by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

ANAHEIM–Rafael”Felo”Ramirez, was born in Bayamo, Cuba on June 22, 1923. Bayamo is a town in the most eastern province of Cuba,(Oriente). Today Felo turned 93 years young.

I spoke with Felo via telephone today, he is my mentor and the person that inspired me to do what I do. My mother used to tell me in Havana that as a kid I would get a broom turned-it upside-doiwn and pretend it was a microphone and go on to imitate Felo calling a game during the old Cuban professional winter league.

One of the thrills of my life was in 1998. That year I received a call from Armando Talavera, important radio producer in New York City, as he asked me if I was available to work that postseason for the CARACOL Network. That was a network of over 200 stations in the United States and Latin America, years ago they were bought by what is today ESPN Deportes. After I told Armando I was available, since that year I was working for KNBR 680AM who was the rights-holder of the San Francisco Giants games in Spanish, that aired on KIQI 1010AM San Francisco, and they were(KNBR)my employers, I was available since the Giants didn’t make it to the postseason. So I found myself working with Rafael”Felo”Ramirez during the NLCS between the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves.

Prior to the first game we worked together I asked Felo if it was “ok”for me to mention on the air with him, that as a little boy I used to listen to him in Cuba when he was the voice of the Cuban professional winter league. He responded “of course”. So I did, we had a great time during that playoff and forever it will be one of the highlights of my career behind the microphone.

How cool is that? To call a game with your mentor and somebody I have always admired and even imitated at times?

As I spoke with Felo today on the telephone, he told me from his house in Miami: “Estoy bien, y le doy gracias a Dios”  trans: “I am fine and I thank God”. I joked with him that 93 could be “transposed”number it could be 39? so he laugh and said “El calendario es solo numeros” trans:  “The calendar is just about numbers…”.

Amazing is the word, as Felo Ramirez still calls the games for all Miami Marlins games over Spanish radio, he has been the Spanish Voice for the Marlins since 1993. The team began play in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins. He is as sharp as ever.
Felicidades Felo!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s and the  TV Spanish voice for the Angels, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com