El center fielder de los campeones de 1941. (The centerfielder of the venezuelan amateur team that won the World Champioship in 1941).

Héctor Benítez Redondo dejó de existir este viernes 17 de junio de 2011. Era uno de los sobrevivientes de aquel equipo que había hecho sonreir a toda Venezuela. Su elegancia con el guante, y su efectividad con el madero fueron los comentarios que más escuché o leí sobre quién conformaba junto a José Antonio Casanova (ss), Dalmiro Finol (2b) y Enrique Fonseca o Guillermo Vento la línea central de aquel equipo venezolano.
 En una función del documental “Venezuela al bate” de Carlos Oteyza lo vi a la distancia de una larga fila de personas que esperaba por un autógrafo de quién fuera la génesis o inspiración de  jardineros centrales como Victor Davalillo, Raul Pérez Tovar, Juan Francisco Monasterio, Endy Chávez o Franklin Gutiérrez. Traté de acercarme pero la muchedumbre era tal que debí conformarme con una visión panorámica de aquel ídolo que junto a sus compañeros  inspiró aquel discurso de Andrés Eloy Blanco: “Pero la radio va anunciando los triunfos, nos dice que un grupo de los nuestros, y no de los que han vivido mejor, sino de los que tienen que correr más detrás de un pan que de una pelota,  está imponiendo su músculo y su mente en un concurso con atletas internacionales. Y entonces el que ya va creyendo en la anemia como en un destino, cree en si mismo como en un camino”.
 Una página refulgente del beisbol venezolano que siempre brillará en cada atrapada, en cada demostración de su brazo para enfriar corredores, en cada batazo, en su aporte para alcanzar aquel trofeo en La Habana que aun resuena en los pasillos deportivos de la venezolanidad para recordarnos que si nos lo proponemos podemos alcanzar grandes metas.
Descansa en paz Héctor Benítez Redondo, un jardinero central de gran calibre.
 
Alfonso L. Tusa C.

English translation

Hector Benitez Redondo died this Friday, June 17th, 2011. He was one of the survivors of that team that made smile the whole country. His elegance with the glove and his good batting were among  the comments I heard or read about who conformed with José Antonio Casanova (ss), Dalmiro Finol (2b) and Enrique Fonseca or Guillermo Vento (Catchers) the central line of that venezuelan team.
 In an exhibition of the documental film “Venezuela al bate”, directed by Carlos Oteyza, I saw Benitez at the distance at the end of a long line of people asking for an autograph of whom had been the origin or inspiration for center  fielders as Victor Davalillo, Raul Pérez Tovar, Juan Francisco Monasterio, Endy Chávez or Franklin Gutiérrez. I tried to get closer but the crowd was so huge that I had to be glad with a far sight of that idol who along with his teammates inspired that speech from the poet Andrés Eloy Blanco: “But the radio keeps announcing their wins. It says that a group of us, and not those who have had a good life, but the ones who have to run more behind a piece of bread than a baseball, is defeating by his muscle and his mind in a contest of international athletes. Then the one who believes in anemy as a destiny, believes in himself as a road”.
 A brilliant page of the venezuelan baseball that will always shine in each catch, in each demonstration of his arm, in each hit, in his collaboration to reach that trophy in Havana, which still resounds in the corridors of venezuelan sports history.
Rest in peace Hector Benitez Redondo.
 
Alfonso L. Tusa C.

Alfonso’s work has been featured in Venezuela’s daily newspaper, El Nacional and in the magazine Gente en Ambiente, and he’s collaborated on several articles for newspapers, including the daily paper Tal Cual. He’s also written three books and biographies for SABR’s BioProject.