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- Reading responses must be AT LEAST 200 words.
- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by 8pm on the day PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading.
After reading Regalado’s “invisible identity” and Iber’s “on field foes and racial misconceptions” I concluded that both of these readings spoke upon the influences and impacts that baseball, and sports in general, had on Mexican communities. In the early years, demeaning misconceptions, like the greaser film displayed, had portrayed Mexicans as a primitive and unsophisticated society but movements of the 1960s and the emergence of Cesar Chavez had inspired chicano scholars to critically analyze Mexican-American history. Something that stood out to me in the articles was the fact that many scholar during early periods wrote on anything but sports in their published books because sports was actually a paramount importance that took center stage in several communities to sought larger and more defined presence in the US mainstream. It bridged important gaps between the people of Mexican heritage and played a role in shaping the identities of people living in rural colonias and urban barrios. Various topics such as immigration, nationalism and social activism became key components in the reconstruction of the past. Through many of their sports clubs, citrus growers, reformers and laborers all used the game industry to advance their social, labor and political agendas. Baseball/softball in Mexican Los Angeles was one of the various ways people from south of the border forged an identity as Mexicans to garner respect in the eyes of “Americanos.” Though some may state that the new roles of the Latinx community forged hybrid identities and was recognized to a lesser degree within their culture as they had to adapt to the transitions from home to college life, I argue that their culture and identity were not lost but had simply evolved or became assimilated as chicanx’s had to deal with being Mestiza people in America. Conclusively, sports had a huge impact on Mexican communities as they began to take pride in overcoming their stereotypical perspectives, especially after the emergence of the 1961 Donna redskins state championship team.
ReplyDeleteAdrian Martinez
Regalado and Iber suggest appropriate and sensible arguments against the historiography made towards Mexican Americans; although factors such as political, social, and labor accounts within this U.S. “minority” group are considered, sports and recreation is cast away from study and view. It is disheartening to hear of the discrimination which is cast on “different” ethnicities other than the “white” majority in the United States. Nevertheless, to undermine intellectual and physical abilities of a people, such as those of Mexican descent, is cruel and ruthless. If a person is not intellectually nor physically adequate for survival within a society, what does this make of him/her? The conclusion that most opposing people inquire is that the Mexican American population are simply not qualified to be alongside “them” in civilization. However, all should be accepted and take ownership of their rights as a living human being within the land that is said to be “indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” Furthermore, it was very interesting to read of the Donna Redskin’s victory of state football champions. The city of Donna constitutes, as does numerous places, families and individuals stricken in unfortunate conditions. Yet, I do believe that their triumph in the sport of football was of no coincidence, for the little town harvested the fruits of their patience as they endured tests of racial segregation and discrimination. God allowed them to overcome all odds so that others and they themselves may know that nobody is too small nor “insignificant” to be part of a success so great in history.
ReplyDeleteCeline Brianna Salas
In the article ‘On field foes and racial misconceptions’ by Jorge Iber I learned that in Texas not just football is more important than winning a state championship game. As a Hispanic woman this was new for me, and surprisingly I agree because, when we find out that a famous celebrity or famous athlete went to our school we don’t feel invisible. Also, Iber said, “The valley, populated primarily by Mexican Americans, has often been referred to as a football coach’s ‘cemetery.’ For example, when Charlie Williams arrived to Pharr- San Juan- Alamo high school his coach told him that this post would ‘mark the nadir of his career’ meaning the end of his career. He said this because he believed in a commonly accepted fact – “[…] Mexican Americans were poor football players.” As a resident in the Rio Grande Valley I feel sad but mad of people believing in this ‘fact’ just because someone is an undocumented immigrant doesn’t mean that he can’t achieve in life or be someone that will make a difference. Doesn’t matter if he did a small or big difference as long as someone shows and proves that we are not invisible. By proving this we can make other Mexican Americans, who assimilated to be accepted in America society, to accept their ‘true’ identity.
