by Mike Magers
Cody Ross grew up in Carlsbad, Eddy County, New Mexico where he was a great baseball player for coach Thomas Forni. He was drafted to play Major League Baseball right out of high school. Many players go their whole careers and don’t get to experience playing in a World Series game, but Carlsbad rejoiced and declared a Cody Ross Day when Cody not only played in the series but was a member of the winning San Francisco Giants team when they took the series in 2010.
by Mike Magers
Brendan Donnelly was a right-handed reliever during his big league career. He graduated from Sandia High School in the Albuquerque Independent School District, attended New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs and Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colorado. Brendan was signed by the Chicago White Sox in the 27th Round of the 1992 amateur draft.
by Mike Magers
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Wade Blasingame is from New Mexico, although he was only born here in the southern town of Deming in 1943. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to California in connection with his father’s job as a fruit broker.
by Mike Magers
Duane Ward was born May 28, 1964 in Park View, New Mexico and played at Farmington High School. Some of you probably already knew where Park View is located, but a quick search will place it in Rio Arriba County in northern New Mexico and a note that it now goes by the name of Los Ojos.
by Mike Magers
2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Albuquerque Dukes baseball team, though the team has not been continuously in operation since 1915. The team got its mascot’s name from from the nickname for Albuquerque, the Duke City, which in turn is derived from the early days of the city, dating back to when it was first founded by King Phillip of Spain. Over the years, the baseball club has operated in the Class D, C and B minor league level as well as the Class A, AA and AAA level with affiliations in the Rio Grande, West Texas – New Mexico, Western Sophomore , Texas and Pacific Coast leagues and has had Major League affiliations with the New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers. The team generally enjoyed strong support once it reached A, AA and AAA levels.
New Mexico Sports 