If you thought the craziness and zaniness of 2016 was limited to politics, celebrities and current events – think again. The world of sports saw its own share of highlights, lowlights and just plain once in a lifetime moments. And Latino athletes were an integral part of it all. In 2016 they made history, became gamechangers, influencers and inspired legions of hardcore and common fans along the way.
Baseball
The Lovable Losers Become Winners
Why not just start at the top of the “is this really happening moments”? The Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs in the World Series! If you ask us there are no losers here, although Chicago did emerge victorious ending a 100-year drought. The lovable losers became winners. With the help of Cuban flamethrower Aroldis Chapman and a team with some pretty sweet merengue moves.
Legends Say Farewell
We bid farewell to some baseball legends this year as well. Alex Rodriguez called it a career just four home-runs shy of 700. A bit of a forced retirement if you ask us or anyone not Yankees brass for that matter. But as they say, it ain’t show friends, but show business. Further up the I-84, David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz also retired from the game, however, not before putting in a career season. Ortiz was able to leave on his on his own terms and on top of his game. No better way to go out.
Bautista Sucker Punch
Jose “Joey Bats” Bautista showed us that besides his sweet home run stroke, he’s got a heck of a chin. A feud simmering since Bautista’s bat flip in last year’s American League Division Series boiled over into a brawl in the final game of the season between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. Bautista and Texas second baseman Rougned Odor got into a fistfight behind the bag after a hard slide by the Toronto slugger at Odor’s legs. While Odor may have won the battle, he lost the war, as Toronto went on to eliminate Texas in the 2016 playoffs.
Jose Fernandez
Finally, the baseball fraternity lost one of its own too soon, when Jose Fernandez tragically passed as a result of a boating accident. The Cuban hurler for the Miami Marlins was just 24 years old.
Basketball
Cleveland Cavaliers Are World Champions
In the second of the “is this really happening moments,” the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James became NBA Champions, defeating the Golden State Warriors. LeBron not only brought Cleveland its first pro sports title in over 50 years, he made history by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to do so.
Carmelo Anthony
Mr. Anthony stepped up in a big way in 2016 and it had nothing to do with basketball. In light of the passing of Muhammed Ali and increasing civil unrest and deteriorating relationship between police and men of color Anthony used his celebrity as a platform for change. First by being vocal. Second by gathering his peers in the form of Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James to join in. And third by taking action. Holding the first of what may be more police-community town halls to start a dialogue and plan of action for change.
Karl Anthony-Towns
Mr. Towns didn’t just join the NBA this year, he made a statement by capturing Rookie of the Year and being the first Latino to ever do so. The 7 foot Dominicano from Edison, NJ was selected first in the 2015 NBA draft, that coupled with his Kentucky basketball pedigree meant the pressure was on to deliver. Deliver he did, he played and started in all 82 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015–16, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. The 2016-17 season looks to be no different, for you stats junkies, at 21 years old, Towns became the third-youngest player in the last three decades to have at least 45 points and 15 rebounds in a game. The force is strong with this one.
Soccer
Chile Wins Copa America
Chile is not exactly known for being a soccer powerhouse, that honor typically goes to Argentina or Brazil. However, in 2016 Chile took its second Copa America title over none other than Argentina. When Chile won the 2015 Copa America and qualified for the 2017 Confederations Cup, they had to endure battles with Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. In 2016 they won Latin America’s most prestigious tourney in penalty shootout victory over soccer powerhouse Argentina.
(Xinhua/Qin Lang via Getty Images)
Brazil Wins Olympic Gold
Besides hosting this year’s Olympic games, Brazil made a triumphant return to international play. Having endured a bit of losing streak in recent years. Their franchise player Neymar rallied the team past the likes of South Africa, Colombia, Honduras, and Germany to give Brazil its first-ever gold medal in soccer at the Olympic games.
Combat Sports
Canelo Alvarez and Triple G
Perhaps the biggest Latino star in boxing Canelo Alvarez continued his dance with Gennady Golovkin. Rather than fight the Kazakhstan star he faced and easily defeated lesser opponents in the form of Amir Kahn and Liam Smith. 2017 appears more promising as his promoter Golden Boy Promotions have been in discussions for a Cinco De Mayo bout with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to be followed by a GGG match in September 2017. Let’s hope they both happen.
The World Meets Nate Diaz
In the octagon things were a bit more dramatic. Earlier in the year, Conor McGregor was served his come-uppings when he faced Nate Diaz. Diaz did what no other man has been able to do thus far – stop McGregor. However, the victory would be short lived as later in the year at UFC 205 McGregor obtained his revenge with a close decision over Diaz in a rematch. The two put on what some are calling fight of the year candidates. Can a rubber match be far off? We hope not.
The Olympics
Monica Puig
In case you forgot, a little event happened in Rio called the 31st Olympiad. Latino athletes did not disappoint. Among them, was Monica Puig. An unseeded tennis player who was the Cinderella story of the games. She swept past no less than five other competitors to win the gold a medal, the first ever for Puerto Rico and the first woman to ever do so.
Laurie Hernandez
Another Olympic darling to come out of Rio de Janiero was U.S. gymnast Laurie Hernandez. As part of the Final Five this little bundle of Boricua blew the roof off of the 2016 Olympics in Rio, capturing the gold medal in the Women’s Gymnastics Team All Around and snagging a silver medal for herself for the balance beam event.
Latino America Represents
Aside from the aforementioned Brazilian soccer team and Monica Puig snagging gold. Athletes from all of Latino America did their thing in Rio. Cuba earned two gold medals on the wrestling mat and three more gold medals in boxing. While Argentina didn’t take the gold in soccer, they did capture gold in men’s field hockey.