Las tardes de Cumanacoa siempre tra\u00c3\u00adan expectativas de ir al cine Royal o al teatro Gardel para apreciar pel\u00c3\u00adculas mexicanas en blanco y negro o norteamericanas en colores. De lo contrario me quedaba con mis hermanos jugando con la baraja espa\u00c3\u00b1ola o domin\u00c3\u00b3. O hac\u00c3\u00adamos un zapping con el radio de onda corta para ver si agarr\u00c3\u00a1bamos alguna transmisi\u00c3\u00b3n en ingl\u00c3\u00a9s de las Grandes Ligas.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Este mi\u00c3\u00a9rcoles 5 de enero de 2011, la noticia de la entrada al Sal\u00c3\u00b3n de la Fama del camarero Roberto Alomar con sus 10 guantes de oro, sus .300 de promedio ofensivo en 17 temporadas, sus 4 bates de plata, sus dos campeonatos de Serie Mundial con los Azulejos de Toronto, sus 3 lideratos defensivos como segunda base y aquella combinaci\u00c3\u00b3n de filigrana que form\u00c3\u00b3 con Omar Vizquel a finales de los noventa en los Indios de Cleveland, relumbr\u00c3\u00b3 en las cavernas de mi mente, sin embargo el anuncio de que Bert Blyleven hab\u00c3\u00ada\u00c2\u00a0 asegurado un nicho en Cooperstown, me templ\u00c3\u00b3 hacia el pasillo posterior de la casa de mis padres en la calle La Florida.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Mis hermanos giraron el disco sintonizador 3 veces y estrujaron los labios. Agarr\u00c3\u00a9 el transistor y corr\u00c3\u00ad hacia el pasadizo camuflajeado tras un muro de matas de u\u00c3\u00b1a de danta. Las sombras del atardecer de aquel 5 de junio de 1970, siguieron mis pasos y las hojas del limonero acercaron su aroma a nan\u00c3\u00b3metros de mis p\u00c3\u00b3mulos que bajaron como un calambre y me impuls\u00c3\u00a9 hacia la pared de bloques de dibujo en su extremo superior. Patin\u00c3\u00a9 tres veces en las\u00c2\u00a0 rugosidades del cemento mientras me sosten\u00c3\u00ada de la reja de la ventana. Al escuchar las voces de Felipe y Jes\u00c3\u00bas Mario, ejecut\u00c3\u00a9 un salto que me dej\u00c3\u00b3 colgando de los bloques de dibujo. Dos patinazos m\u00c3\u00a1s y una flexi\u00c3\u00b3n de brazos sobre el tope del pared\u00c3\u00b3n me lanzaron sobre las l\u00c3\u00a1minas de asbesto que conectaban con la platabanda. Cuando las voces de mis hermanos inquir\u00c3\u00adan que pretend\u00c3\u00ada hacer, mis manos sintieron las p\u00c3\u00baas de las piedritas del impermeabilizante dispersas sobre el techo cual arena de playa.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Welcome to RFK Stadium at Washington DC. This Friday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s game between the Senators and the Minnesota Twins\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Felipe se agach\u00c3\u00b3 en la punta del pared\u00c3\u00b3n entre el asbesto y el lecho de piedritas. Jes\u00c3\u00bas Mario salt\u00c3\u00b3 desde los bloques de dibujo y cay\u00c3\u00b3 dos metros m\u00c3\u00a1s all\u00c3\u00a1 de la orilla del techo. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfQu\u00c3\u00a9 juego es ese?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Sub\u00c3\u00ad el volumen bajo el resplandor del anuncio publicitario de Seguros Caracas.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0El narrador hablaba de un muchacho de 19 a\u00c3\u00b1os con cara de ni\u00c3\u00b1o. Hab\u00c3\u00ada nacido en Holanda y a los dos a\u00c3\u00b1os viaj\u00c3\u00b3 a Canad\u00c3\u00a1 con su familia. Cuando cumpli\u00c3\u00b3 6 a\u00c3\u00b1os emigr\u00c3\u00b3 a los Estados Unidos donde su padre empez\u00c3\u00b3 a trabajar de camionero en el negocio de su t\u00c3\u00ado.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ball four. Cesar Tovar goes to first base\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 Tovar se rob\u00c3\u00b3 la segunda base y Jim Holt fue dominado por Casey Cox con elevado a la izquierda. Cuando Tony Oliva desarg\u00c3\u00b3 el imparable a la izquierda para remolcar a Tovar, la voz de pap\u00c3\u00a1 recorri\u00c3\u00b3 el aire desde la cocina y subi\u00c3\u00b3 por la l\u00c3\u00a1mina de asbesto. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Muchachos, hora de cenar\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Entre la interferencia radiof\u00c3\u00b3nica escuch\u00c3\u00a9 el jonr\u00c3\u00b3n de Lee Maye en el cierre del primer inning. Dej\u00c3\u00a9 el radio al pie del poste de la antena del televisor en el patio y me sent\u00c3\u00a9 a cenar.