Viva Baseball Essay Research Paper Subjects HISPANIC

Viva Baseball Essay, Research Paper

Subject(s):

HISPANIC American baseball players; BASEBALL — History

Source:

Hispanic, Apr99, Vol. 13 Issue 4, p42, 2p, 1c

Author(s):

Regalado, Samuel O.

Abstract:

Details the history of Hispanic American baseball players. Trials and tribulations that

parallel the Hispanic community; Hunger of the Hispanic Americans for recognition in

the field of baseball; Importance of the Latin contingent in American baseball;

Language barrier; Racism; Expansion of baseball’s Latin contingent in baseball;

Achievements.

AN:

1783747

ISSN:

0898-3097

Note:

This title is not held locally

Database:

MasterFILE Elite

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BASEBALL — History

[Go To Citation]

Best Part

VIVA BASEBALL!

Latin Major Leaguers and Their Special Hunger

The successes of today’s Hispanic ballplayers are not surprising. Consider the home-run race

between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, which took place during the 1998 baseball season.

While McGwire may hold the record, Sosa’s achievements were equally noted and received wide

media attention.

Latinos, however, have not always been welcomed by America’s favorite game. In Viva Baseball!

Samuel O. Regalado documents the history of Latino ballplayers, chronicling trials and tribulations

that parallel the Hispanic community itself. The history begins in 1871 and delves into the stories of

many great players.

Regalado, the nephew of former major leaguer Rudy Regalado, is a professor of history at the

California State University, Stanislaus. He has had articles published in Journal of the West and

Baseball History. Reprinted from Viva Baseball! Latin Major Leaguers and Their Special Hunger,

by Samuel O. Regalado. Copyright 1998 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Used with the permission of the University of Illinois Press. (Available with a new Afterword in

April 1999.)

Chapter 1 That Special Hunger

They come from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and Venezuela, mostly, but they might as

well come from the same place. The same thing drives them. They don’t want to go back home to a

standard of living they tried so hard to leave. They all had the “special hunger.”

–Octavio “Cookie” Rojas

Dodger Stadium reverberated with excitement on the warm evening of May 14, 1981. Dodgers

fans had come to see a young pitcher’s attempt to establish a major league record for the most

consecutive wins by a rookie at the start of a season. Moreover, they came just to see him. None

of the 56,000 seats was empty as patrons sat impatiently in the ballpark awaiting their hero’s

attempt to capture his eighth straight victory. As the Dodgers took the field, the roar of the crowd

reached a crescendo when Fernando Valenzuela, the twenty-year-old Mexican star, popped out of

the dugout on his way to the mound. Throughout the stadium fans shouted encouragement in both

Spanish and English as Helen Dell, the Dodger Stadium organist, used the “El Toro” theme instead

of the more familiar “Charge” for that evening’s battle cry.

In the press box, journalists from around the nation jockeyed for space as they sought to cover the

phenomenon dubbed “Femandomania.” Behind their microphones, Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully

prefaced the contest with a dramatic analysis of Valenzuela while Jaime Jarrin, the “other voice of

the Dodgers,” did the same for his Spanish-speaking listeners, which numbered well into the

millions. Indeed, in the next several weeks similar scenes occurred in other National League cities

when Valenzuela pitched. The native of Etchohuaquila in Sonora, Mexico, had captured national

attention. Fans clamored to get his autograph; reporters groped for new information on him.

English-speaking baseball followers were captivated by the young man from a humble background

who seemed to spin magic on the pitcher’s mound. Their Spanish-speaking counterparts saw

him–and the surrounding delirium–as symbolic of Latin influence in the United States. Latins had

arrived.

Clearly, the attention directed toward Valenzuela was a watershed in the history of Latins in

America’s national sport. Although prior to 1981 Latins had never received such nationwide

acclaim, Fernando Valenzuela was nonetheless simply the most celebrated representative of a

distinguished group of athletes who have helped shape major league baseball and American culture.

Talented stars such as the Alou brothers, Luis Aparicio, Jorge “George” Bell, Orlando Cepeda,

Roberto Clemente, Adolfo Luque, Juan Marichal, Dennis Martinez, Orestes “Minnie” Minoso, and

Ruben Sierra were prominent during their respective years of play. Most were driven by a

desperate desire to succeed–what

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