La Vida Voices: Roberto Alomar’s Baseball Life

The careers of some of baseball’s greatest players rightfully raise the question: nature or nurture? Roberto Alomar is one of the greatest second basemen to ever play the game. His accomplishments with both bat and glove were recognized with his 2011 induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. His ascent among the game’s immortals is not all that surprising to those who come from Puerto Rico. The Alomar name has a long history there, dating about as far back as there’s been professional baseball on the island. Nor was he the first Alomar to make it into the majors.

His father, Sandy Sr., had a terrific playing career and served as a coach for a number of organizations. Roberto’s older brother, Sandy Jr., was the 1990 American League Rookie of the Year and appeared in six All-Star Games, earning All-Star Game MVP honors in 1997. Roberto discusses the role his family played in his entry into the big leagues and what it felt like to finally be called up—only to face Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan in his first at-bat.

Roberto Alomar

Who were your baseball heroes growing up?

My baseball hero has always been my dad. My dad used to be my hero, and then José Cruz, who played for the Houston Astros. He was a guy that I admired when he played a game of baseball.

You were born into baseball. Your dad was with the White Sox the year you were born. Your older brother [Sandy Jr.] signed with the Padres. What was it like for you having a father and brother who played Major League Baseball?

It was great. It was a great experience being with my dad in big league ballparks almost all my life. And as a kid, I saw a lot of the great players play the game of baseball. And now me being selected to the Hall of Fame and seeing the same guys who are elected to the Hall of Fame that I watched when I was a kid, it is a treat for me

You saw your dad play the game. You saw how difficult the game is. At what point in your career did you realize that you have the talent and the ability to play the game of baseball?

When I was 7 years old; that’s all I wanted to do. All I wanted to do. I wanted to play baseball. I used to go to the major league ballparks. I always wanted to be in baseball parks, and I knew that I had a God-given talent and it was a gift.

You were signed by the Padres, the same team that had signed your older brother. Do you remember the day, and can you convey the feelings of hearing that you’re now a professional ballplayer? What did that mean to you?

Well, I was signed by the Padres in 1985 by Luis Rosa. And it was a dream come true for me in the beginning, to be a professional ballplayer. And after that, I got to the big leagues in ’88 with the San Diego Padres. That was another dream come true. Especially I remember that day that I got the phone call, when I was in Las Vegas. And they called me to a room and say, “You are going to the big leagues.” And I didn’t know what to say. Then I went to the big leagues, and the first guy I face was Nolan Ryan. And what an amazing accomplishment. I got my first hit against a Hall of Famer, Nolan Ryan, and it’s a day that I will never forget.

In ’99, you signed with the Indians and you got to play along with your brother. What was that experience like for the both of you?

Oh, man, that was a great experience. It’s an experience that you will never forget. Getting the chance to play with my brother, Sandy, on the same team. Getting the chance to go to the playoffs together. I wish we would have won a World Series together. But just to have that feeling, how it is to be with your brother in the same field—in the same major league field, it was an honor. It was an experience that we will never forget.

Featured Image: Bettman