Nica of the Month          
May 2003 
NicademiksPuntoCom
         

It is no mystery to fans of Nicademiks that we are all about showing 
off our Bay superiority, and that bodes especially true when it comes 
down to athletics. Professional sports in the Bay, have a long history of 
success from the Giants to the A's to the 49ers to the Warriors (they 
did win a championship once people). With the San Fran Gigantes off to a 
tremendous start this season, under new skipper Felipe Alou, we here at 
Nicademiks felt it definintely appropriate to award May's "Nica of the 
Month" award to an athlete who has been holding down the orange and 
black and the Bay like whaa since 1995. So, without further 
adou...felicidades Marvin Benard, you are this month's "Nica of the Month."

#7 Marvin "Leisure Suit" Larry Benard
"Puro Pinolero...y que?"      

Birthplace: Bluefields, Nicaragua
Birthdate: 1/20/70
Height: 5' 9"
(a member of the fightin' fire hydrants)
Weight: 191 lbs of gallo pinto
Position: OF
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Politics: Left
College: Lewis-Clark State,
ID (holds Idaho state record for most
potatoes consumed by a Nica in one sitting)
MLB Debut: 9/5/95 (while Jeromey was
at water polo practice)
Favorite Restaurant: Las Tinajas in the Mission (look for his autographed jersey
and bat on the wall the next time you're there).

OK OK OK...So, Marvin hasn't been having his best seasons in the Major 
Leagues as of late (currently batting .189 as of 6/10/03), but you have 
to give it up to the kid, who is no longer an everyday player for the 
Giants, but has emerged as a solid, clutch contributer from the bench. 
With a career .275 avg., this Nica has definitely proven that he can 
produce from the plate. Matter of fact, at bat Benard is probably one of 
the most feared 5' 9" players in the league, often giving pitchers the 
stank eye and a mouthful of dirty Nicaraguan spanish slang words (stay 
tuned to Nicademiks for a list to be published in the near future) to 
those who dare come at him with an inside pitch. Despite his speed, 
Benard's defense has often been criticized, however, he seems to always 
get the breaks when it comes down to the nitty gritty, turning routine fly 
balls into athletic, circus-like plays. While people critcize such 
displays as blatant misjudging of the ball, when it comes down to it 
Benard does this to get more air time for nicas on ESPN. Represent son!


Benard became the 7th Nicaraguan to play in the Majors when he broke 
in with the Giants in 1995, and has definitely used the opportunity to 
give back to his gente. Recognizing the large population of Nicas living 
in the Bay, the pinolero pinch hitter became spokesman for CARECEN in 
San Francisco's Mission District, which reaches 300-500 Latino youth and 
adults with dental, blood pressure, glucose and bone marrow screenings 
and several other health related topics and information. Moving to the 
United States from Nicaragua at age 12, Benard in no way forgets his 
roots, as he makes it a top priority to reach out to the community not 
only through projects as CARECEN, but also through visits to City 
schools, work with the Roberto Clemente league, and community service 
both in the U.S. and in Nicaragua.

While Marvin may not be the best player on the Giants, or the best 
Nicaraguan playing in the Major Leagues, he is still one of our own and 
a player, with a positive attitude and a big heart. Throughout his tenure, 
he has had flashes of brillance with the Giants, and earned a large multi-
million dollar contract, which is currently in its final year. So, while this 
season will more than likely be the last time we see Benard in a Giant's 
uniform, we will always have pride and respect for the man and all that 
he has stood for and represented as both a Giant and a Nica...the epitome 
of Bay Superiority. Congrats to the May "Nica of the Month."  
          

          
Stay tuned for June's Nica of the Month. Think someone deserves this 
award, email us your nomination. 
           



[NOTE: Although hard investigative work has contributed to this biography, the 
above article was written for entertainment purpose only, without the explicit 
written consent (we only need implied oral consent for our purposes) of the 
featured individual. All opinions are solely those of Nicademiks.com,
 all rights reserved.]

 

Jeromey
Jerome's Archive...

Pinolero
Rafa's Archive...