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Saipan Junior Leaguer wins the World Series Homerun Derby
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Posted on Aug 27 2004
Even though the CNMI Junior League All-Stars weren’t able to vanquish their opponents and become the champions of the 2004 World Series, one of them was able to rise to the occasion and become the winner of the Homerun Derby.
Nicolas San Nicolas was able to live out a dream by making it to Taylor, MI this year, and it got a little bit better for him when he smacked four homers in five attempts in the competition to take the title.
In the derby, each batter gets five chances to hit a baseball off a tee. The slugger who sends the most balls the almost 300 feet needed to clear the wall is declared the winner.
What makes the feat even more remarkable is that San Nicolas accomplished his goal despite having a broken arm.
In the World Series, San Nicolas pitched a four-hitter against the Latin America All-Stars from Punto Fijo, Venezuela, hit a two-run homer against the best Canadian hard-ballers from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and was a solid .333 at the plate for the tournament,.
The only mistake made by San Nicolas occurred after the CNMI nearly upset the Mexican national team from Guaymas, Sonora. While he was running with spikes on concrete, he slipped and landed in such a way that it fractured his right wrist.
To add insult to injury, reportedly some of his teammates gave him a hard time about the injury, saying that he should have been more careful and that he had jeopardized his future.
San Nicolas stunned his teammates and all of the players in the tournament when he removed his arm wrap, took hold of his favorite bat, made his way to the plate, and sent four long-balls over the fence to win the derby.
