Gabriel “Tito”Avila Jr. (left) President and Founder The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame presenting Vladimir Guerrero (right) with induction plaque on Mon Jul 18, 2022 at the Los Angeles Convention Center at the 2022 All Star Game. (photo from Tito Avila and Amaury Pi Gonzalez MLB Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame Museum president and vice president)
All-Star Game – Home Run Derby: A Dominican Affair
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
Los Angeles Convention Center
Monday, July 18, 2022
The Home Run Derby was held in front of a very enthusiastic crowd at Dodger Stadium. The popular event that precedes the All-Star Game between the American and National League was won by Dominican superstar Juan Soto, Washington National’s 23-year-old slugger.
He won it over the sensational 21-year-old rookie Julio Rodriguez, also from the Dominican Republic; Julio is the regular center-fielder for the Seattle Mariners and the front runner to win the Rookie of the Year in the American League.
Juan Soto beat the great Albert Pujols, (a living legend) also born in the Dominican Republic and revered by all of his countrymen. Juan Soto won the HR Derby just one day after refusing a 15-year $440 million contract offer from his team, the Washington Nationals.
The Latino talent keeps growing in baseball as some of the game’s biggest stars hail from Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panamá, México, Nicaragua and Colombia.
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame has an exhibit at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the headquarters for all the festivities during this All-Star Week in Hollywood. Mr. Tito Avila Jr., Founder and President of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame presented Guerrero with the museum plaque as he was enshrined in the HHBM Hall of Fame.
The 2022 All-Star Game marks the fourth time that the Dodgers will host the big event, including the third time in Los Angeles and the second at Dodger Stadium, which last staged the event in 1980. Previously, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was the site of the second All-Star Game of the 1959 season and in the franchise’s Brooklyn lineage, Ebbets Field hosted the 1949 All-Star Game.
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame is proud to be present at the 2022 MLB All Star Game. The San Francisco Giants were the first MLB team to recognize the Museum in 1998. Since then, the HHBMHOF has exhibited in over half of the 30 MLB cities as well as in libraries, community centers and teams fan-fests, among other events.
The All Star Game will air live on FOX at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
Amaury Pi-González is Co-Foudner and Vice President of The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame. Founded in San Francisco, California in 1998 as a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organization. The HHBMHOF is committed to preserving the history and profound influence that Hispanic players have had on America’s Favorte Past Time.
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