Mientras jugaba su primera temporada con los Medias Rojas de Boston, Luis Aparicio se encontr\u00c3\u00b3 en medio de un clubhouse lleno de bromistas que manten\u00c3\u00adan un ambiente de armon\u00c3\u00ada en el equipo a pesar de que las bromas a veces parec\u00c3\u00adan excederse de tono. Durante el fin de semana final de la campa\u00c3\u00b1a Aparicio solicit\u00c3\u00b3 al manager Eddie Kasko el d\u00c3\u00ada domingo debido a que deb\u00c3\u00ada regresar a Venezuela y ese d\u00c3\u00ada estaban copados todos los vuelos. Kasko accedi\u00c3\u00b3 y Aparicio recogi\u00c3\u00b3 todas sus pertenencias del locker. Aquel s\u00c3\u00a1bado s\u00c3\u00b3lo estaba colgado el flux, y debajo estaban los zapatos y la ropa interior. Los jugadores, entre ellos Carl Yastrzemski notaron eso y se enteraron de lo que pasaba. Como Aparicio conoc\u00c3\u00ada del tipo de bromas que se gastaban, no se apartaba ni un momento del locker. Yastrzemski y compa\u00c3\u00b1\u00c3\u00ada esperaron a que Aparicio fuese a batear para entrar en acci\u00c3\u00b3n.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Empezaron por cortarle las piernas a los pantalones y los brazos al saco del elegante flux de Aparicio. La camisa tambien recibi\u00c3\u00b3 su raci\u00c3\u00b3n de tajadas. Como eran expertos en ese tipo de bromas Yastrzemski y compa\u00c3\u00b1\u00c3\u00ada pegaban con cinta transparente las partes cortadas para disimular. Cada vez que ven\u00c3\u00ada de batear Aparicio daba un vistazo a su flux y sonre\u00c3\u00ada.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0En uno de sus \u00c3\u00baltimos turnos Yastrzemski consigui\u00c3\u00b3 un hacha y cort\u00c3\u00b3 los zapatos de Aparicio en dos y luego los pego del piso con unos clavos.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Cuando termin\u00c3\u00b3 el juego, Aparicio estaba muy sonriente. Se despidi\u00c3\u00b3 cordialmente de sus compa\u00c3\u00b1eros. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hasta la temporada que viene. Que tengan unas felices fiestas\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Se dirigi\u00c3\u00b3 a su locker. Todo iba muy bien hasta que intent\u00c3\u00b3 ponerse los pantalones del flux. El club house estall\u00c3\u00b3 en risas mientras Aparicio permanec\u00c3\u00ada imp\u00c3\u00a1vido. Yastrzemski se acerc\u00c3\u00b3\u00c2\u00a0 y le dijo: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Luis \u00c2\u00bftu crees que toda esa celebraci\u00c3\u00b3n con banda musical y fuegos artificiales en tu pa\u00c3\u00ads te espere hasta que consigas otro flux?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Aparicio dej\u00c3\u00b3 el saco sin mangas sobre el banco. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Te voy a agarrar\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Aparicio se encontr\u00c3\u00b3 sin ropas y deb\u00c3\u00ada trasladarse de inmediato al aeropuerto Logan. Habl\u00c3\u00b3 con uno de los muchachos que trabajaban en el club house y le pregunt\u00c3\u00b3 cuanto le ped\u00c3\u00ada por el pantal\u00c3\u00b3n de caqui y la franela de mezclilla que llevaba. Yastrzemski grit\u00c3\u00b3 a la distancia \u00e2\u20ac\u0153C\u00c3\u00b3brale bien caro\u00e2\u20ac\u009d el muchacho le pidi\u00c3\u00b3 40 d\u00c3\u00b3lares por la franela y 60 por el pantal\u00c3\u00b3n. Cuando trat\u00c3\u00b3 de ponerse los zapatos fue incapaz de levantarlos del piso y cuando lo hizo se partieron en dos. El rostro de Aparicio parec\u00c3\u00ada el de un ni\u00c3\u00b1o a punto de llorar. Se acerc\u00c3\u00b3 a otro de los muchachos del club house y termin\u00c3\u00b3\u00c2\u00a0 compr\u00c3\u00a1ndole sus zapatos de goma por 20 d\u00c3\u00b3lares. Cuando termin\u00c3\u00b3 de vestirse revis\u00c3\u00b3 el locker y sali\u00c3\u00b3 con un rictus amargo en la boca. De su boca solo salieron sonidos guturales y casi corr\u00c3\u00ada cuando atraves\u00c3\u00b3 la puerta.