\u00c2\u00a0 El sabor de las papas fritas con ajo se mezclaba con los comentarios del radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bert Blyleven estruja la pezrrubia. Ahora escarba con fuerza a un lado de la caja de lanzar\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. No le gustaba perder. A veces tampoco estaba a gusto aunque hubiese ganado, exig\u00c3\u00ada mucho de si mismo. Quiz\u00c3\u00a1s algo de esa gru\u00c3\u00b1oner\u00c3\u00ada le ven\u00c3\u00ada de su afici\u00c3\u00b3n por la comiquita de Pedro Picapiedra. Si perd\u00c3\u00ada 1-0 se responsabilizaba del rev\u00c3\u00a9s. Luego madur\u00c3\u00b3 y entendi\u00c3\u00b3 que si perd\u00c3\u00ada 2-1, \u00c3\u00a9l hab\u00c3\u00ada hecho su trabajo.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Engull\u00c3\u00ad la milanesa de res casi si masticar. Pap\u00c3\u00a1 me pregunt\u00c3\u00b3 si me iba a comer el dulce de lechosa pero ya agarraba el radio y enfilaba hacia el pasillo tras las u\u00c3\u00b1as de danta. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aurelio Rodr\u00c3\u00adguez\u00c2\u00a0 grounds out from short stop to first\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Felipe pregunt\u00c3\u00b3 como hac\u00c3\u00ada para entender si la transmisi\u00c3\u00b3n era en ingl\u00c3\u00a9s. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Los strikes y los outs son iguales. Bol es bola. Jonr\u00c3\u00b3n tambi\u00c3\u00a9n es igual\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ed Brinkman is called out on strikes. This kid\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got a fantastic curveball\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Jes\u00c3\u00bas Mario hizo una se\u00c3\u00b1a con la mano. Un ruido met\u00c3\u00a1lico ascendi\u00c3\u00b3 desde el pasillo. El rostro de pap\u00c3\u00a1 burbuje\u00c3\u00b3 a ras de la platabanda. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfUstedes habr\u00c3\u00a1n visto la moneda de dos bol\u00c3\u00advares de mi escritorio?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Felipe apret\u00c3\u00b3 varias piedritas hasta tocar el manto asf\u00c3\u00a1ltico. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Est\u00c3\u00a1 ma\u00c3\u00b1ana la vi al lado de la m\u00c3\u00a1quina de escribir\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Pap\u00c3\u00a1 regres\u00c3\u00b3 sus pasos en los tramos de la escalera. Felipe ilumin\u00c3\u00b3 la oscuridad con la mirada. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Vieron porque hay que dejar esa moneda ah\u00c3\u00ad. Esas son trampas de pap\u00c3\u00a1 para ver si agarramos lo que no es de nosotros\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0En el radio el narrador refer\u00c3\u00ada una an\u00c3\u00a9cdota de Blyleven cuando ten\u00c3\u00ada 5 a\u00c3\u00b1os. Ten\u00c3\u00ada un camioncito de juguete. Un d\u00c3\u00ada fue al abasto lo carg\u00c3\u00b3 de caramelos y se fue. En casa la mam\u00c3\u00a1 le pregunt\u00c3\u00b3 si los hab\u00c3\u00ada pagado y de inmediato lo hizo regresar a la tienda para devolverlos.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mike Epstein strikes out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. El narrador refer\u00c3\u00ada como la pr\u00c3\u00a1ctica del baloncesto y las carreras de campo traviesa hab\u00c3\u00adan favorecido a Blyleven en su formaci\u00c3\u00b3n como lanzador de b\u00c3\u00a9isbol. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bernie Allen singles to second\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 Quiz\u00c3\u00a1s el secreto de la serenidad de Blyleven en el mont\u00c3\u00adculo sea que su padre siempre estuvo en las tribunas en cada uno de sus juegos, y lo apoyaba y reflexionaba con el en las derrotas.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rodr\u00c3\u00adguez pops to the catcher in foul territory\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 Blyleven siempre ha preferido hablar de cosas positivas quiz\u00c3\u00a1s por eso ha tenido \u00c3\u00a9xito como comentarista de b\u00c3\u00a9isbol en televisi\u00c3\u00b3n. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Brinkman strikes out. After four complete frames the game remains Twins 1, Senators 1\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0La silueta a contraluz paraliz\u00c3\u00b3 nuestras respiraciones. El radio se me cay\u00c3\u00b3 de las manos. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfY ustedes piensan pasar la noche aqu\u00c3\u00ad? Pap\u00c3\u00a1 mordi\u00c3\u00b3 dos aceitunas y se recost\u00c3\u00b3 del anuncio publicitario<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Cuando Blyleven lleg\u00c3\u00b3 a los Mellizos en 1970, ten\u00c3\u00ada la tendencia de lanzar a trav\u00c3\u00a9s de su cuerpo. El coach de pitcheo Marv Grissom coloc\u00c3\u00b3 una silla sobre el mont\u00c3\u00adculo de manera que Blyleven quedara con\u00c2\u00a0 el pie derecho sobre ella al prepararse para lanzar. El pitcher eludi\u00c3\u00b3 la silla y mejor\u00c3\u00b3 su mec\u00c3\u00a1nica. Ese ajuste lo llev\u00c3\u00b3 a ganar 287 juegos, lanzar 4970 innings, ponchar 3701 bateadores, iniciar 685 juegos, y completar 60 blanqueos.