Japan's -B- Conspiracy

JCadmin · Site Admin Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 65

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/05/remembering-gon.html

Misfortune hits two Gonzalezs. SA nations found union.

Remembering Gonzo

ChicagoSports,com May 26, 2008

The Cubs had a moment of silence at Wrigley Field before Monday’s game for former pitcher Geremi Gonzalez, who was killed by a lightning strike on Sunday at the age of 33 in his native Venezuela.

I covered Gonzo’s rookie year with the Cubs in 1997, when he was one of the only bright spots during a bleak season that started out with 14 consecutive losses. At the time, he spelled his name “Jeremi,” had a tattoo on his left arm of a baseball with flames shooting out of it, and liked to blow bubbles while he was in the middle of his delivery.

We all thought Jeremi was born to be a Cub, and few enjoyed their time in Chicago like he did

Paul Sullivan, 2:30 p.m.

The Cubs had a moment of silence at Wrigley Field before Monday’s game for former pitcher Geremi Gonzalez, who was killed by a lightning strike on Sunday at the age of 33 in his native Venezuela.

I covered Gonzo’s rookie year with the Cubs in 1997, when he was one of the only bright spots during a bleak season that started out with 14 consecutive losses. At the time, he spelled his name “Jeremi,” had a tattoo on his left arm of a baseball with flames shooting out of it, and liked to blow bubbles while he was in the middle of his delivery.

We all thought Jeremi was born to be a Cub, and few enjoyed their time in Chicago like he did.

Gonzalez was signed at the age of 16 by Cubs scout Luis Rosa, and learned his craft in the winter leagues from fellow Venezuelan Wilson Alvarez, the former Sox ace who once threw a no-hitter.

"When I started playing (professionally) at 17, one guy used to teach me how to pitch," Gonzalez told me one day in '97. "I was just throwing the ball then, not pitching. That guy is Wilson Alvarez of the White Sox. He was just making it to the big leagues at the time. Wilson taught me how to become a pitcher when we played together back in Maracaibo. He taught me how to throw a breaking ball, how to locate better."

In their hometown of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Alvarez was known as "the Untouchable." After Alvarez was dealt from the Sox to San Francisco in the so-called White Flag trade in '97, Gonzalez got a chance to face his mentor on a hot August afternoon. Gonzalez pitched six shutout innings before giving up a home run to J.T. Snow in the two-run seventh, and notched the win.

Gonzalez called it the best game ever, and was happy that his friends and family could watch it back home on WGN-TV.

"I talked to my family every day this week," Gonzalez said afterwards. "They told me if I win this game they're going to give me a gift."

"What kind of a gift?" I asked.

"Either a car or an apartment," he replied.

I'm not sure how he felt years later, but I would imagine that was one of his greatest moments in the majors.

"I couldn't wait for the last five days when I knew that I was going to pitch against (Alvarez)," he said. "I had total concentration. I know I gave up two runs, but today was my best game. I know that I'll never forget this game."

Sammy Sosa helped the cause with a two-run homer.

"We all try to help him," Sosa said. "We show him the right way. We hadn't scored many runs for him the last five or six (outings), but today he was facing his friend from Venezuela, and we came through for him."

Gonzalez never matched his rookie season for various reasons, including arm injuries and weight problems.

While he had a so-so major league career, he was always friendly and fun-loving, from the beginning to the end. He even dyed his hair blonde at some point, just to be Jeremi.

General manager Jim Hendry said the Cubs were saddened to hear of Gonzalez's passing.

"Geremi began his career as a Cub, leading our staff with 11 wins as a rookie in 1997, and despite an arm injury, helping the club early in the season a year later to an eventually post-season appearance," Hendry said in a statement. "The organization sends its heartfelt condolences to his family."

Gonzo was never a great player, but he was always a great person, and I feel lucky I got to know him.
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JCadmin · Site Admin Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 65

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/26/sports/BBI-Japan-Doping.php

Gonzalez fails drug test in Japan, banned a year

The Associated Press May 26, 2008

TOKYO: Former major leaguer Luis Gonzalez was suspended for one year by Japanese baseball for failing a drug test.

Gonzalez, an infielder with the Yomiuri Giants who once played with the Colorado Rockies, tested positive for amphetamines. Amphetamines are banned by Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball.

"This is a big setback," Japanese baseball commissioner Yasuchika Negoro said Monday. "What we need to do is to handle the matter properly in order to prevent something like this happening again."

Gonzalez is the second player in Japanese baseball history to be suspended for failing a drug test. Pitcher Rick Guttormson of the Softbank Hawks was suspended for 20 days in 2007 for testing positive for a hair-growing substance.

Gonzalez was tested April 30 and denied use of any illegal drugs when he was interviewed by a club representative May 19. Yomiuri plans to release the 28-year-old player shortly.

Gonzalez played for the Rockies from 2004-06. He played in 32 games for the Giants this season and with two homers and 17 RBIs.

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JCadmin · Site Admin Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 65

Both of their numbers are ominous ones; 49 and 94.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yomiuri_Giants#Current_players

49 Luis González - 2B
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The number of Geremi Gonzalez in the Yomiuri Giants was 94.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071003061534AAmklZW

Japanese people consider 4 and 9 unlucky numbers. The reason why the number 4 is considered unlucky is that 4 is pronounced as "shi", which is the same as the word of Death, and 9 is pronounced as "ku", which is considered as the meaning of "Kurushimu - surffering".

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JCadmin · Site Admin Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 65

http://bbs.enjoykorea.jp/tbbs/read.php?board_id=pfree&nid=364688&start_range=364688&end_range=364719

enjoy Korea

the extraordinary summit of the South American Nations Union

Members of Brazilian Army stand guard in downtown Brasilia, Brazil, 22 May 2008, where the extraordinary summit of chiefs of State and Government of the South American Nations Union (UNASUR, as in Spanish) will take place tomorrow

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admin: Japan has something to do with the misfortune and the conference.

JCadmin · Site Admin Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 65

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7417896.stm

South America nations found union

BBC News 23 May 2008

The leaders of 12 South American nations have formed a regional body aimed at boosting economic and political integration in the region.

At a summit in Brazil, they signed a treaty which created the Union of South American Nations (Unasur).

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the move showed that South America was becoming a "global player".

But tensions between several members will make it difficult for the group to achieve its goals, observers say.

Mr Lula said at the summit in Brasilia that the differences between some Unasur governments were a sign of vitality in the region.

"The instability some want to see in our continent is a sign of life, especially political life," Mr Lula said.

"There's no democracy without people [protesting] in the streets," he added.

The treaty envisages that Unasur will have a revolving presidency and bi-annual meetings of foreign ministers.

Prior to the Brasilia summit, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez described the "empire" of the United States as Unasur's "number one enemy".

Mr Chavez is embroiled in a bitter diplomatic row with his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe - a staunch US ally - over Colombian claims that Venezuela has been helping to finance the activities of the Colombian Farc rebels.

The Unasur members are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

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