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0El 25 de mayo de 1972 los Medias Rojas de Boston enfrentaban a los Orioles de Baltimore en Fenway Park. Marty Pattin versus Pat Dobson. Luego de retirar a Don Buford, Merv Rettenmund y Terry Crowley en el primer inning por la v\u00c3\u00ada r\u00c3\u00a1pida, Pattin recibi\u00c3\u00b3 cuadrangular de Don Baylor \u00c2\u00a0para abrir el segundo.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Los patirrojos atacaron a Dobson en los dos primeros cap\u00c3\u00adtulos pero se les moj\u00c3\u00b3 la p\u00c3\u00b3lvora. En el tercero Tommy Harper larg\u00c3\u00b3 doblete a la izquierda. Luis Aparicio empat\u00c3\u00b3 el juego con sencillo a la derecha y se rob\u00c3\u00b3 la intermedia. Reggie Smith se ponch\u00c3\u00b3. Duane Josephson elev\u00c3\u00b3 al centro y Aparicio hizo pisa y corre a la antesala desde all\u00c3\u00ad anot\u00c3\u00b3 por passed ball del receptor Elrod Hendricks.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0En el cuarto episodio Crowley sencille\u00c3\u00b3 a la derecha. Baylor negoci\u00c3\u00b3 boleto. Hendricks despach\u00c3\u00b3 un lineazo que tom\u00c3\u00b3 Josephson en primera, piso para poner fuera a Baylor y lanz\u00c3\u00b3 a segunda donde Aparicio toc\u00c3\u00b3 a Crowley para completar el triple play.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0En el resto del partido Pattin solo permiti\u00c3\u00b3 un imparable, golpe\u00c3\u00b3 a tres bateadores y concedi\u00c3\u00b3 un boleto. Termin\u00c3\u00b3 ganando el juego en labor completa de 4 imparables, 1 carrera limpia, 2 boletos, 9 ponches, enfrent\u00c3\u00b3 34 bateadores.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Dobson carg\u00c3\u00b3 con la derrota en trabajo de 6 episodios donde acept\u00c3\u00b3 7 imparables, 2 carreras, 1 limpia, 2 boletos, 2 ponches, enfrent\u00c3\u00b3 26 bateadores. Roric Harrison lo relev\u00c3\u00b3 en el s\u00c3\u00a9ptimo episodio y en dos entradas recibi\u00c3\u00b3 2 imparables, 1 boleto, 2 ponches, 9 bateadores enfrentados.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Al campo Aparicio hizo 4 asistencias y 1 out.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0Alfonso L. Tusa C.<\/p>\n
English translation<\/p>\n
As he played his first season with the Boston Red Sox, Luis Aparicio found himself in the middle of a dugout filled with pranksters that kept an atmosphere of harmony in the team despite sometimes the jokes seemed to be cruel ones.
\n\u00c2\u00a0During the final weekend of that season, Aparicio asked the manager Eddie Kasko for the Sunday off, because he should get back to Venezuela and there were no flying tickets available for that day. Kasko accepted the proposal and Aparicio took all his stuff from the locker. That Saturday the only piece of cloth in the locker was Aparicio\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s suit, and below it his shoes and underwear. The players, Carl Yastrzemski among them, noticed that and got to know what was going on. As Aparicio knew the kind of pranks they played in the dugout he tried to stay the closest to his locker. Yastrzemski and the other players waited until Aparicio went to take his at-bat.
