Juan Marichal, Pedro Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero, the three Dominican members of the United States Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame got together for Baseball Legends Day on Sunday, 5 December 2021. The event was a fund-raiser for the David Ortiz Children’s Fund that helps children with heart problems. The foundation raised RD$1.5 million.
The event had the backing of the National Federation of Professional Baseball Players of the Dominican Republic (Fenapro). It is now part of the regular schedule of the Dominican Winter Professional Baseball Championship.
Activities were many. There was a tribute to Julio Lugo, the baseball player who died recently. Lugo had been part of the Red Sox team that won the 2007 World Series.
There was a HR Derby of Legends with the participation of David Ortiz, Bobby Abreu, Endy Chavez, Carlos Gomez, Starling Mars, Melvin Mora and others who took turns at the batting box. First to be inducted to Cooperstown, Juan Marichal went to bat receiving a pitch from Pedro Martinez, second to be inducted to the hall of fame. Adrián Beltré, a future candidate to the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, also participated to the delight of Dominican baseball fans.
Read more:
Diario Libre
La Septima Entrada
La Pelotita
7 December 2021