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Frank Quillici singles to the pitcher\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Pap\u00c3\u00a1 se acerc\u00c3\u00b3 al radio y apret\u00c3\u00b3 los labios. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfY c\u00c3\u00b3mo saben ustedes lo que est\u00c3\u00a1 pasando en ese juego?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Jes\u00c3\u00bas Mario se acerc\u00c3\u00b3 hasta tocar el poste de luz de la calle. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Alfonso dice que hay palabras del b\u00c3\u00a9isbol que las entiende cualquiera que sepa del juego\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Blyleven is out on a sacrifice bunt from first to second\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Blyleven pas\u00c3\u00b3 de Minnesota a Texas en junio e 1976. Su debut con los Rangers fue el 5 de junio contra los Tigres de Detroit y el P\u00c3\u00a1jaro Mark Fydrich. Ambos lanzaron 11 innings. Blyleven perdi\u00c3\u00b3 3-2, una de las carreras fue sucia. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tovar singles to right. Quillici scores\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Sub\u00c3\u00ad el volumen del radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfViste pap\u00c3\u00a1? Cesar Tovar acaba de empujar la carrera de poner a su equipo a ganar\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. En su primer mes con los Rangers, Blyleven lanz\u00c3\u00b3 un juego de 10 innings y 1 hit; le gan\u00c3\u00b3 a los Atl\u00c3\u00a9ticos 1-0.\u00c2\u00a0 Gan\u00c3\u00b3 otro juego de 10 innings ante los Medias Blancas. Perdi\u00c3\u00b3 un juego completo 1-0 contra los patiblancos y perdi\u00c3\u00b3 en otro juego completo 2-1 ante los Tigres con otra carrera sucia. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jim Holt flyes out to right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0El 22 de septiembre Blyleven lanz\u00c3\u00b3 sin hits ni carrera ante los Angelinos en el Anaheim Stadium. Fue el mejor lugar para alcanzar la haza\u00c3\u00b1a. \u00c3\u2030l creci\u00c3\u00b3 en Garden Grove, muy cerca de Anaheim. Sus padres estaban en el estadio.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jim French singles to right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Pap\u00c3\u00a1 lanz\u00c3\u00b3 las semillas de aceitunas sobre las piedritas. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153De verdad que hay llevar ese juego en la sangre para entenderlo en otro idioma\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Casey Cox is out on a sacrifice bunt from first to second\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Los Rangers cambiaron a Blyleven a los Piratas y con ellos lleg\u00c3\u00b3 a la Serie Mundial de 1979. En el play off ante Cincinnati gan\u00c3\u00b3 el tercer juego 7-1 en trabajo completo. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maye flies out to center\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Abri\u00c3\u00b3 el segundo juego de la Serie Mundial ante Jim Palmer y sali\u00c3\u00b3 en el sexto inning con el juego 2-2. Manny Sanguill\u00c3\u00a9n gan\u00c3\u00b3 el juego para Pittsburgh con sencillo en el inning once para igualar la Serie 1-1. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ed Stroud strikes out. This young boy from Holland is showing he belongs in MLB\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0En el quinto juego de la Serie, con los Piratas abajo 3 juegos a 1 y Jim Rooker perdiendo 1-0, Chuck Tanner trae a relevar a Blyleven en el sexto inning y este silencia por completo a los Orioles mientras los bates filibusteros reaccionan para llevarse el triunfo 7-1. Luego ganar\u00c3\u00adan dos veces m\u00c3\u00a1s para coronarse campeones.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Frank Howard strikes out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Felipe se agacha a un lado de pap\u00c3\u00a1. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfUsted no va a jugar domin\u00c3\u00b3 hoy?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Epstein grounds to first and is out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Pap\u00c3\u00a1 se inclina m\u00c3\u00a1s hacia el radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Allen grounds to second and is out at first\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Este juego est\u00c3\u00a1 mucho mejor que el domin\u00c3\u00b3\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Blyleven pas\u00c3\u00b3 a Cleveland y de ah\u00c3\u00ad a Minnesota en 1985. En la Serie Mundial de 1987 Blyleven lanz\u00c3\u00b3 7 innings y los Mellizos ganaron 8-4 el segundo juego. El quinto juego fue en San Luis y Blyleven perdi\u00c3\u00b3 4-2 en 6 innings de labor. Los Mellizos se llevaron la Serie.