\n\u00c2\u00a0They first cut the legs of the pants and the arms of the jacket of Aparicio\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s elegant suit. They\u00c2\u00a0 also cut the shirt. As they were experts in these kind of pranks, Yastrzemski et al attached the cut pieces with transparent tape. Each time Aparicio came back from batting he looked at his suit and smiled.
\n\u00c2\u00a0In the last at-bat, Yastrzemski got an axe and cut in two halves Aparicio\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shoes, then he \u00c2\u00a0fixed the shoes to the floor with some nails.
\n\u00c2\u00a0When the game finished Aparicio was very happy. He said good bye very friendly to all his teammates. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153See you next season. Have nice holidays\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. He went to his locker. Everything was ok to the point when he tried to put on the suit\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s pants. The clubhouse exploded in laughs as Aparicio stayed petrified. Yastrzemski got closer. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Luis do you
\nthink that the celebration with musical band and firecracks down there in your country will wait until you get another suit? Aparicio left the sleeveless jacket on the bench. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna get you\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.
\n\u00c2\u00a0Aparicio didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any clothes and he had to go immediately to the Logan Airport. He talked to one of the guys who worked in the clubhouse and asked how much he wanted for his khaki \u00c2\u00a0trousers and his cotton t-shirt. Yastrzemski shouted. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Make him pay a high price\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.
\nThe guy asked 40 $ for the t-shirt and 60 $ for the trousers. When he tried to put on his shoes he couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t raise them from the floor. When he finally could, the shoes broke in two pieces. Aparicio\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face resembled a kid very close to crying. He got closer to other clubhouse guy and paid him 20 $ for his casual shoes. When he finally got dressed he looked at the locker and left with a bitter sign in his mouth. He was talking with his lips closed. He almost ran after arriving to the exit door.
\n\u00c2\u00a0On May 25th 1972 the Boston Red Sox faced the Baltimore Orioles in Fenway Park. Marty Pattin versus Pat Dobson.
\n\u00c2\u00a0After retiring Don Buford, Merv Rettenmund and Terry Crowley in the first inning, Pattin allowed a home run to Don Baylor in the second frame.
\n\u00c2\u00a0The Red Sox attacked Dobson in the first two innings but they couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t score. In the third inning Tommy Harper hit a double to left field. Aparicio tied the game with a base hit to right field. Then he stole second base. Reggie Smith struckout. Duane Josephson hit a sacrifice fly to center field and Aparicio arrived to third base. Then he scored when the catcher Elrod Hendricks commited a passed ball.
\n\u00c2\u00a0In the fourth frame Crowley hit a single to right field. Baylor walked. Hendricks lined to first base. Duane Josephson caught the ball, touched the base to make Baylor out and threw to second base where Aparicio tagged Crowley to complete the tripleplay.
\n\u00c2\u00a0In the whole game Pattin gave up four hits, hit three batters. He was the winning pitcher. 9 innings. 1 earned run. 2 walks. 9 struckouts. 34 batters faced.
\n\u00c2\u00a0Dobson got the loss. 6 innings. 7 hits. 2 runs. 1 earned. 2 walks. 2 struckouts. 26 batters faced. Roric Harrison came to pitch in the seventh inning. In 2 innings he accepted 2 hits. 1 walk. 2 struckouts, 9 batters faced.
\n\u00c2\u00a0Aparicio had 4 assists an 1 putout in the field.<\/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":" Mientras jugaba su primera temporada con los Medias Rojas de Boston, Luis Aparicio se encontr\u00c3\u00b3 en medio de un clubhouse lleno de bromistas que manten\u00c3\u00adan un ambiente de armon\u00c3\u00ada en el equipo a pesar de que las bromas a veces parec\u00c3\u00adan excederse de tono. Durante el fin de semana final de la campa\u00c3\u00b1a Aparicio solicit\u00c3\u00b3 al manager Eddie Kasko el d\u00c3\u00ada domingo debido a que deb\u00c3\u00ada regresar a Venezuela y ese d\u00c3\u00ada estaban copados todos los vuelos. Kasko accedi\u00c3\u00b3 y Aparicio recogi\u00c3\u00b3 todas sus pertenencias del locker.<\/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":[],"class_list":["post-13844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"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