ReplyDeleteStephanie Nicole Cantu
I enjoyed this specific topic for this week because it dealt with sports and I am a huge fan of sports. After reading Regalado’s “Invisible Identity” and Iber’s “On-Field Foes and Racial Misconceptions, I got a complete understanding of how sports in general was huge for the Mexican-American communities. “Invisible Identity” analyzes sporting experiences and organizations, as well as their impact on communal and individual lives. This title features contributions that spotlight diverse fields of athletic endeavor: baseball, football, soccer, boxing, track, and softball. It is useful for those interested in sports history such as myself. Sports has always been something that has been around and a big-time thing for many across the U.S. Sports has greatly impacted people’s lives. Team sports has a long history in the United States and has been framed in terms of black/white interactions. I really liked the part where in the second reading it provides the understanding of how Mexican-Americans, like minorities elsewhere, have used sports to break down barriers and stereotypes. ”On-Field Foes and Racial Misconception” discusses the amazing story of the 1961 Donna Redskins. These group of individuals had success on the field which helped them reshape the perception of this ethnic group. Both these readings provided a great amount of information and comes to the conclusion that sports has and will always have a great impact the Mexican communities.
ReplyDeleteMichael Garcia
To start off, I am really not into sports, but after reading Regalado “invisible identity” and Iber “on-filed foes and racial misconceptions the way I view sports has changed a bit. Before reading the articles I always thought that sports were non-important, but after reading I now know and understand that sports have a huge impact in the Mexican American culture. When talking or learning about sports there is much more to it then the games itself, but there are also political issues on sports. From what I read a couple of years ago many would not talk about Mexican Americans and sports. Many would not be aware of the great achievements that Mexican Americans were accomplishing, and they also had and have a passion for sports. I also recall reading that many would portray them as uncivilized people when it came to sports, which I believe that nobody should be judged just because of whom they are or where they come from. Like mentioned before I am not into sports, but I believe people should play in whatever they want without any judgement before seeing them on the field. People should be appreciated for any talent that they got no matter their ethnicity. You will never know how good a person can be or how much they can achieve if you do not give them a chance.
ReplyDeleteGuadalupe Cazares
After reading “invisible identity” by Regalado, I can assume that Mexicans had no recognition in sports in the US. Mexican athletes were underrated because they did not fit the “white athlete” stereotype in which white athletes were big and strong. Mexicans had no chance to progress in sports in US. After the events of 1960s in which Cesar Chaves and Corky Gonzales fought for the right of Mexicans, Mexicans started to have voice, more people started to pay attention to Mexican Athletes, and the media realized the potential and skills Mexicans had. Anglos thought that people from poor towns were not meant to play in a high level because they had no skills and resources. It is so sad that white people used to think that because of the look of someone, he or she did not play well. Discrimination was a problem for Mexicans athletes because as always Anglos did not want Mexicans to be superior on anything. From the article “The little giants” or the movie, which it is an inspirational story of how Mexican kids for the first time ever won the little baseball league in the US with no experience before, we can see how the physic of Mexicans were not even close to Americans’. From that event people understood that the color skin, the economic status, or the physical body did not matter when playing in high level. All what matters is the skills they got and the spirit they put.
ReplyDeleteMissael Salinas
This was truly a Cinderella story for the Donna Redskins back in 1961. They took that football field and made history that night, being the only team in the Rio Grande Valley to bring back a state champ trophy, up to this day. They were considered the underdogs and were made fun of and were being underestimated. At one point they even say "can those belly peppers even play." With only 18 players on their team this is just a remarkable experience and story. Considering all the odds thrown at them they still managed to come out with a huge victory. The On Field Foes and Racial Misconceptions by Jorge Iber really goes into depth about how they made history. All the close calls, the interceptions, the tackles, made me feel as if i was there watching this historic game. Mexican Americans have made history with music, art, television, strikes, businesses, and so much more, but people never really looked at sports as a way to gain respect. It brought our ethnicity together, back in that day Donna's fight song brought the community together, all the people. I even wonder if these redskin football players knew they would make history, even with the odds that were given.
