (played at the Cow Palace in Daly City while the Oakland Arena was under construction) and became the San Francisco Warriors.

In 1971, they adopted the name Golden State Warriors and moved to Oakland, where they play their home games at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena (1971-2019) The Warriors moved to San Francisco Chase Center for the 2019-20 season, where they play today.

MLB -The Oakland Athletics chartered members of the American League in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics, moved to Kansas City (1955-1967) and then landed in Oakland in 1968 and played at the Oakland Coliseum until September 26, 2024.

The Oakland A’s, have a “two-stop” trip-plan, for Sacramento and ultimately Las Vegas. Years at those two cities. Unknown. Conclusion: The legacy of the City of Oakland, California when it comes to sports is :”under review”.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The One Man Club 50-50

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Los Angeles Dodgers two way mega star Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting his 50th home run in the top of the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park in Miami on Thu Sep 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

The One Man Club 50-50

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

There is only one player in the One Man Club.

He did not pitch this season because he had Tommy John surgery in 2023. Thursday, September 19, 2024, Shohei Ohtani, while playing in Miami with the Los Angeles Dodgers, became the first man ever in the history of Major League Baseball with 50 homeruns and 50 stolen bases in one single season.

The 30-year-old Japanese international mega-star had elbow surgery last year. Now, Ohtani is headed to the playoffs in 2024 and could pitch again in 2025.

Shohei Ohtani, a once-in-a-lifetime player, will be on the Dodgers’ payroll for the next 20 years under the unique terms of the 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. We are fortunate to live during the Ohtani years since not many who witnessed the great Babe Ruth are left.

I know Ohtani was born in Japan, but as we have seen, this talented man plays the most challenging sport to master, baseball, where most of the time you fail; he makes it look easy. His talents make him look like he comes from another world.

Congratulations Ohtani! おめでとう

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com