For Immediate Release

MAYOR BOOKER HONORS FOUR NEWARK RESIDENTS FOR BEING SIGNED BY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAMS

Four Newark youngsters starring in minor league farm systems learned their baseball in Newark's leagues and schools

Newark, NJ – February 25, 2009 – Mayor Cory A. Booker, Deputy Mayor for Community Engagement Margarita Muñiz, and members of the Newark Municipal Council and Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored four young Newark residents who have achieved their dream of playing professional baseball and are now starring in the minor league systems of three major league teams, in the Municipal council Chamber at City Hall today.
Mayor Booker saluted the four players and their families, and presented them with letters of commendation and bags containing "Moving Newark Forward" t-shirts and Newark Bears baseballs bearing his autograph, then posed for photographs.

"Newark faces a lot of challenging issues, but your achievements give us something to celebrate, and we are all grateful to you and, most importantly, your families, for your success," the Mayor said. "We rejoice in you."

Honored at the ceremony were four Newarkers who developed their baseball talents in Newark leagues and schools, as well as their families: Hector Santiago, Devid Genao, Burt Reynolds, and Trevor Reckling. Mr. Santiago plays in the Chicago White Sox organization. Mr. Genao and Mr. Reynolds are in the Tampa Bay Rays' system, while Mr. Reckling belongs to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. While the families of all four were present, Mr. Genao himself was unable to attend today's ceremony, due to spring training commitments. The other three players will report to spring training next week.
All four players played with the North Ward Center's RBI All-Star team, then went on to star in high school, before being drafted or signed by major league teams.

Mr. Santiago, 21, born in Newark, of Puerto Rican descent, played in the Ironbound Little League, the Roberto Clemente Little League, and the Rick Cerone Little League. A left-handed pitcher, he starred for the North Ward Center's team from 2002 to 2006. He attended Essex Catholic in his freshman year before transferring to Bloomfield Technology High School, and was drafted by the White Sox while attending Okaloosa-Walton College (now Northwest Florida State College), and pitches for the Bristol Sox in the Appalachian Rookie League.

Mr. Reynolds, 20, a third baseman, born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, was raised in Newark. After playing for the Rick Cerone Little League and North Ward All-Stars, he starred at Bloomfield Tech, and was signed by the Washington Nationals. Injuries hampered him, and he attended Okaloosa Walton College instead, then played in the Dominican Republic, before being signed by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008.

Mr. Genao, 22, played in the Ironbound Little League, the North Ward All-Stars, and St. Benedict's High School, where he batted .578 as a senior. He graduated from St. Benedict's in 2004, and continued his education at Oral Roberts University, playing baseball for their Golden Eagles. In the summer of 2007, he played for the Haymarket Senators in the Valley Baseball League and the Peninsula Oilers in the Alaska Baseball League. After graduating from Oral Roberts in 2008, he was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays. Last season he played for the Princeton Rays, the team's Appalachian Rookie League, and is expected to return to the team this year.

Mr. Reckling, 19, a left-handed pitcher, played in the Irvington Little League, then joined the North Ward squad at age 14. He graduated from St. Benedict's High School in 2007 and was drafted in the eighth round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He played that summer with the rookie-level Angels in the Arizona Rookie League. Last year, he played in Iowa for the Single-A affiliate of the Angels, the Cedar Rapid Kernals. This year, he is expected to play for the Rancho Cugomungo Quakes, the Angels' High-A affiliate.

At the ceremony, Councilmember-at-Large Carlos Gonzalez and North Ward Council Member Anibal Ramos, Jr. joined Essex County Freeholder Samuel Gonzalez in honoring the young men.

"I've known all four of these young men since they were 10 or 13," said Freeholder Gonzalez.

They excelled academically as well as athletically, and they had the greatest families, people who were always there at the games to support them."
"This is a great opportunity to recognize youngsters who make us proud," said Council Member Ramos. "They are great kids from the North Ward with great athletic abilities and ethics. They show what we can do with a good family structure. I am proud of you all."

Deputy Mayor Muñiz presided over the ceremony, and said, "These kids followed a dream, and became role models that our City needs. They are doing wonderful things, based on discipline, saying, 'I can achieve greatness. I can be a baseball player. I'm good enough.

"I salute you and tell you that you don't know how important your success is to our community. When you take the field, you are Newark. You are all 283,000 residents of Brick City. Our blessings will always be on you."

After the ceremony, the players, family members, and coaches enjoyed sandwiches and talked baseball.

For Mr. Reynolds, it's in the blood - he is related to Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano. "I always loved the game," Mr. Reynolds said. His parents came to every game he played, he added. His advice to future major leaguers: "Work hard, follow your dream, and block out the negatives."

Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Santiago both starred at Bloomfield Tech, and their coach, Dan Romano, was on hand to salute his former players. Asked when he thought Mr. Reynolds could make the majors, Mr. Romano answered, "The first time I saw him play. Coaching guys like him and Hector are easy. You just guide them. They were just natural players, and they couldn't practice enough. Bert hit so many homers, he might have led the state, and Hector just threw tremendous outings."

Mr. Romano said the two players were on-field and off-field leaders. "When they're around, they come back and practice with the kids," he said.
Mr. Santiago also had help at home in achieving baseball success, his younger brother Anthony Santiago, age 19, who was a catcher at Bloomfield Tech and is also hoping to play professional baseball. "I was his catcher since we were little," said the younger Santiago brother. "When Hector was signed, we were happy and proud. We need people like him to show that Newark is not as bad as it seems."

"As you advance," Mayor Booker told the ballplayers, "The competition will get harder. It will take a lot out of you. But you are up to it. You are from Brick City. You are a bit of our bricks."

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