ReplyDeletejoanne lopez
As a fan of sports, and as a proud resident of the Rio Grande Valley, I have seen some of the injustice that faces the young athletes and hopeful prospects. That's why reading these articles, I was shocked yet proud to see how far we have actually come. I'm very intrigued with sports and cultural and social identity, and that's why I was truly shocked by the article invisible identity, which touched on the racial and cultural bias that's rooted deep in sports. That's why sports have become so political, because sports itself has its own politics as an institution. So I have really opened my mind as a Mexican American and as a major sports fan. Something else that interested me was Iber and "On field foes and racial bias". Based on the 1961 Donna Redskins, and how them winning state in football became a revolutionary movement across the state of Texas and the politics of sports in the Rio grande Valley. It interested me because I have heard about the team winning state, but I am barely hearing about the actual impact that very team had on things like the Chicano movement, the United States in general, and sports culture in the state of Texas. Honestly, hearing about how far they come shocked me. Not only were the districts blatantly racist against rgv ones, but they would sometimes never give the valley a chance. So win they won state, obviously some changes happened. Changes in education, local politics, and it even helped push the valley into a thriving region of south Texas. That's why it's good for the Rio grande valley to establish dominant teams in different sports for high school. Brownsville Lopez boy's soccer team was ranked 3 in the national a couple of years ago, and their various wins at state show you how competitive and hard working Valley Residents are.
ReplyDeleteMichael Gonzalez
I have never been a sports fan, I don’t have a favorite team, however, I do know that sports bring families and communities together. I have never realized that Mexican Americans struggle this much in sports, it was until I read “Invisible Identity” by Samuel O. Regalado that I discovered how difficult this area has been in the lives of Mexican Americans.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it made me happy to learn how our people have overcome these obstacles, just like the dozens of other obstacles we have encountered as a minority in this country. I actually felt like the victory was mine, when the Donna Redskins won back in 1960. This victory like Iber states, “provided the Valley’s Spanish-speaking population with a focal point of pride and self-esteem”. The pride the Valley’s population had, made them without any doubt realize that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to, including something like sports, a quality that had always been disparaged among Mexican Americans.
My husband’s family has the tradition that in New Year’s they all gather and play soccer almost all day, something I really admire because I have witnessed how close they come to each other and how they enjoy time together. This article made me view sports in a total different perspective and actually appreciate its true value. In sports not everything is about winning, it is about culture, expression, and identity.
Rossy Tapia Cervantes
My dad used to tell me that people like to feel like they belong to certain type of team, and both the readings reflect this tendency. Just as all other humans, Mexican American have a need to be part of something, something that makes them feel incorporated, useful, and united. Sports is one of the best ways to accomplish this belonging feeling.
ReplyDeleteIn “Invisible identity”, I learned how all other topics about Mexican American lives where being talked about, like music, food, traditions, except for sports which is a big part of a lot of us, but what amazed me the most is how up to today there aren’t enough books nor articles, at least that I have read, about Mexican Americans in relations to sports, not even in soccer! Come on! I remember that in high school all my friends were so passionate about playing soccer; they treated each member as a brother, and to me it resembled my childhood when girls and boys would play bare foot laughing and running all around the street with the soccer ball, so it makes me wonder why people don’t like, or don’t want to write about this.
In “Racial Misconceptions” Iber talks about the assumption made that Mexican American where not skillful enough not interested to be involved in any type of physical activity which appear to me very ignorant and racist.
Sports are known to be great contributors to student’s success due to the motivation it develops in them. Adding a little goal to their life, Mexican Americans are able to start their journey as dreamers.