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rodr\u00c3\u00adguez strikes out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Cuatro mariposas oscuras nos hicieron inclinar sobre el mar de piedritas para evitar el contacto de sus peluzas. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Brinkman walks\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Pap\u00c3\u00a1 se levant\u00c3\u00b3 y se par\u00c3\u00b3 a un lado del tanque de agua. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00c2\u00bfQu\u00c3\u00a9 est\u00c3\u00a1 pasando en el juego?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153French grounds to second and is out at first\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Sub\u00c3\u00ad el radio al aviso publicitario. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153El pitcher de 19 a\u00c3\u00b1os sigue dominando a los Senadores de Washington\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153John Roseboro pinch hits for Casey Cox and flies out to right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Blyleven lider\u00c3\u00b3 la liga en juegos completos una vez,\u00c2\u00a0 en blanqueos 3 veces, en innings lanzados 2 veces, y en ponches una vez. Lanz\u00c3\u00b3 al menos 200 innings en 17 de sus 21 temporadas.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0En el octavo inning Ron Perranoski sustituy\u00c3\u00b3 a\u00c2\u00a0 Blyleven y le preserv\u00c3\u00b3 su primer triunfo 2-1 con un relevo perfecto.<\/p>\n
Alfonso L. Tusa C.<\/p>\n
English translation<\/p>\n
The evenings in Cumanacoa, Sucre, Venezuela, always brought expectations about going to the movies at the Royal or the Gardel theaters to see black and white mexican films or american ones in technicolor. If it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t possible I stayed at home with my brothers playing cards or domino. Or we scanned the short wave radio seeking for some MLB broadcast in English language.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0This Wednesday, January 5th, 2011, the news of second baseman Roberto Alomar being elected to the Hall of Fame for his 10 gold gloves, his .300 lifetime batting average in 17 MLB seasons, his 4 silver bats, his 2 World Series Championships with the Toronto Blue Jays, his 3 fielding average titles as second baseman, and that brilliant combination with Omar Vizquel at the end of the nineties with the Cleveland Indians, shone in my mind. But when I listened that Bert Blyleven had finally got his niche in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, it pulled me to the rear path of my parents home at La Florida Street.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0My brothers moved the scanning disk three times and wrinkled their lips. I took the radio and ran to the path hidden behind a wall of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153u\u00c3\u00b1a de danta\u00e2\u20ac\u009d plants. The sunset\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shadows of that June, 5th 1970, followed my steps and the lemon tree leaves approached its scent to nanometers from my cheeks that dropped as a thunder to avoid the collision. I jumped on the wall with drawing blocks at its top. I slipped three times on the wall while I grabbed the window\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s frame. When I heard Felipe and Jesus Mario\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voices I performed a jump that left me hanging from the drawing blocks. Two more slips and an arms\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 stretching on the top of the wall launched me over the asbestos layer that connected with the roof. When my brothers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 voices asked what I was going to do, my hands felt the thorns from the little stones covering the waterproof coating of the roof.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Welcome to RFK Stadium at Washington DC. This Friday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s game between the Senators and the Minnesota Twins\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 Felipe bent down on the edge of the wall between the asbestos layer and the little stones bed. Jesus Mario jumped from the drawing blocks and landed two meters beyond the roof\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s borderline. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What game is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I raised the volume under the light of the Seguros Caracas advertising case.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0The teller talked about a 19-year-old guy with baby face. He had been born in Holland and traveled to Canada with his family at 2. When he was 6 years old his family moved to the United States where his father began to work as a truck driver in the molasses business of his uncle.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ball four. Cesar Tovar goes to first base\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 Tovar stole second base. Jim Holt was dominated by Casey Cox in a fly out to left field. When Tony Oliva got the base hit to plate in Tovar, Dad\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice transmitted on the air from the kitchen and raised through the asbestos layer. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Boys. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time to dinner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0I heard Lee Maye\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s homerun against Blyleven through the radiophone interference. I left the radio at the foot of the TV antenna pole in the backyard and sat down to dinner. The potatoes fried with garlic\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s flavor mixed with the radio comments. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bert Blyleven grabs the rosin bag. Now he takes out some dirt from around the pitching box with his right spike\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. He didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like to lose. Sometimes he also was upset even getting the victory, he was very hard on himself. Maybe some of that grumpiness came because his favorite cartoon character was Fred Flintstone. If he lost 1-0, he took the responsibility for the loss. Later he matured and understood that if he lost 2-1, he had done his job.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0I ate the beefsteak almost without chewing it. Dad asked me if I was going to eat dessert but I was grabbing the radio and running to the path behind the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153u\u00c3\u00b1a de danta\u00e2\u20ac\u009d plants.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aurelio Rodr\u00c3\u00adguez\u00c2\u00a0 grounds out from short stop to first\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Felipe asked how did I do to understand the game if the broadcast was in english. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The strikes and the outs are the same words. Bol is ball. Home run is the same\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ed Brinkman is called out on strikes. This kid\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got a fantastic curveball\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Jesus Mario made a sign with his hand. A metallic noise raised from the path. Dad`s face bubbled at the roof\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s level. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Would have you seen the two bolivars coin of my desk?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Felipe grabbed a bunch of little stones until he touched the asphaltic layer on the roof. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I saw it this morning right by the side of the typewriter.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dad got his steps back on the ladder. Felipe cleared the darkness with his gaze. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you see why we have to leave that coin there? Those are Dad\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tricks to see if we take what is not ours.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0In the radio, the teller talked about an anecdote of when Blyleven was 5 years old. He had a little toy truck. One day he went to the store, filled it with candies and left. At home his mother asked him if he had paid for the candies and immediately went back to the store with him to give the candies back.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mike Epstein strikes out.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 The teller spoke about how Blyleven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00c2\u00a0 practice of basketball and cross country had favored him in his developing as a baseball pitcher.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bernie Allen singles to second\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.\u00c2\u00a0 Maybe the secret of Blyleven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s serenity in the mound was that his father always was at the stadium in each one of his games, and supported him, and reflected with him the losses. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rodr\u00c3\u00adguez pops to the catcher in foul territory\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Blyleven has always preferred to talk about positive things. Maybe because of this he has been successful as a TV baseball commentator. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Brinkman strikes out. After four complete frames the game remains Twins 1, Senators 1\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0The shadow against the light stopped our breathing. The radio dropped from my hands. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you pretend to stay here all night long?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Dad bit two black olives and leaned against the advertising case.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0 When Blyleven arrived to the Minnesota Twins in 1970, he had the tendency to throw across his body. Marv Grisson, the ptching coach, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like that. So he put a chair on the mound. If Blyleven threw across his boy, he would step on the chair. Blyleven avoided the chair and improved his mechanics. That adjustment helped him win 287 games (22nd all-time), pitch 4,970 innings (13th all-time), strike-out 3,701 batters (3rd all-time), start 685 games (8th all-time) and toss 60 shutouts (9th all-time).<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Frank Quillici singles to the pitcher.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 Dad approached to the radio and stressed his lips. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How do you know what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happening in that game?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Jesus Mario got close enough to touch the light pole from the street. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Alfonso says that there are some words understandable for anyone who knows about baseball.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Blyleven is out on a sacrifice bunt from first to second\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Blyleven was traded from Minnesota to Texas in June, 1976. His debut was against the Detroit Tigers and Mark Fydrich, the Bird. Both pitchers hurled 11 innings. Blyleven lost 2-1, one of the runs was unearned.\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tovar singles to right. Quillici scores\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. I raised the volume of the radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did you see Dad? Cesar Tovar has plated in the run to give his team the edge.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d In his first month \u00c2\u00a0with the Rangers, Blyleven pitched a one-hitter game of 10 innings, he defeated the Oakland A\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 1-0. He won another 10-innings-game before the Chicago White Sox. He lost a complete 10-innings-game before the White Sox and lost another complete game 2-1 against the Tigers with another unearned run. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jim Holt flyes out to right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0On September 22nd, 1977; Blyleven hurled a no-hitter against the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. It was the best place to accomplish the fact. He grew up in Garden Grove, near Anaheim. His parents were at the ballpark.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jim French singles to right\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Dad threw the olives\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 seeds over the little stones. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You really have to carry that game in the blood to understand it in a different language.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Casey Cox is out on a sacrifice bunt from first to second.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The Rangers traded Blyleven to the Pittsburgh Pirates and with them he arrived to the 1979 World Series. In the National League Series Championship versus Cincinnati, Blyleven won the third game 7-1 in a complete game. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maye flies out to center.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He started the second game of the World Series before Jim Palmer and left the game in the sixth frame with a 2-2 score. Manny Sanguill\u00c3\u00a9n won that game for Pittsburgh with a base hit in the eleventh inning to tie the Series 1-1. