New York City Celebrates ‘Los Rubios’

By Nick Diunte

In times of crisis, sports can be a tremendous source of unity for a nation in turmoil. Take Puerto Rico. Facing a $74 billion debt, double-digit unemployment, and rising crime rates, Puerto Ricans came together last spring for a shared passion — baseball — cheering on a #LosRubios (the blonds) squad that refused to lose until it met Team USA in the finals.

And no place in the U.S. did the success of #LosNuestros rekindle national pride — and inspire peroxide hair — more than in New York City, where Puerto Ricans gained a foothold in many neighborhoods dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.

Which is why Julio Pabón, president of the New York City digital platform Latino Sports, went to great lengths to make sure Puerto Rico, and four of its N.Y.-based players, received proper due for that WBC championship run.

“In Puerto Rico, 184 schools have closed, four hospitals have gone bankrupt, the unemployment rate is approaching 14 percent, and almost 20,000 families are leaving every couple of months,” said Pabón, himself a boricua. “These are the conditions that we were under and then, all of a sudden, the World Baseball Classic [came] up and everybody forgot their problems. Everybody got together; there were no people pushing for statehood, there was nobody pushing for a commonwealth status, there was nobody pushing for independence — everybody was pushing for Puerto Rico.”

And while it took several months to coordinate, Latino Sports organized a gathering at the intimate Café Rubio in Queens after the All-Star break to honor the New York Mets who represented Puerto Rico in the WBC: right-handed starter Seth Lugo, catcher René Rivera (now with the Chicago Cubs), infielder T.J. Rivera and bullpen coach Ricky Bones. But despite the gymnastics involved in getting the players to commit to the event during the regular season, it was an important pursuit for Pabón.

“It was much more than a game; for us, it was much more than winning a gold medal or a trophy,” Pabón said.

A history that goes back, back, back

A look at Major League Baseball rosters starting in the 1940s reveals a deep relationship with New York City that has thrived for 70 years. Puerto Rican baseball players have captured the hearts of New Yorkers dating back to when the city had three teams. Outfielder Luis Rodríguez Olmo played for the Dodgers; righty Rubén Gómez pitched for the Giants; and Luis “Tite” Arroyo, a slight, left-handed reliever, helped the Yankees win a couple of World Series.

The Mets gained immediate credibility with the inclusion of infielder Félix Mantilla in their inaugural 1962 team. In the 1970s, Mets second baseman Félix Millán and Yankees pitcher Eduardo Figueroa carried the Puerto Rican banner. Bronx-born outfielder Roberto “Bobby” Bonilla anchored the Mets in the early 1990s. Carlos Beltrán played for both the Mets and Yankees, and outfielder Bernie Williams and catcher Jorge Posada won fame with the Yankees.

Thanks to all their World Series championships, a stronger natural allegiance to the Bronx Bombers was to be expected. But lately, due to the absence of a single Yankee on Puerto Rico’s WBC team this year, fans have had new reason to focus on the other side of the Whitestone Bridge, at Citi Field, home of the Mets.

Troubles temporarily forgotten

Shortly into the ceremony, it was obvious that getting these players together was about a force greater than baseball. For Pabón, it was about recognizing how their impact on Puerto Ricans reached far beyond the foul lines.

As the four Mets reflected on what it meant to wear Puerto Rico’s name across their chests, they recognized that their journey was about a higher mission — to help unite the people of their homeland. A native of Bayamón, a city west of San Juan, René Rivera was taken aback by the response to what Los Rubios accomplished.

“It was an unbelievable experience for me being a part of team Puerto Rico. We didn’t expect that big of a commotion down in Puerto Rico and even in the States,” Rivera said. “We’re all surprised about it. We hope that we continue to grow as Puerto Ricans and change things down there.”

Puerto Rican Roots Down

Seth Lugo and T.J. Rivera initially entered the tournament with uncertainty, not knowing what to expect from playing for a country besides the U.S. in the WBC and for a team that wasn’t the Mets. T.J. Rivera, who followed in Bonilla’s footsteps 25 years later at Lehman High School in the Bronx, quickly realized that the impact of the game transcended the results on the field. It didn’t matter that he was raised more than 1,600 miles north of the island.

“I wasn’t sure what the WBC was going to bring, I was [just] looking forward to representing Puerto Rico,” Rivera said. “Both of my parents were born there and I think it was something bigger than just a game. Watching how we played as a team, both a country and island together, all points to one thing; I was truly blessed and honored for the opportunity.”

Whereas T.J. Rivera looked to his parents to see his Puerto Rican roots, Lugo had to look further back. A self-proclaimed “Quarter-Rican” from Louisiana, Lugo’s Puerto Rican heritage dates to his paternal grandfather, who migrated from the island to Louisiana. Lugo shared a similar degree of doubt regarding the journey to suiting up for Team Puerto Rico. But by the time it was all said and done, his purpose on the field was indisputably clear to the young hurler.

“Like T.J. said, I wasn’t sure what to expect when we decided to go play,” Lugo said. “It was truly humbling to help the country the way we did. It was something more than baseball and something I’ll never forget.”

Spurring National Pride

Bones, the current Mets bullpen coach who played from 1991 to 2001 for seven MLB teams, including the Yankees, served as the pitching coach for Team Puerto Rico. From his perch in the dugout, he saw the power the team had to unify a nation under distress and act as an agent of change going forward.

“To be able to elevate Puerto Rico’s name and unite everybody to help them get out of the mentality of crime and suffering… makes me proud to represent Puerto Rico,” said Bones, who was born in the southern city of Salinas.

“Hopefully we can continue to change some things about the Latin players and Latin sports throughout the whole nation.”

The celebration was a reminder not only of the magic of the March tournament, where Puerto Ricans everywhere were enchanted by Los Rubios. Team Puerto Rico reminded everyone once more of baseball’s ability to spur national pride. Being boricua is an experience that crosses generations and, for players and spectators alike, the WBC run connected them to their Puerto Rican roots like no other baseball experience before.

Featured Image: Nick Diunte