Ángel Macías, the historic pitcher for the Little Giants, has died.

▲ Twelve-year-old baseball player Ángel Macías (on shoulders) pitched a perfect game that allowed Mexico to win a Little League World Series on August 23, 1957. LMB Photo

Juan Manuel Vázquez

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, p. a11

Ángel Macías Barba died on Sunday at the age of 80, but he will be remembered for a feat he accomplished when he was just a child. At age 12, on August 23, 1957, he pitched a perfect game, the only one recorded in that tournament to date, which allowed Mexico to win its first Little League World Series championship in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, a competition that has been held since 1947. That's when the nickname that made them popular was born: The Little Giants.

Macías and that group of children from the Monterrey Industrial League caused a stir with their story, which was used twice as material for two American films (in 1958 and 2009). Both stories recreate the fighting spirit of children who overcame all kinds of adversity.

They were small not only because of their young age, but also because this was a team that competed against some adverse circumstances that complicated their progress in that tournament. Never before had a team from this side of the border won the title, and these young players, who came from poor areas of the region, sought to achieve the unimaginable. They were children of working-class parents, much smaller than their American rivals, Mexican minors crossing into a country that regarded them as guests with no chance of success.

That's why what they achieved became exemplary not only for Mexican sports, but for any sport that must overcome competitive disadvantages.

Mexican radio was telling that story to an audience gathered around the radio stations, hoping for something close to a miracle. The Monterrey Industrial League was facing a team from La Mesa, California, in the final.

On the mound, Macías had pitched flawlessly and without damage until the fifth inning, but the scoreboard remained scoreless. In the sixth inning , however, things were complicated for the young baseball player, the count was three balls and zero strikes . The work done up to that point by the Monterrey team was at risk, but he managed to overcome it with a composure that to this day is a benchmark of glory fought for until the last breath. He came from behind and delivered a heroic, cinematic strikeout that allowed a Mexican team to win a Little League World Series title for the first time. The 12-year-old pitcher retired all 18 batters in order, 11 of them by strikeout.

Their achievement earned them accolades from both the presidents of the United States and Mexico, as they became examples of courage and determination. The Little Giants were born that summer afternoon.

Macías later turned professional and played for teams in both the Mexican and Pacific Leagues. But his performance alongside those young players gave him a new way of facing challenges for anyone who plays against disadvantage or adversity.

Meanwhile, in the edition being played in Williamsport, Mexico's representative team, the team from Santa María de Aguayo, Tamaulipas, defeated Canada 6-1. This is the best tribute one can pay to a predecessor like Ángel Macías.

▲ Toluca coach Antonio Mohamed (right) said they will seek to earn as many points as possible to qualify. Photo @Tolucafc

Alberto Aceves

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, p. a12

In the 2024 edition of the Leagues Cup , Liga MX players and coaches pointed out logistical errors in the organization, excessive travel and matches, in addition to the obligation to suspend activity in the local tournament to fulfill commitments with the MLS.

"We can't speak ill of the Leagues Cup , otherwise we'll get fined," said then-Tijuana goalkeeper José Antonio Rodríguez, referring to the alleged sanctions levied against those most critical of the tournament for questioning it.

With format modifications to ensure direct matches between clubs from both nations until the quarterfinal round, experienced coaches Robert Dante Siboldi and Antonio Mohamed, coaches of Mazatlán and Toluca, respectively, are raising even more questions about the sporting benefits of this new installment of a tournament that brings together 18 participants from Liga MX and the top nine from each of the two conferences of the American circuit.

"We don't know who we're competing against, because we can win all three matches and then be eliminated ," Mohamed explained in a press conference via Zoom from Columbus, Ohio, where he will face the Columbus Crew this Wednesday to kick off the group stage. "It's a bit strange, I maintain. Since we don't have direct rivals, we compete against others on points. We'll try to get the most points and get them to qualify; that's our goal ."

In previous seasons, MLS teams participated in their entirety (29) and there were matches exclusively between them. Only América advanced to the quarterfinals last year, where they were eliminated after losing to the Colorado Rapids, while the other bracket pitted Seattle Sounders against LAFC. To ensure matches between the two teams, teams from each league now compete for points in an additional table only against teams from their own country.

At the end of the first phase, the top four teams will form a group with the leaders of the other league. I've seen the evolution of MLS. Teams no longer bring in players who were stars in their leagues or were already on their way out. Now they're focusing on development. To appreciate that this is a new tournament, we first have to compete; the most important thing is that we don't spend so much time away from our families anymore , said Uruguayan Siboldi, champion at the helm of Cruz Azul in 2019, when they defeated Tigres de la UANL in the final.

In addition to guaranteeing direct matches in the round of eight, the current edition of the Leagues Cup will not halt the activity of Liga MX clubs while the tournament is being played, something that was criticized by coaches such as Spaniard Domènec Torrent, then with Atlético de San Luis. "It's a preseason, a joke of the competition for Mexican teams ," he stated, before also referring to the constant transfers from one city to another. "If I'm here next year, I'm going to use it as preparation for my players ."

While the top six Mexican teams—Toluca, León, Puebla, Mazatlán, Tigres, and Pachuca—open the first phase of the tournament, others announced their squads yesterday. Guadalajara officially announced the withdrawal of veteran Javier Chicharito Hernández due to injury, the same week the Mexican Football Federation imposed a financial penalty on him for making sexist and chauvinistic comments on social media.

During the warm-up for the match against León, Hernández reported muscle discomfort in his left leg. After imaging studies, an injury to his left soleus muscle was confirmed, so his return to competition will depend on his progress , the club said in a statement released Friday night.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, p. a12

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Juan Ramón de la Fuente, led the inauguration of the high-level segment on Trilateral Logistics Coordination between Mexico, the United States, and Canada on Monday, with the goal of strengthening regional collaboration leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins in 318 days.

The federal official reiterated the Mexican Foreign Ministry's commitment to facilitating global engagement through its embassies and consulates, in areas such as visa issuance, consular services, promotion, and diplomatic logistics.

The opening ceremony was attended by Gabriela Cuevas, responsible for coordinating the federal government's efforts to organize the World Cup; Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force; Cameron MacKay, Canadian ambassador to Mexico; Paul Watzlawick, of the U.S. Department of State; and Roberto Velasco, head of the North American Unit at the Foreign Ministry.

The World Cup is a new opportunity to strengthen the North American region, which is very dynamic and where there is excellent coordination among the three countries that comprise it , De la Fuente said, according to Foreign Affairs.

▲ Photo @Azulfemenil

La Jornada Newspaper, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, p. a12

With a goal from Kimberlin Galicia, Atlético de San Luis defeated Cruz Azul 1-0 in the third round of the Liga MX Femenil. The Celestes finished with 10 players due to the expulsion of Leigh-Anne Robe, who accumulated two yellow cards in the match played at La Noria. Pictured are Wendy Natis (striped shirt) and Aerial Chavarin during yesterday's match.