If I can, you can, 44-year old Pedro Martinez said in Spanish speaking to the people of the Dominican Republic. He stressed he wanted to be more than a symbol of excellence in sports, stressing that he wanted to be a sign of hope for everyone.
For the Hall of Fame induction, that coincided with Father’s Day in the Dominican Republic, the nation tuned in to listen on the radio and TV. Martinez is only the second Dominican to make it to the prestigious club of the best in Major League Baseball.
“Don’t remember me by the numbers I posted, don’t remember me in an elite class and as part of the Hall of Fame,” Martinez told reporters Saturday in Cooperstown, NY, speaking at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. “I want to be remembered as a sign of hope so that people can understand that they have a way out. All they have to do is work and dedicate themselves and focus finding the path to success that’s out there. “I want to represent that, I want to represent the people that want to try to find a way to a better life. I want to represent the legacy of my family and God.”
At the end of his speech, he broke protocol to take out a Dominican flag and together with his predecessor, Juan Marichal (Class of 1983), share a moment of national pride.
Martinez is part of Class of 2015 that also included infielder Craig Biggio and fellow pitchers John Smoltz and Randy Johnson.
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/138817268/johnson-martinez-smoltz-biggio-inducted
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/138817268
http://nesn.com/playlist/pedro-martinezs-top-10-boston-red-sox-moments/2/
Pedro Martinez Aspires To Be ‘Sign Of Hope’ Upon Entering Hall Of Fame
http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2015-07-26/baseball-hall-of-fame-2015-pedro-martinez-speech-juan-marichal-dominican-republic