Mi Gente: Martinez speaks to family, Puerto Rico

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – After 10 years on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, Edgar Martinez wasted no time turning his attention to his gente, his people, during his induction speech Sunday afternoon.

The legendary designated hitter long ago settled into the Pacific Northwest, where he met his wife Holli and spent his entire 18-year career with the Seattle Mariners. The Maguayo barrio in Dorado, Puerto Rico, though, has always remained at intimate part of his core.

It’s his anchor, his roots, his love. It’s a bigger part of his identity than even the signature walk-off double he hit in Game 5 of the Division Series to send the Mariners to the 1995 American League Championship Series. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise that he temporarily began to speak Spanish soon after starting his speech by thanking the writers who voted him into the Hall of Fame and the Hall’s chairman.

“Mi gente,” he said, which translates to “My people.”

As if on cue, the large contingent of Puerto Ricans among the estimated crowd of 55,000 began waving the hundreds of Puerto Rican flags at the Clark Sports Center.

“My people of Dorado and my barrio of Maguayo, (I offer) a hug,” Martinez, who was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico, said in Spanish. “My story is simple.

“Raised in a barrio surrounded by humble people with good intentions, I benefited by the type of human beings that live in the Maguayo barrio in Dorado, Puerto Rico. I love you a lot, and we’ll see each other soon.”

The reserved Mariners icon delivered most of his speech in English, but he spent a brief portion addressing his countrymen in his native Spanish, just as legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera of Panama did.

Together, Rivera and Martinez became the first two Latinos voted into the Hall of Fame together in the same class by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Martinez became the second Panamanian, following Rod Carew. Martinez became the fifth Boricua, following in the footsteps of the late Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Alomar and Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez.

The ailing Cepeda wasn’t able to attend the induction ceremony in this quaint village in upstate New York, but Alomar and Rodríguez were on stage with the rest of the Hall of Famers to watch Martinez, Rivera, Mike Mussina, Lee Smith and Harold Baines inducted.

“Mis hermanos Roberto Alomar, Ivan Rodríguez and Orlando Cepeda, as a Puerto Rican I am honored to have my plaque in the Hall with yours,” he said. “It is hard to believe that a dream that started when I was about 10 years old will take me on an amazing journey.

“Since the first time I saw Roberto Clemente on TV in some highlights in the World Series, I was hooked on the game of baseball. All I wanted to do was play the game. And, like most kids in Puerto Rico, I wanted to be like Roberto Clemente. What a great example Roberto Clmente was for all of us in Puerto Rico. and what an honor to have my plaque in the Hall alongside with his.”

Martinez, 56, also paid tribute to Hall of Famer Atanacio “Tony” Pérez.

He referred to the Cuban Pérez by Tani, as his name was shortened affectionately in Latin America.

“Tani Pérez, you were one of my heroes back when you played for the Cangrejeros during the winter league,” Martinez said. “My grandfather and I would listen to the games on the radio, and my grandfather used to say, ‘se acabó el juego, Tani viene ahora,’ which means, ‘Game over, Tani is coming to hit.’ You were a big part of my youth in Puerto Rico.”

Martinez also credited his cousin Carmelo Martinez, the former big leaguer who persuaded him to sign the $4,000 signing bonus to begin his professional career.

Martinez was comfortable going to college and playing baseball on the weekends.

“New car, nice clothes,” he said. “Why would I want to risk what I have for $4,000?Well, Carmelo convinced me. He told me, ‘You can make it. Give it a shot.’ We argued and he won. Carmelo, thank you. You are a big reason why I am on this stage.”

Martinez was raised by his grandparents after he moved to Puerto Rico when he was two years old.

He thanked them and his mother, siblings and cousins.

He also paid a touching tribute to his wife and children.

“To my wife, Holli, I am so thankful for you and for all the great things you have accomplished in the last 10 years,” he said. “You got your Masters degree and became a successful professional. You are such a great example to our kids. I love you for who you are and for your drive. I love you.”

Then the son of Dorado capped his speech by acknowledging the fans who made him at home in Seattle, finishing a journey that started in the modest barrio of Maguayo.

Featured Image: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport