MACAYO’S SPONSORS YOUTH BASEBALL EXCHANGE WITH HERMOSILLO, MEXICO

Event also supported by Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, Arizona Major League Alumni and Phoenix Sister Cities Commission

PHOENIX (November, 6, 2006) - Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen is working with the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission as a sponsor of the 2006 Youth Baseball Exchange with Phoenix’s sister city, Hermosillo, Mexico.  Twenty boys, ages 15-16, their coaches and families will travel from Hermosillo to the Valley of the Sun Nov. 10-12 for a weekend of good food, cultural events and exciting baseball action.

Family owned and operated Macayo’s, which recently celebrated its 60^th anniversary, saw this as a wonderful opportunity to help build friendships among these young men through baseball. Like Macayo’s, baseball has a rich tradition in Phoenix. In sponsoring this youth baseball exchange, Macayo’s hopes to strengthen the tradition of friendship and understanding between the two cities and their youth.

“Sponsoring this year’s youth baseball exchange with Hermosillo, was an easy decision for Macayo’s,” said Sharisse Johnson, Macayo’s vice president of corporate communications, “Giving these young men and their families the opportunity to visit Arizona and share their passion for baseball with their American peers is an honor for us.” She added, “It’s also a great way for us to expose our children to their heritage and promote community involvement.”

In addition to Macayo’s, boxing champ and Mexico native, Julio Cesar Chavez, also supports the event every year. This year Chavez helping to finance the Hermosillo players uniforms. Additional financial contributions have been made by Scottsdale resident R.L. Miller.

The 2006 series will also have a special guest. The World Series runner up Detroit Tigers’ Brian Reid plans on attending the event to scout the boys, evaluate their talent and provide some tips on the game.  In addition players from the Arizona Major League Alumni will be on hand to give pointers to the players and coaches. “This is a wonderful opportunity to exchange coaching and playing ideas with our friends south of the border” say Lou Klimchock president of AZMLB.

“I think this youth baseball exchange is a great idea,” said Reid. “Phoenix is an awesome baseball market and Mexico has produced many Major Leaguers”  I’m excited to observe the games and I’m expecting to see a pretty good match-up.”

Once every year the All Star Baseball Academy team from Phoenix meets Hermosillo’s Liga Kino for a best of three series called the “Sister Cities Series”. The first time these teams competed was December 2005 in Hermosillo, where the Phoenix team won the series. The last time the teams competed was in May 2006 in Phoenix with the home team emerging victorious. This month the event continues as the Liga Kino team again visits Arizona for the series.

The baseball weekend begins Friday evening. There will be four games played over the weekend, as well as events and outings for the two teams to get to know each other and enjoy the city. Admission to all games is free. Game times and locations are as follows:

Game 1             Friday, Nov. 10, 8:00 p.m.                    Phoenix Municipal Stadium

                                                                                     64^th St. & Van Buren

Game 2            Saturday, Nov. 11, 10:00 a.m.            Papago Park

                                                                                    (64^th St. & McDowell Rd.)

Game 3            Saturday, Nov. 11, 2:00 p.m.            Papago Park

                                                                                    (64^th St. & McDowell Rd.)

Friendship            Sunday, Nov. 12, 10:00 a.m.            Papago Park

Game*                                                                        (64^th St & McDowell Rd.)

*This game will feature teams mixed with players from Hermosillo and Phoenix.              

About Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen

In 1946, when Woody and Victoria Johnson opened their first Mexican food café in Phoenix, there were only six tables and a counter in the restaurant. Each week they served about one hundred meals, most of them the $1 combination plate.  Today the family has 17 restaurants, including four in Las Vegas. Still family owned and operated, the company is now run by the Johnson’s two sons, Gary and Stephen, and daughter, Sharisse. In 2006, the Macayo’s family celebrates its historic 60th anniversary year.

About Hermosillo, Mexico

Hermosillo, Mexico was the first to become a sister city of Phoenix. The Sister City relationship was established in 1975, with the formal agreement signed in 1976. The capital of the state of Sonora, Hermosillo is located in the northwest region of Mexico close to the Sea of Cortez and the port of Guaymas and is
served by an international airport. A major manufacturing center, Hermosillo is home to the Universidad Autónoma de Sonora. Hermosillo is also an attractive tourist destination and is well known for its elegant palo fiero woodcarving.

[ Previous Page ]