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ed Stroud strikes out. This young boy from Holland is showing he belongs in MLB.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0For the fifth game of the Series, with the Pirates behind three games to one, and Jim Rooker losing 1-0, Chuck Tanner brings Blyleven to relieve Rooker in the sixth frame and he silences completely the Orioles while the Pirates bats explode to get a 7-1 win. Afterward they would win the next two games to get the championship.\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Frank Howard strikes out.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Felipe sits down besides Dad. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aren`t you going to play domino today?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Epstein grounds to first and is out.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dad approaches to the radio. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Allen grounds to second and is out at first.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This game is much better than domino\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Blyleven was traded to the Cleveland Indians and from there he got back to the Twins in 1985. In the 1987 World Series, Blyleven hurled seven frames and the Twins won 8-4 the second game. The fifth contest was at St. Louis. Blyleven lost 4-2. He worked for 6 innings. The Twins got the Series.<\/p>\n
.\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Rodr\u00c3\u00adguez strikes out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Four dark butterflies made us to almost lie down on the little stones\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 bed to avoid the contact with them.\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Brinkman walks\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Dad got up and stood besides the water reservoir tank. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going on in the game?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153French grounds to second and is out at first.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I raised the radio to the advertising case top. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The 19-year-old pitcher still dominates the Washington Senators\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153John Roseboro pinch hits for Casey Cox and flies out to right.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Blyleven led the league in complete games once, shutouts three times, innings pitched twice and strikeouts once. He worked 200 or more innings in 17 of his 21 seasons.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0In the eighth frame Ron Perranoski replaced Blyleven and preserved his first win 2-1 in MLB with a perfect relief.<\/p>\n
Alfonso L. Tusa C.<\/p>\n
Alfonso\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work has been featured in Venezuela\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s daily newspaper, El Nacional and in the magazine Gente en Ambiente, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s collaborated on several articles for newspapers, including the daily paper Tal Cual. He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also written three books and biographies for SABR\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s BioProject.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Este mi\u00c3\u00a9rcoles 5 de enero de 2011, la noticia de la entrada al Sal\u00c3\u00b3n de la Fama del camarero Roberto Alomar con sus 10 guantes de oro, sus .300 de promedio ofensivo en 17 temporadas, sus 4 bates de plata, sus dos campeonatos de Serie Mundial con los Azulejos de Toronto, sus 3 lideratos defensivos como segunda base y aquella combinaci\u00c3\u00b3n de filigrana que form\u00c3\u00b3 con Omar Vizquel a finales de los noventa en los Indios de Cleveland, relumbr\u00c3\u00b3 en las cavernas de mi mente, sin embargo el anuncio de que Bert Blyleven hab\u00c3\u00ada asegurado un nicho en Cooperstown, me templ\u00c3\u00b3 hacia el pasillo posterior de la casa de mis padres en la calle La Florida.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[12738,12737,12736,2482,12745,12741,12746,12739,12740,12744,5016,12743,12735,12748,76,12734,2000,5011,12742,12747],"class_list":["post-10694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-azulejos","tag-baby-face","tag-baraja-espanola","tag-bert-blyleven","tag-brazos","tag-campeonatos","tag-colores","tag-en-blanco-y-negro","tag-gardel","tag-labios","tag-las-grandes-ligas","tag-las-hojas","tag-limonero","tag-manos","tag-omar-vizquel","tag-peliculas-mexicanas","tag-roberto-alomar","tag-segunda-base","tag-tres-veces","tag-voces"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t