Letters from the Beyond: From Juan Adam to Nicolás Salomón – Cartas desde el Más Allá: De Juan Adam para Nicolás Salomón

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Baseball Letters from the Beyond: From Juan Adam to Nicolás Salomón – Cartas desde el Más Allá: De Juan Adam para Nicolás Salomón by Juan Vené February 17, 2025 My dear Nicolás: I am writing to you from this More Here , which you call The Beyond , Juan Adam. I was such a baseball lover that I died for it. And that, from my trip here, will be 85 years very soon, exactly in a month, on March 17. Now, what do I mean by “I died for it”? I will tell you, my friend Nicolás: Our Cuban friends, separated from Yucatán only by a puddle, infected us with their love for baseball. You are from Yucatán and a baseball person. That is why I am telling you. Since the end of the 20th century, it is the first sport, in the entire peninsula, that is, not only in Yucatán, but also in Quintana Roo and in Campeche. That afternoon of the 17th, we were in the Itzimná park, and we had already heard the three o’clock bells, because in front of the playing field there was a church. The main umpire was José López Abad, who did what he had to do: call play ball. It was the first peninsular championship in the Southeast of our country. We were playing, the Plataformeros of Progreso, the Unión of Ladrilleros and the Volante of Mérida, the Estrellas of Umán and the Terraceros and Campeche of the neighboring state. On the afternoon of the drama, Alcibíades Palma was pitching for the Terraceros, and for the Ladrilleros, José Caridad (Fosforito) Poey, with a very good fastball and ready to take advantage of any carelessness. It was the fourth inning when I went to consume my second turn of the game. At that time, when one went to bat, one left the box marked by chalk, only when real reasons arose. I had the habit of leaning over home plate and tapping the rubber with my bat. Poey knew that, and he was about to surprise me. As soon as I made my move, he threw his fastball, very fast, tremendous. I don’t think he wanted to hit me with the ball, but rather that he didn’t have time to swing at the strike. The ball hit me on the left side of my head, destroying my parietal. Everyone wanted to help me, and they took me to a first aid hospital, where the doctors could do nothing to save me. That was the bad part of the game. The good thing was that we won 8-7. I have been, my friend, Nicolás, the only baseball player to die from a hit by a pitch, in Mexico. There was another in softball. And in the Major Leagues, the only case recorded is that of the Indians shortstop, Ray Chapman, victim of a fastball to the head by the Yankees pitcher, Carl Mays, in August 1920. Back then, we didn’t wear protective helmets. A hug, Nicolás, from your friend, Juan . [email protected] @juanvene5 TREMENDO ESTACIONAMIENTO RESTAURANT CASTIZO Y VINOS EN PLENA AVENIDA 27 1673 SW 27th Ave. MIAMI FL, 33145 TEL: (305) 640-5658 USTED COME BIEN EN SU CASA Y AQUI (En Español) Cartas desde el Más Allá De Juan Adam para Nicolás Salomón Mi apreciado Nicolás: Te escribe desde este Más Acá , que ustedes llaman Más Allá , Juan Adam. Fui tan amante del beisbol, que por él morí. Y de eso, de mi viaje hasta acá, hará 85 años muy pronto, exactamente dentro de un mes, el 17 de marzo. Ahora, ¿qué quiero decir con eso de “por él morí”?. Te cuento, amigo Nicolás: N uestros amigos cubanos, separados de Yucatán solo por un charquito, nos contagiaron su amor por el beisbol. Tu eres yucateco y gente del beisbol. Por eso te cuento. D esde fines del Siglo XX, es el primer deporte, en toda la península, es decir, no solo en Yucatán, sino también en Quintana Roo y en Campeche . Aquella tarde del 17, estábamos en el parque de Itzimná, y ya habíamos oído las campanadas de las tres de la tarde, porque frente al campo de juego había una Iglesia. El umpire principal, era José López Abad, quien hizo lo que tenía que hacer: cantar play ball. Era el primer campeonato peninsular en el Sureste de nuestro país. Jugábamos, Plataformeros de Progreso, Unión de Ladrilleros y Volante de Mérida, Estrellas de Umán y Terraceros y Campeche del vecino Estado. La tarde del drama, lanzaba Alcibíades Palma por Terraceros, y por Ladrilleros, José Caridad (Fosforito) Poey, de muy buena recta y listo a aprovechar cualquier descuido. Era el cuarto inning cuando fui a consumir mi segundo turno del juego. En aquella época, cuando uno entraba a batear, salía del cuadro marcado por cal, solamente cuando surgían reales motivos. Yo tenía la costumbre de inclinarme sobre home y darle un golpecito a la goma con el bate. Eso lo sabía Poey, y estaba por sorprenderme. Apenas hice mi movimiento, tiró su recta, muy veloz, tremenda. No creo que quisiera pegarme el pelotazo, sino que no tuviera tiempo de tirarle al strike. La pelota me golpeó en lado izquierdo de la cabeza, me destrozó el parietal. Todos querían ayudarme, y me llevaron a un hospital de primeros auxilios, donde los médico no pudieron hacer nada para salvarme. Eso fue lo malo del juego. Lo bueno fue que ganamos 8-7. He sido, amigo, Nicolás, el único pelotero muerto de un bolazo, en México. Hubo otro en el softbol. Y en Grandes Ligas, solo se registra el caso del shortstop de los Indios, Ray Chapman, víctima de un rectazo a la cabeza por el pitcher de los Yankees, Carl Mays, en agosto de 1920. Entonces, no usábamos cacos protectores. Un abrazo, Nicolás, de tu amigo, Juan . [email protected] @juanvene5 Related Topics Feature Juan Adam Nicolás Salomón Click to comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. 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