The Alomar Sr. cycle: player, coach, dad and teacher

By Danny Torres

He stood in the on-deck circle in the bottom of the ninth, taking his cuts as teammate Chris Chambliss dug into the batter’s box. The New York Yankees had not been this close to a World Series since the glory days of the early 1960s. For many of us who lived there, the Bronx might have been burning, but on this Thursday night, Oct. 14, 1976, there was playoff baseball to worry about as the Yanks faced off against Kansas City in the fifth and deciding game of the American League Championship Series.

Santos “Sandy” Alomar Sr. — who had entered the game earlier as a pinch runner — was taking it all in. If Chambliss didn’t deliver, it would be up to the veteran infielder from Puerto Rico.

With nobody on and the game tied, Chambliss connected. The ball arced over the right-centerfield wall for a home run and a 7-6 victory. The stadium was pandemonium. After a 12-year drought, the Yankees were returning to the World Series.

A Life in Baseball

Alomar and the Yankees didn’t win the 1976 World Series, and he would not be around for the championships that followed in 1977 and 1978. But as a baseball lifer, Alomar has witnessed baseball history and contributed to it, raising two outstanding ballplayers: Sandy Jr., a six-time All-Star catcher; and Roberto, a Hall of Fame second baseman.

Alomar Sr., 73, came from a baseball-playing family. All four boys — Antonio, Rafael, Demetrio and Sandy — played in the minors and the Puerto Rican Winter League. Sandy was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as a teenager at the same time as his older brother, Demetrio, in 1960. The two languished in the minors, with Sandy finally breaking through in 1964.

“Honestly, I observed my four brothers, but especially Tony,” Alomar remembers. “He basically helped me out a lot. It was a childhood of brothers playing baseball.”

A versatile infielder who mostly played second base, Alomar bounced back and forth to Triple-A during his first four seasons, playing a total of 144 major league games. But he persevered. Something finally took in 1968, the year Roberto was born. Sandy Sr. played 133 games that summer for the Chicago White Sox and never looked back.

Playing for six teams over 15 seasons taught the observant Alomar the importance of being steadfast and determined, as well as other lessons he would later share with his own sons and a generation of younger players. He found his niche with the California Angels in 1970 and 1971, when he played the full 162-game schedule both seasons and contributed at the leadoff spot with solid offense and speed. In 1970, when he led the American League with 735 plate appearances, Sandy hit .251 and stole 35 bases, earning his sole All-Star selection.

With his personal anecdotes and philosophical wisdom, Sandy Sr. — who last coached in the Major Leagues with the New York Mets in 2009 — has even created his own version of UCLA coach John Wooden’s iconic “Pyramid of Success” to help guide prospective major league players throughout their careers.

“I tell the young players that I work with that the sacrifices you make now will benefit in the future. Your entire life has been a sacrifice,” Alomar said. “I even use this analogy, ‘Do you know the sacrifices your mother went through to give birth? Do you know the sacrifices she made just to keep you healthy? And what about those long nights watching you? That’s a sacrifice.’”

Alomar breaks down his pyramid to pride, will, respect, discipline, knowledge, awareness and reaction. These fundamentals, along with his Christian faith, formed the cornerstone of his extraordinary 57-year journey in baseball.

Discovered by a Baseball Pioneer

Born in Salinas, a southern coastal town in Puerto Rico, Alomar was one of eight children raised by Demetrio Alomar and Rosa Conde. Between both sides of the family, there are roughly a dozen ball-playing relatives. While Alomar credits his siblings for his love of the game, it really was an all-around family affair.

After mastering the lessons of his siblings, Alomar gained the notice of the scouts. And it was none other than Luis Rodríguez Olmo — the second Puerto Rican to play Major League Baseball — who signed him at the age of 16 for the Milwaukee Braves in 1960.

At a time when black and dark-skinned Latinos were still making their way into the majors, Sandy, who was relatively small to begin with — 5-foot-9 and 140 pounds — had to prove he possessed the skills and mental approach to break into the big leagues. He did so quickly, making his major league debut at shortstop with the Braves in a double-header on Sept. 15, 1964, at age 20. Though he singled in his first at-bat, he proved his worth mainly with his glove, a skill he had refined in Puerto Rico.

Throughout, he proved to be a solid baseball man — a smart ballplayer who knew how to communicate with his teammates and shared his knowledge of how to play the game.

