Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images
By: Kike Frías
Monday, October 7
Two Cubans are already immortal: Tony Oliva and Minnie Miñoso inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
To your 80 years old and with a nostalgic look in his eyes, the former Cuban baseball player Tony Oliva received the news that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Baseball through a teleconference.
“At last that call came (…) As you know, I have 83 year old. Many people told me that I should have been chosen ago 40 years. It is better to be alive to enter the Hall of Fame and to be able to say hello and thank people ”
Tony Oliva
Next to Oliva was also exalted to Cooperstown the talented Minnie Miñoso , died in 2015, so he and Oliva will not be able to share the celebration. Both were part of the six figures chosen to enter the Museum of the Immortals.
They are accompanied by Buck O’Neil, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat and Bud Fowler.
Oliva and Kaat, both from 83 years and also former teammates in the Minnesota Twins, they are the only two new members still alive. It is highlighted that Dick Allen, who died in December of 2020, he was only one vote away from entering the HOF.
Minnie Miñoso, the Cuban Major League Baseball hero
Saturnino Orestes Armas “Minnie” Miñoso received 14 votes of the 16 members of the Golden Days Era Committee. He came to the Major Leagues as third baseman but his greatest achievements came from playing left field.