Ingrid Davila
“Invisible Identity” by Regalado was one of the readings we had to read for this week and let me tell your it was pretty interesting. Much of the information contained in this reading I was not aware about. It was so interesting to see how big of a role sports like baseball were to our Mexican American Culture / roots. While I was reading I found out how sports molded the Mexican American Identity in this country such as Tejano music with Selena. It also spoke a little about the origin on how sports from Mexican Americans came about. It was so upsetting to read how many Chicanos were not being recognized for their accomplishments in many sports based on their color and race. It was so crazy how it not only happened to the Mexican Culture but also to other ethnic groups as well. For example, African Americans and many immigrants from Central America. Something that caught my attention and flashed me back to my discussion board presentation was how Corky Gonzales was also a boxer but never acknowledged himself as a sports person in his poem “I Am Joaquin”. This reflects on how many people back then would be embarrassed and felt like their sports accomplishments weren’t good enough. I as a Mexican American I am proudly to say I play and compete in many sports.
ReplyDeleteBrandi Rae Rodriguez
Both of these reading have taught me different ways on how sports impact the Mexican communities. It was very interesting because I am a sports fan, especially when it is about soccer. I believe that sports are very healthy because it makes families come together, especially on Sundays. After reading and understanding Regalado’s “Invisible Identity” and Iber’s “On Field Foes and Racial Misconceptions” I can see a different perspective of how players struggled to fit in sports because they were not “white.” The way racism has affected in many ways is very sad because it wasn’t until the 1960s when things started to change a little bit. There are some people that do not see the importance in sports but if we lived during that time period, I think that many people would be more into sports because of the situation Chicanos faced. It makes me proud to see how these communities have fought through all these obstacles and have done it together as a whole facing all types of issues. Nowadays, we see how Latinos are sometimes more successful than whites here in American teams. This makes for cultures to be more respected and to put faith in those Latino players to become successful in the United States. (210)
ReplyDeleteBruno Morales
I enjoyed reading Samuel Regalado’s “Invisible Identity” and Iber’s “On-Field Foes and Racial Misconceptions”, it served as an eye opener in the world of sports for me. I am not really a sports fanatic, but it did not surprise me when I read that Mexican American athletes went unnoticed. After the Civil Rights movement that is when minorities started having more freedom and voice. People like Martin Luther King Jr., Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez all had impacts with in their people and community. Although the struggles, Mexican American athletes have overcome many types of different situations that have made them better year by year, decade by decade. Just with last week’s victory, having the Houston Astros win the 2017 World Series is proof that Latinos similar to Mexican Americans have achieved and gone beyond making history. Things like this make me so happy. The color on their skin nor their accent or origin should not define whether we are great athletes or not. Not only with sports but we have been achieving many great things rather than sports. It comes to show that even when others think the worst of a Mexican American, we take it to the next level and achieve great things.
ReplyDeleteGiselle Sanchez
I never thought about how there could be a complex relationship between sports and ethnic culture, most of the time watching sports, I just take into consideration the team I’m rooting for not the individuals. “Invisible Identity” gave me a sense of frustration, how our Mexican-American culture is not being well represented by the mainstream sports media. I never realized how a liga or sports team could shape the identity of a community, but just like the movimiento, it gives us a sense of unity and hermandad. I believe that sports just like art or music are universal, they bring cultures together. “On-Field Foes and Racial Misconceptions” made me regret not joining a sport when I was in High School. I had never heard the story about the 1961 Donna Redskins before reading this article, it is something that I wish I could have been aware of. Finding something to relate to or someone to look up to growing up as a minority, I believe is crucial in molding the successful person you want to be. Giving me a sense of empowerment, of knowing that there is people like me that came from nothing and can be something in this country is truly inspiring. (204)
ReplyDelete-Víctor D. Gaytán
Both readings talk about the relationship that sports have in Mexican-American culture and how some chicanos authors have forgot about this topic in their books. I couldn’t understand how sports is not being consider part of Mexican-American history, because is one of the best examples of how Mexican-Americans or chicanos can identify themselves. History in sports has showed to us that we are capable of competing in the same level or potential as other, for example Rodolfo ‘’corky” Gonzales who had a brilliant boxing career and the Donna Redskins football team of 1961 who won the state championship. I think that certain Latin celebrities should follow the example of “corky” Gonzalez and support Latinos gain more equality in the U.S., often celebrities can be influential in certain ways and the should be proud of how they are, for example when Oscar de la Hoya raised two flags, Oscar showed the world his multiple that most chicanos had in the U.S.: Mexican and American. I think the 1961Donna Redskings football are an inspirational example for those football teams that want to make history as they did. I think now and through time we will be seeing different Latinos played major roles n in sports, which I personally think it’s awesome, and eventually starting to relate sports more and more to our history.
