Latino Parents and Sons Who Succeeded in American Sports

When a child comes to the family it is natural to see the little one sharing with his father while they enjoy some sporting discipline. What at some point is for some a recreational activity that does not necessarily have to mark the future of the young person, in other cases it is the beginning of a path with a destiny predetermined by the talent that genes hide.

American sport has two brilliant cases involving Latino families and their impact. Two professionals of the highest level and who say they are present in the discussion about whether they were the best in what they did have in lineage cases that place their children as the stars of the present and the future.

Although for the youngest the challenge is to stand out and not stain the last name, time is always in charge of putting everything in its place and also opening space to those athletes who with a lot of work, effort and focus are able to transcend to get out of the shadow of those who preceded them and thus settle into the elite under their own tools.

Ball and immortality

One of those examples is framed under the quality that always accompanied Vladimir Guerrero. The outstanding Dominican player who did his thing in Major League Baseball will always be remembered by locals and strangers.

The main image that comes to the head of every fan who knows of his existence has to do with his unorthodox hitting, without gloves, as if the natural strength of his structure was not altered or affected by the wood. Even so, the Quisqueyano who today has his plaque in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame was able to hit 449 home runs spread over 16 internship seasons in North American baseball.

It all started in 1996, when at just 21 years of age he made his major league debut wearing the uniform of the Montreal Expos, a franchise that mutated and today is the Washington Nationals. In the Canadian box, Guerrero was a star and a permanent representative in the All-Star Games with said uniform, since his nine appearances in the mid-season classic were played under these colors.

In those eight years as the face of the Expos, the Latino dropped just over his total home runs (234) and produced 702 of the 1,496 runs that made him one of the most productive pieces of his entire generation.

Little by little, he was obtaining enough merit to be considered one of the best players of the moment, something that he concretized in a great way in 2004, when with the Los Angeles Angels uniform he rose as the Most Valuable Player of the League. American. By now, Guerrero was one of the greatest in baseball, an unstoppable home runner who also had a clear right-field presence. His glove, while never keeping up with his offense, didn’t disappoint either.

With 10 years retired, the Dominican now sees through the eyes of his son, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a potential Hall of Fame.

The journey of the 22-year-old is just beginning for him, who in 2021 is going through his third harvest in the majors; however, this is consecrating. Barring Japan’s Shohei Ohtani, a prominent phenomenon both on the mound and in the batter’s box, the Toronto Blue Jays would be a clear favorite to win the MVP this year.

But there are plenty of time and opportunities for a boy who was reproached in the beginning that his physical form would be his main obstacle. Contrary to stagnating and being carried away by distant criticism, Guerrero Jr. worked through the winter on his body and arrived at spring training with the promise of being one of the most striking players this year in the American League.

So it was.

Today he surpasses the barrier of 40 home runs and 100 RBIs, outstanding numbers for a boy who is gaining the respect of rival pitchers with each passing day.

Another important aspect in his repertoire has been his selection when hitting. The son of the almighty Vladimir Guerrero has more than 300 average points this season, much more than the 272 he hit in his rookie season. Although his internship in the majors has been short, the slugger has shown the maturity of someone who understands what his weaknesses are and struggles to overcome them to turn them into strengths.

If all goes as seen, sooner rather than later he will eclipse his father’s records, an ambitious but possible and enjoyable challenge within the Guerrero family.

FAMILY. Vladimir Guerrero Sr. (right) and his son, two MLB stars / @ vladguerrero27

historical power

Boxing in the United States has seen the greatest of the discipline triumph. Among many names of immortals, one stands out for his high number of victories: Julio César Chávez.

The Mexican fighter accumulated between 1980 and 2005 (a period in which he enjoyed long breaks of almost a year in at least four calendars) a total of 107 wins for just six falls. Chávez was a force of nature and a fixed bet in each confrontation that had him as the protagonist in Las Vegas, the world capital of the main fights of said sport.

During his heyday, the Aztec raised the flag of his country very high and took a step further that Mexican boxers had that special ingredient within their DNA, an incredible courage to stand up even against the most complicated rivals to impose themselves. without fear when the bell rang.

At the end of his career, when his hands were not so heavy and his feet lost speed, the world of sport surrendered to one of the men who brought the most joy to Latin America thanks to his regularity to get out of the always difficult ring with flying colors.

Along with him, especially in the final stage of a successful journey of more than 20 years in boxing, his son Julio César Chávez Jr. Espigado was preparing, with greater scope and the promise of enhancing the family name for many other seasons, the young Mexican appeared in the professional after 13 fights in the amateur.

After seven years in a row without knowing the defeat, the young Chávez Jr. fell by unanimous decision against the figure of the Argentine Sergio Martínez, a closed duel that could have been for either of them and that finally remained in the hands of the South American today in retired day.

That was the start of an unfortunate journey that saw him backhand goodbye in five of his next 10 fights. In addition, he was involved in a controversy for the use of illicit substances that led him away from the ensogado.

Still, the tall and thin fighter seduced many with a different style than his father, but just as effective when he was in his prime.



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