Monday 7th April 2003
(by Cory Giger)

Brett Roneberg saw snow for the first time in his life upon arriving in Altoona a week ago.
"It was an experience, that's for sure," the Curve's Australian first baseman said.
"I saw it once when I was like 1, but that doesn't count because I can't remember it."

Seeing snow is one thing, driving in it another.
So Roneberg, who had just bought a used car, had some worries, mate.
"A little scary," he said. "I wasn't sure if I was going to slip off the road. The tires were spinning a little bit every now and then."

It's got to be tough enough for foreign-born players to adapt to everything else in this country without throwing snow into the mix.
But, hey, welcome to Central PA, which is expected to get pounded by a bunch more of the white stuff today.

Roneberg's the second Aussie to don a Curve uniform -- former pitcher Adrian Burnside's the other -- and one of 67 current minor leaguers from down under.

That ranks Australia sixth among countries in producing pro farmhands.

Incredibly, 46 percent of minor leaguers were born outside the United States, according to a Major League Baseball study.

That's 2,851 foreigners out of 6,196 players under contract as of March 31.

How can the number be that high?
We see a few Latin players each season, but the Curve roster's usually filled with Americans.
The only other foreign-born player on the roster this season is Kevin Nicholson, the first Canadian to play with Altoona.
Keep in mind, however, the vast number of rookie-level, Dominican and Mexican league teams made up of almost entirely Latin players.
Those teams alter the overall percentages.
Still, 46 percent is a whopping figure.

The statistics point out, too, that most of these players hail from places where money is as tough to come by as snow.
The Dominican Republic has the most current minor leaguers with 1,437, followed by Venezuela with 793 and Puerto Rico with 113.
Having visited the Dominican Republic recently, the nation's overwhelming poverty leaves such a lasting image that you're certain baseball might the best and only way out.
The Curve have a pair of players this season, Ronny Paulino and Jose Castillo, from the Dominican and Venezuela, respectively. Castillo's homeland currently is in the middle of a general strike that has virtually shut down the country's economic infrastructure.
While these two players concentrate on wins, losses and batting averages, their loved ones may be facing hardships we can't imagine.

This is a game, something we all should keep in perspective.

As for Roneberg, last week's snowfall hasn't been the only difference he's noticed in the U.S.
"The biggest thing in America is everybody's in a rush," he said. "In Australia, everybody's calmed down."
He also confirmed, as Burnside said last year, that the Outback Steakhouse image of Australia parlayed on Americans isn't exactly correct.
There are, he revealed, no Bloomin' Onions in his country.
"Or cheese fries, mate," Roneberg said. "We ain't got any of that stuff."

A total of 2,851 minor leaguers hail from other countries.

The leading producers:
Dominican Republic - 1,437
Venezuela - 793
Puerto Rico - 113
Canada - 95
Mexico - 95
Australia - 67
Panama - 60
Colombia - 38
Nicaragua - 36
Cuba - 20
(Source - Major League Baseball)