Native athletes headed to major league baseball

Thursday, March 29, 2007  

Three Native athletes have a shot at playing in major league baseball.

Joba Chamberlain, a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, signed with the New York Yankees last year. He led his University of Nebraska team to the 2005 College World Series after only playing baseball for a couple of years.

Jacoby Ellsbury, who is Navajo, has been training with the Boston Red Sox. As a student at Oregon State University, he was the 2005 Pac-10 Conference Co-Player of the year and an All Academic Honorable Mention

Bobby Madritsch, an Oglala Sioux, recently pitched for the Seattle Mariners before being traded to the Kansas City Royals for the 2006 season. But he has been out of commission due to some injuries and is looking to make a comeback.

Get the Story:
NATIVE AMERICAN PROSPECTS HOLD KEY BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT (The Amherst Times 3/28)

USA Today: Few Natives in college, pro sports