Bill Richardson

NM Gov. Richardson heads to Cuba for trade mission
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[edit]Early life and education

Bill Richardson was born in Pasadena, California.[5][6] His father, William Blaine Richardson Jr. (died in 1972), was an American Citibank executive[5][6] who grew up in Boston, Massachusetts[5] and lived and worked in Mexico City.[6] His mother, María Luisa López-Collada Márquez[6] is the Mexican daughter of a Spanish father from Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain and a Mexican mother[7][5][8][9] and was his father's secretary[6].[8] Richardson's father was born in Nicaragua.[6] Just before Richardson was born, his father sent his mother to California to give birth because, as Richardson explained, "My father had a complex about not having been born in the United States."[6] Richardson, a U.S. citizen by birthright, was raised during his childhood in Mexico City.[6][8] At age 13, Richardson's parents sent him to Massachusetts to attend a preparatory school, Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, where he played baseball as a pitcher.[6] He entered Tufts University[5][10] in 1966 where he continued to play baseball.[11]
Richardson's original biographies stated that he had been drafted by the Kansas City Athletics and the Chicago Cubs to play professional baseball, but a 2005 Albuquerque Journal investigation revealed that he never was on any official draft. Richardson acknowledged the error which he claimed was unintentional, saying that he had been scouted by several teams and told that he "would or could" be drafted, but was mistaken in saying that he was actually drafted.[12]
In 1967, he pitched in the amateur Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers in Cotuit, Massachusetts. A Kettleers program included the words "Drafted by K.C." The information which according to the investigation was generally provided by the players or their college coaches. Richardson said:
“ When I saw that program in 1967, I was convinced I was drafted...And it stayed with me all these years.[13] ”
He earned a Bachelor's degree at Tufts in 1970, majoring in French and political science and was a brother and president of Delta Tau Delta. He went on to earn a master's degree in international affairs from Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1971. While still in high school, he met his future wife, Barbara Flavin. They married in 1972 and have no children.
[edit]Early political career
BY DEBORAH BAKER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will spend the week in Cuba on a trade mission, and he's paying his own way because of the state's budget problems.

A spokeswoman in his office said the governor was to fly to Havana on Monday and return on Friday.

He is slated to discuss potential agricultural and cultural partnerships between New Mexico and Cuba.

Alarie Ray-Garcia, a spokeswoman in the governor's office, said the state is picking up the tab for other members of Richardson's official delegation.