Tradition in the diamond
The screams and cheers of the Industriales fans echoed in the Latinoamericano stadium when umpire Javier Rodríguez loudly declared the out in first. With a voracious movement, typical of left-handed pitchers to stalk their opponent at first, Francisley Bueno's lightning throw to first baseman Antonio Scull surprised the runner.
Marked with the number 12 on his uniform, the young player returned to the dugout frustrated after his slip. For Villa Clara, the hopes of making a run disappeared after the second out fell during the beginning of the third inning. On that winter afternoon of November 23, 2003, the typical Sunday game revived another chapter of the classic challenge between Industriales (blues) and Villa Clara (oranges).
The opening day of the 43rd National Series of Cuban baseball was being played. A little more than six months after the 4-0 sweep that Industriales gave to Villa Clara in the Final of the 42nd National Series, the “oranges” under the command of Víctor Mesa were looking for revenge against the Leones of champion manager Rey Vicente Anglada.
At the start of the third inning, the young rookie who had been caught trying to advance from first base was Orlando Acebey Gutiérrez, son of Villa Clara's experienced third baseman, Rafael Orlando Acebey. When the lineup was made official in that inaugural game in 2003, the Acebeys opened an unprecedented chapter in the history of Cuban baseball: they were the first father-son duo to play in the same game.*
*Rafael Orlando lined up as the seventh hitter and third baseman, the position where he made history for more than two decades with Villa Clara teams, while Orlando (started as second baseman) took the ninth turn in the lineup.
At just 19 years old, Acebey Jr. made his debut in the National Series playing on the same baseball diamond alongside his father, who was participating in her twenty-first season, the last of his career. As expected, the pressure was unstoppable for Acebey Jr., even though he tasted success after hitting a ground ball single to center field in his first plate appearance.
“He was very nervous and uncomfortable,” Acebey confessed to the National Information Agency (AIN) after his debut with Villa Clara in the National Series. It was my first performance with my dad, my first series and, furthermore, in Latinoamericano stadium.
After the voice of play ball, the first litmus test did not take long to present itself. Enrique Díaz, leadoff for the Industriales, hit a ground ball to second, and Acebey was in charge of providing the defensive assist to get the first out. Next, Rudy Reyes hit a pitch from left-hander Zaidel Beltrán and dropped a fly ball to shallow right field. Then, with Bárbaro Cañizares at bat, catcher Yulexis La Rosa caught Rudy stealing at second — his accurate throw was met by Acebey Jr.
But the story of the first inning did not end there: Antonio Scull also grounded out for second, so Acebey ended up participating on defense in the three outs of the first inning. However, in the next chapter, the pressure took its toll: Yasser Gómez hit an apparently fieldable bounce, and Acebey Jr. botched. As expected, playing in the Latinoamericano stadium against the Industriales team, part of the fans reacted without compassion and screams were heard after the error.
From the anteroom, Acebey Sr. approached the center of the diamond and supported his son, demanding more concentration. “My dad and the psychologist talked to me and I regained peace of mind,” recalled Acebey Jr. From that historic game that marked the beginning of the father and son tradition playing together in the National Series, Acebey Sr. transmitted to his son the words that inspired him throughout his career: “love the ball with all your heart. Every play you make has to carry that feeling. If you don't do it that way, you won't get far. In the long run or the short, baseball will take its toll on you for the lack of love.”
The diamond tradition continues
After the Acebeys' admirable history of improvement, it is unlikely that another father and son pair will be able to combine for 36 National Series, 2,733 games played and 9,677 plate appearances:
Rafael Orlando Acebey Sr. (1981-2004): 21 seasons, 1,724 games played, 6,381 plate appearances and an offensive line of .285/.332/.415/.748, with 138 home runs, 772 RBIs, and 99 stolen bases.
Orlando Acebey Jr. (2003-2020): 15 seasons, 1,009 games played, 2,727 plate appearances and an offensive line of .295/.357/.379/.736, with 30 home runs, 343 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases.
However, the tradition in the diamond has not been lost. What seemed like a story practically impossible to match was repeated 19 years later, when Yoelkis Cruz Sr. (42 years old) and Yoelkis Cruz Jr. (21 years old) pitched for the Lumberjacks in the 61st National Series. Saturday, May 7, 2022 was the day of remembrance for the Cruzes. Yoelkis Sr. pitched five innings, allowing one run and striking out two Ciego de Ávila batters.
The Lumberjacks won 10-1, and manager Pablo Civil used Yoelkis Jr. to relieve his father. Cruz Jr. took the home mound at the Julio Antonio Mella stadium, but his experience was not entirely rosy: he allowed a couple of hits (including an RBI double by Yuddiel González), walked three opponents and threw two wild pitches.
The most recent story of parents and children who have played the same National Series match emerged this Saturday during the game between Holguín vs Isla de la Juventud at the Calixto García stadium. As expected since the team rosters for this 63rd National Series were announced, the possibility of seeing Yordan Manduley Sr. play with his 16-year-old son,* Yordan Manduley Jr., was latent.
*As a curious note: Manduley Jr. played wearing uniform number 43, one more than the traditional number 42 worn by his father.
So, among the main headlines after the Cubs' 10-1 success — their first on the road after opening with a negative record of 0-8 — Manduley Jr.'s debut with his father made the news. Manduley Jr. entered the game as a defensive replacement to play second base in the bottom of the eighth inning. After the change, his father started defending at shortstop.
At the beginning of the ninth, both went through the batter's box: Manduley Jr. opened the ninth with a line out into the glove of pitcher Lázaro Guerrero. And then, after two outs, Manduley Sr. finished the afternoon 2-for-6 after hitting a flyout to left field.
Baseball does not stop: 18 years, 6 months and 14 days passed to see the second father and son duo in the same National Series game. From the second to the third, only one year, 11 months and 30 days passed. The fourth could surprise us as soon as next week, if Yors Alarcón, son of Yordanis Alarcón, the veteran third baseman of the Leñadores de Las Tunas, debuts.
Times have constantly changed in Cuban baseball, but the tradition on the diamond continues.
Wonderful column, Yirsandy! The story you told in this one goes right to the heart of the classic movie “Field of Dreams.” You could do a whole book on “The Fathers & Sons of Baseball in Cuba.”