"THAT GUY IS GREAT"

By Peter Vuono

Dedicated to my old friend Tom Wall

     I'm not a baseball fan. However, back in 1973, I went to a Red Sox game with my college friend Tom. We got really good seats and because we arrived early, we got to see the White Sox batting practice. Leading the practice was a coach who I had never seen. He had started coaching the White Sox after having played in the majors and coaching in Mexico. Everything went quietly and uneventfully  until practice was over.

     This coach took a bag of baseballs and started handing them out to all the young fans next to the 3rd base dugout. As if this wasn't enough, he started handing out several baseball bats. We had seen a ball here  and there given to the fans but not like this avalanche of gifts! It was at that moment that Tom exclaimed, "That guy is great!". I squinted to see the name on the back of the shirt. It read"Minoso".

    Minnie Manoso was from Cuba. He played in the Negro Leagues in 1946. In 48 he was taken on by the Indians and later with the White Sox. With the Sox he would have 8 seasons of batting .300 or better. He was an All-Star 7 seasons and a Golden Glove winner 3 seasons. He was the 1st Black Latino in the majors and the 1st Black to play for the White Sox. He was American League leader in stolen bases 3 times and the 2nd player to play in the majors for 5 decades .He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020. He passed in 2015.

    But STILL, the thing I remember and admire most about this guy was that act of kindness to kids that I'll never  forget  although it was 49 summers ago. So this author's question to the reader is this: When Minoso met his maker, what counted more; his being a super athlete or his acts of kindness and his love of kids?

   I'm not worthy to know what the Lord thinks or what judgement he made. However I'll bet that when judgement was passed it must have sounded something like "That Guy Is Great!".