Year in review

Professional athletes put Navajo Nation on the map

WINDOW ROCK

There’s no question, 2018 is a year we will never forgot.

This year marked a time when a number of individuals put the Navajo Nation on the map.

From Anthony Seigler to Cody Jesus to Keyshawn Whitehorse the mere mention of them being Diné has made us very proud. Seigler, of course, was drafted as the New York Yankees’ No. 1 pick while Jesus captured the world title in the Championship Bull Riding. Lastly, Whitehorse outlasted a couple of contenders for the PBR Rookie of the Year award.

What they accomplished is almost incomprehensible but their stories were graced on the front pages on numerous publications throughout the country, including the Navajo Times.

We also can’t forget the spectacle that took place on Nov. 11 when the Arizona State University women’s basketball team battled the Baylor Lady Bears in a national televised game at the Bee Holdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center. Baylor came from behind and scored a 65-59 win in what was dubbed “Showdown on the Rez.”

Those stories made it high on my top 10 list for 2018. The rest of them, of course, were just as significant.

1. New York Yankees draft Diné from Georgia with No. 23 overall pick

A year before being drafted as the Yankees’ top pick, Anthony Seigler made a promise to his family that he would get an invitation to the studios of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey on draft day.

Some of the top prospects were on hand at the studios when the 2018 Major League Baseball draft commenced and Seigler heard his name come up when the Yankees chose him as the 23rd overall pick. The Diné from Cartersville, Georgia, later signed his contract for $2.8 million.

“Just being able to experience that was a tremendous blessing,” Seigler said. “Being able to be there when they called my name was pretty awesome. It’s every kid’s dream to be drafted in the first round and I am thankful for that.”

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