Humboldt Park Proposes To Honor Javier Baez
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Cubs haven't won the World Series yet, but there are already calls for a permanent honor to one player – Javier Baez.
And to remove a tribute to someone else -- CBS 2 political reporter Derrick Blakely has the tale of two signs.
It stands in the shadow of Trump Tower, but not for much longer -- an honorary Donald Trump street sign that aldermen voted to remove, after Trump said soaring crime turned Chicago into a war-torn city.
"I do not care if he cares," 42nd Ward Ald. Brendan O'Reilly said. "All I know is the people of Chicago do not want to honor someone who drags our name through the mud."
O'Reilley is also retuning a $5,000 Trump campaign contribution, but Mayor Emanuel wouldn't commit to giving back $50,000 for Trump.
"I'll take a look into it," Emanuel said.
Meantime, a sign honoring the Baez may be going up outside Humboldt Park's Little Cubs Field.
"He's Puerto Rican," Ald. Roberto Maldonado said. "Humboldt Park has always been known as part visited by Puerto Ricans, traditionally."
It was an idea endorsed by Tuesday's visitors, playing dominoes in the park.
"It's good," said Jose Vasquez, Humboldt Park visitor. "It's Humboldt Park. He is Latino, and he is more than welcome to bring his name to the streets."
Privately, some in the neighborhood objected to the honor for Baez, saying the 23-year-old infielder hasn't accomplished enough in baseball. Others thought the proposed tribute detracts from the person the street is named for, Luis Munoz Marin, Puerto Rico's first-elected governor.
