A young Latina’s Hall of Fame weekend

By Miranda Burgos

It had been five years since I’d last been to Cooperstown, N.Y., and 13 years since the last and only time I had gone for a Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I was just six months old then, so I don’t remember anything about that time. This weekend was different than the last couple times we had gone. This time, we were going to see my mom’s all-time favorite player get inducted, Mariano Rivera. I distinctly remember her saying on our last trip to Cooperstown, “We’ll be back here in five years to see Mariano getting inducted.”

It was a long, 12-hour drive and over 800 miles of road to get there from Illinois. We were tired but excited.

We didn’t make it to Cooperstown in time for the Hall of Fame parade, but we still had the White Sox’s party for Harold Baines to go to that night. I met the White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, as well as Frank Thomas, Tim Raines, Ozzie Guillen Sr., and even Baines himself!

Raines was a very nice guy and made my dad take multiple pictures to make sure that the photo was just right. Guillen was very outgoing. He talked to us in English and Spanish. Baines was very down to earth. I’m glad that we got to talk to him. We had a lot of fun at the party, and the food was great too.

The next morning it was time for the induction. It was a sunny morning, and the drive to Cooperstown was a pleasant one. The little town was packed. The line for the shuttle to the induction was down the block, so the only alternate option was to walk. We passed many grand, colorful houses, some with kids selling refreshments in their front yards.

At the induction, it was sunny and the heat was sweltering, but it was definitely worth it. We settled into our seats alongside an estimated 55,000 other fans that had traveled from all across the country to see their favorite players being inducted. That’s the biggest Induction crowd in years.

Even before the ceremony started, many of those in the crowd were chanting the names of their favorite players. They kept the energy upbeat even in the heat.

At last, the ceremony began. They started by introducing the 52 returning Hall of Famers, followed by the six who were about to be inducted: Baines, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Lee Smith, and Rivera.

I was very proud to show my Puerto Rican pride for Martinez by waving my flag. It’s great to see another Puerto Rican being inducted into the Hall of Fame—he’s the most recent of the five Puerto Ricans.

Last, but not least, it was Mariano’s turn. The crowd roared as he stepped up to the podium to give his speech. As I looked around, many of those surrounding me were wearing pinstripes for Mariano. I wondered how it felt to look out upon a crowd of thousands of people who traveled hundreds of miles just to see you.  I wondered how it felt to have your legacy immortalized in the Hall of Fame. In the simplest of terms, I think it would feel pretty great.

After the ceremony, we walked back to town and visited the museum. We got to see the alcove for this year’s inductees. The plaques hadn’t been put up yet, so you could still see the inductee’s signatures on the plaque holder on the wall. We also went up to the third floor to see the cases for the new inductees.

We went crazy in the museum gift shop, buying minifigures of some of our favorite Latino players such as Rivera, Martinez, and Roberto Clemente. I was also very surprised to see a Yadier Molina Funko Pop. I quickly bought it to add to my collection, which until then only consisted of superheroes and Doctor Who characters.

After we left the museum we had dinner, and by the time we were done it was sunset. The quaint village of Cooperstown looked even more charming in the sun’s setting light. The colors that decorated the sky just above it were unlike anything I’d ever seen.

I insisted we also walk down by Otsego Lake. The sun was sinking behind the Catskill mountains and casting a glimmer across the glassy waters. It was a beautiful sight. The perfect ending to a great day. As we drove off into the night I couldn’t wait to return to Cooperstown.

Miranda Burgos is an aspiring writer who is entering 8th grade at University High School. Her favorite team is the NY Yankees, although she sometimes roots for the White Sox.

Images courtesy Burgos Family