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Major League Baseball has been clouded by the steroid era, and this latest generation of young baseball fans is faced with questions beyond, “Is Mantle better than Mays?” How are the children in Los Angeles affected when their new idol, Dodgers star Manny Ramirez, is suspended for 50 games on May 7 for violating baseball’s drug policy? Julie Foudy follows two families in the wake of Ramirez’s failed drug test, and reports on the dialogue between the parents and their children as they sort through the steroid era.
“I felt a little upset that I had to explain things to him. It was kind of easier when it was Barry Bonds because we don’t like the Giants anyway (laughs), but then when it’s one of our own, we’re like ‘Oh my God, not Manny.’” – Adriana Lopez, mother of 8-year-old David Beltran
“Why would you take steroids? There’s no reason for it. You hit the ball farther, it doesn’t make you a better person.” – David Beltran, age 8
Andrés Galarraga Featured in Special Edition of Perfiles
ESPN Deportes (Sunday, 6 p.m.); ESPN Latin America (Sunday, 6:30 p.m.)
A special edition of Perfiles will feature former Major League Baseball first baseman Andrés Galarraga, the beloved Venezuelan who was a five-time All-Star, the 1993 National League batting champion and 1996 NL home run and RBI king while playing with the Colorado Rockies. However, “The Big Cat” was forced to miss the 1999 season when he was diagnosed with lymphoma, but he rebounded to earn the MLB Comeback Player of the Year award in 2000. ESPN Perfiles: Andres Galarraga, which also focuses on Galarraga’s early years with the Leones de Caracas and early challenges with the Montreal Expos, features interviews with former and current MLB players Rafael Furcal, Ozzie Guillén, Luis Sojo, Fernando Valenzuela, Vinny Castilla, Luis Salazar, John Kruk, Eric Young, Carlos Baerga and Eduardo Perez.
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The Story of Prisoner F95488 – Soccer Player Eric Frimpong
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| ESPN The Magazine (on newsstands Friday)
Soccer player Eric Frimpong of Ghana was living the American dream after helping the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos win the 2006 national championship and being drafted by the MLS Kansas City Wizards. However, he is now in prison serving a six-year sentence for rape, although many question the verdict, claiming race played a role in the all-white jury’s decision. Reporter Sam Alipour uses police reports, interview transcripts, court proceedings and comments from trial observers to explain the saga that is People v. Eric Frimpong, which has divided the 425,000 residents of Santa Barbara County, only 2 percent of whom are black.
Excerpts:
“It’s a terrible thing that happened to me. Being in here, I keep asking myself why God put me in that situation. And then it struck me: Maybe I can reach more people, help more people, if they hear my story.” – Eric Frimpong
“I don’t care that he’s a soccer star and I’m a nobody. Eric Frimpong ruined my life.” - Jane Doe, the rape victim
“We will continue to fight for Eric. We will not rest until he is exonerated and the ugly truth of his wrongful prosecution and conviction comes out.” – Loni Monahan, mother of Frimpong’s former UC Santa Barbara teammate
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