Photo credit: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, Sports Radio Service

By: Amaury Pi-González

Vladimir Guerrero is in New York for his official induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown this Sunday, July 29, together with Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman, Larry “Chipper” Jones, Jack Morris, and Allan Trammel.

Guerrero said in Spanish, “Me siento feliz y mi gente me hace sentir feliz, dijo el jueves en la Galería de Placa tras una visita relámpago a la meca del béisbol.” “Soy el primero de mi pueblo, que es obvio, pero también soy el primer bateador Dominicano en el Salón de la Fama”

Translation: “I am happy and my people makes me feel happy, he said this past Thursday at his Plaque on the Gallery at the Hall of Fame, after a quick visit to the baseball mecca.”

“I am the first from my town, that is obvious, but also I am the first hitter from the Dominican in the Hall of Fame.”

Guerrero, a great outfielder, was born in the town of Don Gregorio, Dominican Republic. Guerrero, who is one of the most electrifying and unconventional hitters of his generation, will now be a member of one of the most exclusive clubs, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

On his second consecutive year on the ballot, Guerrero was elected with 92.9 percent of the vote, higher than his two countrymen Juan Marichal and Pedro Martínez. Guerrero picked the Angels over the Expos as his uniform in perpetuity at Cooperstown.

Guerrero said in Spanish, “Desde que vi a Vladimir en Nizao sentí que era especial.”

Translation: “When I first saw Vladimir in Nizao, I felt something special.” said Arturo DeFreites, the chief of Scouts for the Montreal Expos who originally signed the outfielder for $2,000 in 1993.

His acceptance speech with be in Spanish and he will have an interpreter.  So many players have nicknames and most are forgettable but there is only one “Vladdy” and that is this right-fielder, the incomparable Vladimir Alvino Guerrero.