I’m sure it’s the dream of every aspiring young baseball player to some day play for a Major League team, even if it’s just for a day. Can you imagine the thrill of walking onto a field with the world’s greatest players?
Perez, a former All-City Most Valuable Player at Hanks High School who had three outstanding seasons playing at Oklahoma State University, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers and sent to the Major League team in 1996.
AS THINGS turned out, Perez joined the Brewers when they were on a road trip and started in the outfield against the New York Yankees on July 4, 1996.
“The fact I was playing at Yankee Stadium didn’t hit me right away,” he says. “I had been traveling and hurrying and was just thinking of suiting up and getting out on the field. But as I was walking out into the stadium I noticed a bust of Babe Ruth. Then when I walked out and saw 50,000 people in the stands it hit me where I was.”
Still in awe, he went up to face Yankee immortal pitcher Andy Pettitte. No, he didn’t get a hit.
PEREZ WAS with the Brewers only a few days before he was sent to the minors. He never made it back to the big leagues but I’m sure he’ll treasure the memory of that day in Yankee Stadium forever.
Danny, who also played for the El Paso Diablos three seasons, gives his father, Pete, and his older brother, David, credit for helping him achieve the success he enjoyed in the sport. His brother, by the way, was also an outstanding player at Hanks High. In fact, David set a state hitting record one season with a whopping .696 batting average.
FOUR OTHER outstanding El Pasoans will be inducted into the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame this year. Following, with the help of Hall official Tom Ciaburri, are tidbits on each:
Randy Weinglass – He’s a little extra special for me because he’s a former sports writer. He toiled at the El Paso Times for some nine years before gaining fame as an umpire. He was an umpire for 31 years at the youth, high school and collegiate levels and crew chief for the 2010 Texas High School State Baseball Tournament in Austin. He was also a color analyst broadcasting Texas high school baseball playoff games involving El Paso teams on the radio and internet.
Gerardo Cuevas – We told you about Cuevas in a previous column. He was a three year letterman at Coronado High School and was an outstanding pitcher/outfielder at Northwood University. He later played for the Mexican Olympic team.
Lauro Felix – An outstanding player at Socorro High School, he played collegiate baseball at Western New Mexico and New Mexico State. He was drafted by Oakland in 1992 and played professionally until 2003 for the A’s, Brewers, Mexican and Independent Leagues. He also played three seasons with the El Paso Diablos.
George Hodge – He is a posthumous selection. Hodge was a star outfielder four years at El Paso High School and played two seasons at Sacramento City College before being selected in 1970 by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round. He played three seasons in the Phillies’ minor league system and one season in the Mexican League.
THE HALL’S annual induction banquet will be held Oct. 26 at Lancers Club, 3135 Trawood Drive. Festivities will start at 6 p.m. For tickets for the banquet, call 598-8419, 422-1972 or 598-7211.
I hope many will be there to help honor these outstanding folks.
Veteran sports journalist and author Ray Sanchez welcomes suggestions for his column.