Leadership is service

On Friday evening, La Vida Baseball partnered with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Latino Center to produce an event celebrating baseball and philanthropy, “Giving and the Game.”

Our El Profe, Adrian Burgos, Jr., moderated a panel with current Mets co-general manager Omar Minaya and José Antonio Tijerino, the president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. In front of a full room of guests, the three entertained.

You can watch our Facebook Live broadcast of the event here.

Minaya grew up in the shadows of Shea Stadium in Queens playing stick ball.

“Baseball was a part of me growing up,” he said as he recalled his early days in New York. He learned from his mother, a teacher, that everything you do involves giving back to the community.

“That environment of unity and community stays with you.”

Minaya discussed his belief that “player development” is a holistic endeavor in which teams are tasked with growing players and men.

“There’s a recruitment component and an entry component,” Minaya said. “But once you have the player, he has to adapt. … We’re developing the human element.

“Teaching him English is not enough… We have to go beyond that.”

Tijerino shared a powerful story about moving to the United States as a young boy from Nicaragua. He didn’t speak English and was the subject of taunting from his classmates in school. His response to the taunts: “Roberto Clemente.”

His inspiration to be an active part of the community remains Clemente, the Puerto Rican legend who died traveling to Tijerino’s native Nicaragua to help others.

“[Clemente] was my imaginary friend who was a real friend,” he said of the legend, whose prowess on the field and strength as a Latino on the field was powerful to the young Tijerino.

“[Clemente] had a sense of humanity, a sense of responsibility. He had a sense of privilege by being able to help someone,” he continued. “And that was my inspiration from the time I was a young man.”

“When you have somebody like Roberto Clemente as your source of inspiration – your role model – to be doing the work I’m doing I understand one thing: that leadership is service.”

Tijerino wrote about his respect for Clemente in a story for his daughter when she experienced anxiety about going to school.

Minaya said the closest player he’s experienced to Clemente’s caliber of being involved is the recently retired Carlos Beltran, citing Beltran using his financial resources and influence to help Puerto Rico in the wake of the hurricane last year.

The theme of the night was giving back. Minaya and Tijerino were adamant that leadership comes in many forms but is critical for our communities. Whether you’re a professional athlete, work in the front office for a major league team, lead an organization that helps thousands find opportunity or a teacher, factory worker or student, giving back through service is a privilege and responsibility.

Featured Image: La Vida Baseball