Keeping it Cricket in the City of Compton
Web Extra: Hear Cricket Team Co-Captain Isaac Hayes' 'Cricket Rap' Extolling the Virtues of the Sport
Compton Homies batsman Joseph Coborubio takes a break from the cricket action. Christopher Johnson, NPR hide caption
The Southern California city of Compton has been home to both the famous and the infamous. Tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams grew up there. So did the rapper and actor Ice Cube. Some of the notorious Crips and Bloods street gangs claim territory in Compton.
If homeless activist Ted Hayes has his way, Compton will also claim attention as the capital of American cricket -- that most British of sports exports, with millions of fans all across the globe. Hayes is founder of the Dome Village, a group of 20 prefabricated dome homes that's become something of a cultural center for formerly homeless people.
For nearly a decade, teams like the Compton Homies and The Popz have faced off against each other on the grassy field next to the Dome Village. This is no pick-up league -- these teams regularly win competitions with other cricket teams, and there are plans for a global tour of Australia, South Africa and Great Britain.