‘Papi’s’ Pride

His baseball acumen was passed down to his children, who earned their baseball education on the diamonds of La isla del encanto.

Sandy Jr., after 20 seasons as a player, continues following in his father’s footsteps as the Cleveland Indians’ first base coach. Roberto, a 12-time All-Star who won two World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays, runs Foundation 12, a Canadian charity serving youth baseball players.

Although their All-Star exploits on the field far transcended those of their father, Sandy couldn’t be prouder of his children, including his first-born, daughter Sandia, who was a role model to her siblings. It was one active family.

“The boys were always into baseball. Santitos had a fascination with cars, volleyball and tae kwon do. He loved hobbies that had a bit of danger,” Alomar said. “But Roberto was always into baseball and he was a very good basketball player too.

“I give my wife, Maria, so much credit because she was with them. I don’t like to take credit,” Alomar added. “She taught them a lot. When I was away, she did everything, and I thank God we were blessed.”

Throughout those formative years while his sons were growing up, Sandy returned home during the offseason to spend time with his children.

Sandy Jr. described the close relationship the kids had with their father, who always provided ample space for his children to discover their own career paths.

“As a great father,” Sandy Jr. said, “he is sincere, honest and direct with his communication. It’s that simple.”

Yet, his affection for his sons means that to him, even as they have made their mark as baseball big leaguers, in their father’s eyes the two remained Santitos and Robertito.

Their father’s sons

As the Alomar boys developed into formidable athletes, scouts took notice. Sandy shared a story about a legendary Pirates scout who happened to observe one of his sons.

“One day, Howie Haak saw Robertito playing ‘pepper’ with some other kids,” Sandy said. “He must have been between six or seven years old. Haak said, ‘Listen, hide him for me. One day, I’m going to sign him.’”

Haak could see it, even then. And for both of Sandy’s boys, 1988 was when they realized their big-league dreams.

Sandy Jr. and Roberto were called up to the majors by the San Diego Padres in the same season. Almost 30 years later, that momentous occasion still stands out in his mind.

“Obviously, my wife and I were so happy. Every parent wants their children to be better than themselves,” Alomar said.

But of course, he switched into coach mode.

“I said, ‘The sacrifices now will benefit you in the future. Now that you are in the majors, it’s [your job] to stay there.’

“On this level, it’s about consistency.”

Multiple dreams come true

Sandy Jr. and Roberto would go on to have exceptional careers. For Sandy Sr., his proudest moment came when he witnessed firsthand his youngest son’s 2011 induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Many fans, especially in Puerto Rico, consider Roberto — who hit .300 and won 10 Gold Gloves — to be the greatest second baseman ever.

“When we were inside the Hall of Fame for an activity, I was standing behind Roberto. I said to myself, ‘I was fortunate to have played either with or against these players (Reggie Jackson, Gaylord Perry, Hank Aaron, Bert Blyleven) who are now present in this room. Now, my son is in this special group of inductees.’”

At the conclusion of his emotional HOF Induction speech, Roberto paid the ultimate tribute to his proud father.

“Somebody asked me, ‘Who is your favorite second baseman?’ I know there are some great ones that I idolized a lot. But to me, I watched this guy, every day, play the game. He was the best. He is the greatest,” Roberto said of his father.

Educators are always searching for teachable moments to prepare their prized pupils for a demanding world filled with extraordinary challenges. Even All-Star baseball players have those moments.

Prior to the start of Game 4 in the 1992 ALCS, in a game that would become the most singular of his son’s illustrious career, Sandy astutely observed that something wasn’t right.

Sandy noticed from the stands that Roberto wasn’t giving 100 percent during infield practice with the Toronto Blue Jays as they prepared to play the Oakland Athletics. He immediately left his seat to confront his son.

“I told him that practice is how one will play [in] the game,” Sandy said. “It’s what gives a player the mental preparation on how to play that night. The other team will be intimidated by watching what you are doing correctly and showing a lot of energy.”

Embarrassed to have disappointed his father, Roberto provided an unbelievable four-hit performance that included a double and a game-tying ninth-inning home run off another future Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley. Roberto would go on to win the ALCS MVP, and the Blue Jays would win the World Series that year and the next.

Sandy Sr. was a player, is still a coach, but he’s never stopped being a father and teacher. Call him an All-Star Dad.

Featured image: Michael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport