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Florida's next foe: a mini hero

At 12, pitcher Danny Almonte has captured imaginations in New York and elsewhere.

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 24, 2001

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- America's Next Heartthrob is a Bugs Bunny freak.

He never fights with his sister, favors red beans and rice over fancier nourishment, and when he's not jogging, playing catch or working on his hitting, he's bopping to Bob Marley and the Wailers.

America's Next Heartthrob is a 12-year-old left-handed pitcher from the Bronx named Danny Almonte, and the last time he gave up a run was more than a year ago, to a team from Pequannock.

He kept that streak alive Thursday night as the Rolando Paulino team from the Bronx, N.Y., beat Oceanside, Calif., 1-0 to advance to the U.S. championship game at the Little League World Series.

Coming off a perfect game in the opener against a team from Apopka, which the Bronx faces again in Saturday's U.S. championship, Almonte threw a one-hitter, allowing only a first-inning single. With pitches reaching 77 mph, Almonte struck out 16 and went to a three-ball count on only batter.

His fastest pitch Thursday was as fast as some aging pitchers in the majors, but Almonte is more in danger of contracting writer's cramp from signing autographs than he is of coming down with a sore arm.

What separates Danny Almonte from the glut of candidates for America's Next Heartthrob is the fact that Danny Almonte is not only America's Next Heartthrob, he's the Dominican Republic's Next Heartthrob, and Puerto Rico's.

Almonte is the closest thing South Williamsport has to its own Marley. He's got the whole Little League world wailing his praises.

"Clearly, Danny Almonte has captured people's imaginations," said Stephen C. Smith, a Seattle lawyer and an official with Bainbridge Island (Wash.) Little League, which made the tournament. "His team is getting some of that attention, too, which is good. With all that publicity, the other 15 teams here are underdogs, and for somebody to beat them would be a big deal."

Win or lose, the Bronx Little Leaguers have usurped the Yankees and Mets as New York's team -- no mean feat. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has praised the boys; President Bush is expected in South Williamsport over the weekend. People magazine must be lurking, too.

For an indication of the popularity of the Bronx team -- which consists of two players from Puerto Rican families and 10 from the Dominican Republic -- look no further than the tournament gift shop, where the Rolando Paulino All-Stars are the only team whose souvenir T-shirts are sold out.

"We have a lot of support, I think, because we represent more than just the Mid-Atlantic Region Little League," said Belkis Garcia, mother of cleanup hitter Carlos Garcia. "We're not only American, we're Hispanic as well. So if they win, they'll represent not only New York but Latin America, too."

"Relatives from the Dominican that I haven't seen in two, three years watch the games on TV and call me," Garcia said. She shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Wait till I get my phone bill."

But none of these larger-than-life tales is turning out as Bunyanesque as that of the Baby Bombers from the Bronx and their bashful star, who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic three years ago.

A year ago, the Rolando Paulino All-Stars -- named after their sponsor, a sportswriter for Noticias Del Mundo -- were nomads in their home borough. They didn't have a field of their own. Merrill Lynch and a non-profit group called Take The Field stepped in and built a $3-million complex in the South Bronx that was completed this month.

A year ago, the All-Stars went shop to shop in their neighborhoods to collect enough money for equipment. This year, a local sporting goods merchant donated balls, gloves, and bats.

"It feels good representing one country, and we're representing three," Carlos Garcia said. "I feel proud that a lot of people are depending on us. I want to win for the three countries that we're representing."

International final

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES 4, GUAM 3: Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles took advantage of a poor defensive fifth inning by Guam Central for the victory.

In the top of the fifth, Prinstonyor Paulina of Netherlands Antilles was on first base when Dinyor Antonia laid down a sacrifice bunt. Guam first baseman Henry Salas didn't have his foot on the base when he took the throw, and Antonia was called safe. When Paulina rounded second, Salas overthrew third base, allowing Paulina to score and Antonia to advance to second as Netherlands Antilles took a 2-1 lead.

Richendro Martis followed with another sacrifice bunt, and the scene repeated itself with Salas missing the bag and throwing the ball away, allowing Antonia to score and make it 3-1.

Danny Almonte threw another shutout for the Bronx.

AMERICAN FINAL

INT'L FINAL

CHAMPIONSHIP

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