WHAT: A team consisting of student athletes, parents, coaches, umpires, and Journey House staff will travel from Milwaukee, WI to Major League Baseball Legend Felix Mantilla’s hometown of Isabela, Puerto Rico to play baseball and participate in a number of educational activities, including:
  • Visit the Museum of Sport
  • Tour Old San Juan
  • Tour Fuerte San Felipe del Morro (El Morro)
  • Hike and Bird Watch in El Yunque Rainforest
  • Tour Camuy River Cave Park
  • Visit El Estadio Felix Mantilla
  • Explore Jobos Beach
 
MAJOR SPONSORS: The tours were paid for by a large group of generous donors, including:
            The Luke Homan Foundation
            The Geiger Foundation
            Thomson Companies
            North Star Providers
            The Milwaukee Brewers Community Foundation
            Alex Rodriguez (The A-Rod Corporation)
 
WHO: The team that represented the City of Milwaukee, the State of Wisconsin, Journey House and the Felix Mantilla Little League includes: 
  • 14 Players: All players are 9-10 years old. Ten players are Felix Mantilla Little League All Stars and four players are scholar athletes
  • Coaches: Head Coach Guerrero “Chato” Duran, Assistant Coach Chico Camus, and Assistant Coach Julio Cruz
  • Umpires: Amagie Lewis and Ricardo Scott
  • Staff: Board Chairman Eugene Manzanet, CEO Dr. Michele Bria, Deputy Director Charles Brown
​WHY: According to Dr. Bria, “The Felix Mantilla Little League Education and Cultural Exchange is an amazing opportunity for our scholar athletes to experience a different culture and increase their global awareness, which will give them incredible exposure to an array of experiences.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel with a MLB Legend Felix Mantilla, learn about his hometown Isabela, and the importance of Felix’s advice: ‘You need to swing the bat to get off the island.’ We are grateful to our sponsors for believing in our youth!”
 
Felix Mantilla, Major League Baseball Legend (Short biography)
Felix Mantilla had an illustrious 24-year baseball career spanning 969 MLB games, two World Series appearances (including the Milwaukee Braves 1957 World Series victory), a 1965 MLB All-Star Game selection, a 1954 Caribbean World Series championship and a World Amateur Baseball Championship in 1951. The Little League was founded in 1972 and is generously supported by the Milwaukee Brewers Community Foundation.
Picture
From L-R: Felix "Tony" Mantilla Jr., Felix Mantilla, Eugene Manzanet
​IN THE NEWS:
It’s better than we hoped:” Kids from 2 countries bring language, cultural gaps with ease
Fox6 News - August 22, 2017
Puerto Rican Little League team visits Milwaukee in cultural exchange
Milwaukee Neighborhood News - August 19, 2017
Félix Mantilla: A World Series Champion Who Continues to Teach Kids On and Off the Field
Latino Sports August 15, 2017
THE FELIX MANTILLA EXCHANGE WELCOMES 14 PUERTO RICAN LITTLE LEAGUERS TO MILWAUKEE
​Milwaukee Magazine - August 14, 2017
Former Braves' Felix Mantilla and sons use baseball to build bridges between Milwaukee and Puerto Rico
Journal Sentinel - August 11, 2017
Felix Mantilla Little League draws 35 Puerto Rican visitors for exchange program
OnMilwaukee - August 8, 2017
Journey House proposes $2.3 million renovation of Baran Park baseball fields
Neighborhood News Service - MARCH 22, 2017
Little Leaguers Welcomed On, Off Field in Puerto Rico
Catholic Herald - November 3, 2016
Little Leaguers Get Trip of a Lifetime​
Time Warner Cable Sports - September 1, 2016

​Former MLB star Felix Mantilla gives Little Leaguers gift of his native Puerto Rico
Fox News Latino - August 30, 2016
Former MLB Star helps Little League team make unforgettable trip to Puerto Rico
Fox6 News - August 29, 2016

A baseball pioneer takes a road trip, with Little Leaguers, to his native Puerto Rico 
Fox News Latino - August 17, 2016
​
For Little Leaguers, trip to Puerto Rico is about more than baseball
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - July 5, 2016

Felix Mantilla Has MKE Little Leaguers Ready to Play in Puerto Rico
Milwaukee Magazine - June 3, 2016

Félix Mantilla Implementa El Programa De Intercambio Cultural Para Jugadores Puertorriqueños Y Norteamericanos (English Version)
Beisbol Mundial - April 1, 2016

​Fundraiser To Honor Former Brave, Felix Mantilla
Catholic Herald - March 24, 2016

​Felix Mantilla Little League sending Milwaukee kids to play in Puerto Rico
OnMilwaukee.com - March 22, 2016

​Journey House little league players to compete in Puerto Rico
BizTimes - March 18, 2016

​​Major Leaguers for a day: Mantilla Little Leaguers get tour of Miller Park, donated equipment
Fox6 News - March 16, 2016

​New Felix Mantilla Little League baseball exchange program will help educate and raise cultural awareness among urban youth
Neighborhood News Service - March 4, 2015

​Felix Mantilla Little League on Orgullo Latino Radio (in Spanish)
​WMSE 91.7 FM - April 3, 2016
​
​Felix Mantilla's Milwaukee Little League Team to Travel to Puerto Rico
WUWM Radio - March 30, 2016
 PHOTOS/VIDEOS:​ Marquette High School and North Star Providers hosted a fantastic fundraising dinner on April 2 to help make this trip possible. Click on any photo to see the full images.
​More Information: 
If you would like to learn more about our FMLL Cultural and Education Program, please feel free to contact Dr. Michele Bria ([email protected] or (414) 647-0548, ext. 101).