Azalea Park Little League Play With Pride Of Clemente Mural Once Again
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
By: Grant Gentry

March 18, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - Tonight Orlando's Azalea Park Little League will once again play in the presence of Roberto Clemente.

[Hector “Nicer” Nazario repaints the Roberto Clemente mural. Photo- Grant Gentry, WMFE]

Tuesday night's games- the North Orlando Kiwanis Rays v. The Azalea Park Pirates and the Azalea Park Rays v. the Union Park Pirates- will be the league’s first competitive games since a mural of the Puerto Rican baseball great was repainted last weekend.

Earl Lugo is the community organizer who commissioned the original mural – which was destroyed in an act of vandalism earlier this year.

Lugo says Clemente is a source of inspiration to the little league players.

"I mean, those kids, they had some pride,” says Lugo.

“Everyone wanted to be number 21.  It was incredible, because none of these kids have ever seen this man play.  But because of this mural they’re going on Google, they’re researching, they’re asking questions," he says.

The mural was repainted last Saturday by New York graffiti artist Hector “Nicer” Nazario.

Lugo says supporters of the Azalea Park little league rallied around with donations to fly Nazario down and cover the cost of time and paint.