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Cricket rising: Immigrants fueling resurgence of the game in the United States
• EAST ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) -- Cricket, the international game of bats and balls that isn't baseball, is enjoying a surge of popularity in America, with the debut of a national league this spring and higher demand to build "pitches" across the country.
• Areas such as New York City, California's Silicon Valley, Washington, D.C., Dallas and Chicago have become cricket hotbeds, fueled by an influx of mostly South Asian immigrants, some of whom arrived as part of the high-tech boom.
• In the immigrant-rich New York area, cricket has become so popular that lotteries are being held for the chance to play in pitches at some parks. New York City schools still have the only varsity cricket league in the country, but it has doubled in size in just seven years, with 30 teams now competing for the title.
• A national traveling league, the American Cricket Champions League, began this spring and has 17 teams from Boston to Los Angeles vying a for a six-team playoff tournament.
• For 17-year-old Akash Chowdhury, who arrived in New York City four years ago from Bangladesh and plays in the city schools league, cricket has helped smooth the transition to his new home.
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Today in History
The Associated Press
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• Today is Tuesday, June 3, the 154th day of 2014. There are 211 days left in the year.
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• Today's Highlights in History:
• On June 3, 1989, Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, died. Chinese army troops began their sweep of Beijing to crush student-led pro-democracy demonstrations.
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• On this date:
• In 1621, the Dutch West India Co. received its charter for a trade monopoly in parts of the Americas and Africa.
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