ReplyDeleteLuis Reyna
"Invisible Identity" gave me a big look at how sports media is towards the mexican-american culture. For example, in the yankees baseball there is a player named Gary Sanchez, he is a from the dominican republic and represents the dominican culture. This is an example of how people that have a different culture besides american can make it to something big. It's sad how the sports media doesn't pay attention to it because they feel that it's not so important. However, if it was someone different like from the american culture the sports media blows up. I love how the mexican-american culture is evolving in many things such as social media because it shows that we are and can be as important and successful as the others. Even more, many people here in The Valley are passionate about soccer and football. We believe that we can be and make our lives to something bigger and I know we can. The Invisible Identity made me realize that I want more of us to be bigger in the sports media because it's something good that can be towards us. I feel that if one team or one player makes it to the sports media, we, the mexican-american culture, feel represented and proud of that one person.
ReplyDelete-Yarazeth Ramirez
A rarely talked about subject in the field of racial oppression and culture is sports. Regalado discusses how sports have an impact on identity when it comes to Chicanx communities and deeply rooted conceptions of the thought of competition and pride that come with it. I found it interesting how this is a topic that most scholars had always overlooked when discussing race because, as a minority, I see the impact and importance that games and events related to sports bring my people together as well as the pride and conversations that come along with it. The discussion by Iber about the Donna Redskins success in sports despite the poverty and marginalization experienced by these people really opened my eyes and furthered my understand and viewpoint on the way that sports are discussed. I have never been a sports fan yet I constantly see it all around me and its nice to see people come together for something positive and non-problematic. Similar to the plays that the migrant workers would perform in for entertainment during difficult times, I believe that sports have a similar effect in our communities. Furthermore, when things are tough and our people are made to go through hardships, its refreshing to see us find an outlet that we’re find power and success through.
ReplyDeleteAndrea Juarez
When it comes to sports, you are either the very best or the ones who everyone makes a meme of. Back in the day there wasn’t any memes or anything like that, but sports were still a very big deal and they still are. When its high school football, well one can only say so much of how much pride the school has in their team I know that in my high school there would be a pep rally every Friday during football season so that we could show our support and encourage them to give it their all and beat whatever school they were up against. Like I mentioned before, now from back then, is not much of a difference except that back in the day there was social discrimination going on and would often stereotype the players. Donna redskins took the victory in 1961 though, they really shut the mouths of all those people talking smack about them and how they were brown skinned and came from low social classes. When it comes to sports, the social class educational level and racial group does not matter because it is the ability and skills that one has and the passion that they have for the game that makes it count. I may not like football or even watch it, but I have seen the hardcore fans out there and how superstitious they can get when it comes to football season. They made history and were able to win victory and gain respect from all the trash talkers and the rest of the teams because donna showed them what they had and how they didn’t let all the mean comments and indifferent treatments come in their way to bringing pride to their school and team. They gave it their all and played with passion and pride which lead them to victory!
ReplyDeleteAshley Escalante
In “Invisible Identity,” written by Samuel O. Regalado, identity has become lost. Through this the Mexican American culture struggles to express their identity. Questions were raised as to whether Mexican Americans have or can have relationships to sport. Many Chicanos had a need for sport, it would give them a sense of identity. In “On Field Foes and Racial Misconceptions,” written by Jorge Iber, it spoke about the Donna Redskins and how they prospered against racial oppression and poverty. To be honest I do not really find the subject of sports to be interesting. But when it comes to this I never really realized the discrimination many players had to go through. I also realized that just because I do not find this topic very interesting, the fact that they overcame the discrimination is very powerful. I believe that we as a minority should want representation of our culture. The ability to prosper regardless of any hatred thrown at us.
ReplyDelete-Alma De La Llana