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A32 sports
Diamars 5 aPriL 2022

NFL opening pathway for African players with 1st camp

we are thankful for them. chief operating officer for in-
We cannot wait to show the ternational events. “We want
world what we can do.” to provide an opportunity for
the next generation of Afri-
Umenyiora established The can prospects to showcase ...
Uprise, a football program in their talent. As we continue
Nigeria, and has held region- to look for ways to strengthen
al camps in South Africa and the pipeline of international
Ghana, with an upcoming players in the NFL, we hope
camp in Nigeria. Players who this camp, and future camps,
impress at the three camps provide a path forward for as-
will be invited to the NFL’s piring players from across the
camp in Accra. The idea is to continent.
further identify and develop
talent in Africa. “We are excited about the
potential to identify talent to
Through Umenyiora and participate in international
The Uprise three Nigerian combines, the International
athletes — Kehinde Hassan Player Pathway program, and
Oginni, Chigbo Roy Mbaete- for those athletes ages 16 to
ka and Haggai Chisom Ndu- 19, the opportunity to attend
buisi — earned the oppor- the NFL Academy in Lon-
tunity to participate in the don.”
NFL’s International Com-
(AP) - The NFL is open- of Accra in June. It will fea- last weekend of Ghana’s vice bine in London last October. As the NFL searches for po-
ing a pathway for African ture players who previously president, Dr. Mahamudu They were then selected to tential players globally, it has
players with a develop- participated at regional events Bawumia. train in the United States as held international combines
mental camp in Ghana. led by Osi Umenyiora, the part of the International Play- in the United Kingdom,
two-time Super Bowl-win- “To bring the NFL to Af- er Pathway program. Australia, and Germany. This
Following a camp this past ning defensive end with the rica has long been a dream season, in addition to four
weekend with Cleveland New York Giants. of mine,” said Umenyiora, “We look forward to host- regular-season games in Lon-
Browns linebacker Jeremiah whose parents are Nigerian. ing our first camp in Ghana don, the NFL will play for
Owusu-Koramoah, who is of Specific dates in June for the “Today that dream is a reality. and will look to activate in the first time in the regular
Ghanaian descent, the league camp and a fan event have The opportunities that will Nigeria and other African season in Munich.
announced a three-day camp not been set, but the camp come to so many Africans countries in the future,” said
will take place in the capital received the endorsement cannot be understated, and Damani Leech, the NFL

Tommy Davis, 2-time NL batting champion with Dodgers, dies

(AP) — Tommy Davis, a secutive titles in 1962, when Mets, Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels on
two-time National League “My mother wondered who he hit .346 and led the NL in Seattle, Houston, Oakland, Monday night.
batting champion who was calling,” Davis said in hits and RBI, and 1963, when Chicago Cubs, Baltimore,
won three World Series 2019. “I pointed to the re- he hit .326. California Angels and Kansas Davis worked in the team’s
titles with the Los Angeles ceiver and mouthed the City. The three-time All-Star community relations depart-
Dodgers, has died. He was words, ‘It’s Jackie Robin- Davis’ 230 hits and 153 RBI retired in 1976. ment until moving to Arizo-
83. son!’ I couldn’t believe I was in 1962 remain L.A. single- na about a year ago.
speaking to one of my heroes, season records. He won He had a career .294 aver-
He died Sunday night in although I don’t remember World Series titles in 1959, age in 1,999 games with 153 Besides Morgana, he is sur-
Phoenix, the Dodgers an- doing much talking.” 1963 and 1965. home runs and 1,052 RBI. vived by wife, Carol, daugh-
nounced Monday without ters Lauren, Carlyn and Les-
providing a cause. They were Davis received a $4,000 bo- Besides his eight years with The Dodgers planned a mo- lie, and son Herman Thomas
informed of his death by his nus for signing with the the Dodgers, Davis played ment of silence for Davis at II.
daughter, Morgana. Dodgers. another 10 for the New York their exhibition game against
Davis was an athletic stand- A happy Davis was smiling
out at Boys High School in in his publicity photos for his
Brooklyn, where he was a first full season in 1957. That
basketball teammate of future had former Brooklyn batting
Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkins. champion Pete Reiser wor-
Davis also played baseball ried that Davis was too nice.
and was a long jumper on the
school’s track and field team. “I want him mad at everyone
in the world when he goes
Davis was set to sign with up there, including me,” said
the Yankees in 1956 when a Reiser, who was managing in
phone call from Jackie Rob- the minors at the time.
inson changed his mind.
That season, Davis batted
Robinson was playing what .357 with 17 home runs, 104
would be his final season with RBI and 68 stolen bases in
the Dodgers that year when 127 games.
he called Davis’ house and
encouraged him to sign with Born Herman Thomas Davis
the Brooklyn organization. in Brooklyn, he was the fran-
Scouting director Al Campa- chise’s first batting champion
nis knew Davis’ mother was a after the Dodgers moved to
Dodgers fan. Los Angeles. He won con-