"Ladies and Gentleman, the Bronx is burning" is the title of a book. It also has been a title for many reports, newspaper editorials and film documentaries. The quote is from the late ABC sports commentator, Howard Cosell, who was then covering the 1977 World Series at Yankee Stadium when the Goodyear blimp focused its cameras on several fires in the South Bronx. In those few seconds that the cameras focused on the fires, Mr. Cosell made the remarks, “The Bronx Is Burning.”

Prior to 1977, the Bronx and the South Bronx in particular, had already been suffering from one of the worst urban decays in modern history. The Borough of the Bronx was like the forgotten borough. City, State and the federal government had totally neglected the borough that was increasingly becoming a Latino Mecca for many working-class families. Thus, the addition of those infamous words “The Bronx Is Burning” helped seal a negative description that has remained for decades.

Today, the South Bronx is no longer burning except with pride from the renaissance that our borough is experiencing. Community organizers, business owners and we residents are proud of what the Bronx represents today: a borough that has earned us the prestigious All-America City Award and the Crown Community Award.

In July 2008, another baseball game will take place in the South Bronx as we host the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Once again, the eyes of the world will be focused on our community and this time we want them to see the real Bronx, a borough that has developed to become one of the most popular places to visit and live.

We want to salute the 2008 MLB All-Star Game with the best the Bronx has to offer. We want to let everyone that visits our great city to know that there will be many events taking place in addition to the “Home Run Derby & All-Star Games.”

PREGONES Theater, Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Bronx Council of the Arts, Latino Sports, The Sports Foundation and NAICA, started a community coalition to ask Major League Baseball to work with the community so that together they can help produce one of the best All-Star Games ever.

Unfortunately, the folks at Major League Baseball have not responded positively to the community’s request nor have they showed any interest in meeting with them.

MLB has basically pushed the issue on the NY Yankees and instructed them to address the issues of the community through their community affairs office. It is truly unfortunate that MLB has taken this approach to genuine community interest in assisting them with an event that is to everyone’s interest.

Perhaps someone needs to remind MLB that they are coming to the South Bronx, to a community that is still reeling from major issues related to the new Yankee Stadium. MLB should not ignore a community that is reaching out to them especially when many of the other major events related to the All-Star Game are taking place in Manhattan.

This is 2008 and the people of the Bronx will not take too kindly to allowing MLB or anyone to ignore the community as they have been in the past.

Submitted by the Bronx Salute to the 2008 All-Stars. A coalition of Bronx organizations who want to work with MLB to assure that the Bronx community is not ignored and portrayed in a positive way for the 2008 All-Star Game


Posted or edited by WGR

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