Hall of Fame Celebrates Latin American Heritage of Baseball
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MAY 06, 2009
Baseball Hall of Fame

America’s National Pastime is now a full-time obsession around the globe. And nowhere is that more obvious than in Latin America – a region that produced 29 percent of the players on Major League Baseball’s 2009 Opening Day rosters.
On Saturday, May 23, The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum honors the Latin American baseball experience by unveiling a new, permanent exhibit in Cooperstown entitled ¡Viva Baseball! , recognizing the Latin American impact on baseball through a celebration of Caribbean Basin countries and players. Hall of Famers Orlando Cepeda and Juan Marichal are scheduled to participate in a full day of activities in Cooperstown, including the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Latin American players have made a tremendous impact on our National Pastime,” said Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson. “Two generations of Latin American youngsters have grown up idolizing players like Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda. ¡Viva Baseball! tells the story of how these talented and driven players have left their mark on the big leagues and changed the game for the better.”
¡Viva Baseball! features nearly 150 artifacts and a state-of-the-art multi-media presentation celebrating the passion of the Latin love affair with baseball, spanning nearly 150 years of history. The exhibit focuses on the rich baseball traditions of the major baseball-playing countries of the region: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. In video interviews located throughout the exhibit, Latin American Hall of Famers and major league All-Stars provide first-hand accounts for playing in their homeland, their journey to the major leagues and insight into what makes Caribbean baseball special.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a special Voices of the Game roundtable discussion, also featuring Cepeda and Marichal, will be held at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.
Members are invited to celebrate the opening of ¡Viva Baseball! with an exclusive reception from 6 to 8 p.m. May 23 at the Hall of Fame, featuring an appearance from Cepeda and Marichal. Attendees will have complete after-hours access to the Museum, where Hall of Fame staff will present special artifact spotlights, demonstrate the Museum’s award-winning educational modules and curators will be available to chat about the new exhibit. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served in the Plaque Gallery. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12 and are still available.
Members interested in attending both the Voices of the Game roundtable discussion and the ¡Viva Baseball Member Reception can also purchase a ticket package for the discounted price of $25 for adults and $10 for children under 12.
Other activities planned to celebrate the opening on May 23 include screenings of The Republic of Baseball at 9:30 a.m. and Dreaming in Blue at noon, both in the Bullpen Theater; and an Author’s Series event featuring Adrian Burgos (Playing America’s Game: Baseball, Latinos and the Color Line), Milton Jamail (Venezuelan Bust, Baseball Boom: Andres Reiner and Scouting on the New Frontier), Alan Klein (Baseball on the Border), Rob Ruck (The Tropic of Baseball: Baseball in the Dominican Republic), and Tim Wendel and Jose Luis Villegas (Far From Home: Latino Baseball Players in America).
Puerto Rico’s Roberto Clemente became the first Latino elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 and has since been joined by Martin Dihigo, Jose Mendez, Tony Perez and Cristobal Torriente (Cuba); from the Dominican Republic – Juan Marichal; from Panama – Rod Carew; from Puerto Rico – Orlando Cepeda; and from Venezuela – Luis Aparicio.
Some of the historic artifacts from ¡Viva Baseball! will include: A ball from the first organized pro season in the United States from 1871, used in a game that featured Cuban Esteban Bellan, the first Latin American big leaguer; a jersey from Puerto Rico’s Roberto Clemente; a glove and cap from Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal of the Dominican Republic; a jersey worn by Hector Espino, the “Mexican Babe Ruth”; and jerseys and equipment from current Latin American superstars like Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Johan Santana.