CARLOS DELGADO HALL OF FAME SPEECH
Commissioner John “Stray” Corrado’s Introduction Speech for Carlos Delgado:
Born Carlos Juan Delgado.
Played 14 Seasons in the Mid-West Baseball League for five different franchises. Warfield 1997 – 2002, Chicago 2003, Coconut Creek 2003, Michigan 2004 – 2006 & Topeka 2007 – 2010.
Drafted only once in MWBL – 1997 Inaugural Formation Draft by Warfield.
Traded twice from Coconut Creek to Chicago & Coconut Creek to Michigan.
Two time All-Star, 1889 Hits, .283 Career Batting Average, .387 Career On Base Percentage, 403 Home Runs, 1301 Runs Batted In.
It is with great honor that I present you with the Mid-West Baseball newest member of the 2018 Mid-West Baseball League Hall of Fame, Carlos Delgado.
Carlos Delgado‘s Speech:
Thank you, Thank you very much, thank you. Muchos Gracias! Thank you! I am honored to be speaking to you today from this stage, surrounded by these great players seated behind me. I am also honored to be inducted with such a talented group of fellow inductees: Todd Helton, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Greg Maddux, and Larry Walker, I am proud to share this day with all of you.
I would first like to thank the Veterans Committee for reviewing my career and finding it Hall-worthy. I have always tried to go out and do my job, and let the results speak for themselves. Although my efforts never resulted in a playoff appearance, this honor shows that I played to the best of my ability, and that my hard work paid off.
I would also like to thank my numerous teammates, who battled alongside me for 15 seasons, through good and bad, slumps and losing streaks, through pennant races and those great days when the pitches looked like beach balls (Although those days seemed all too rare!). The hardest part of retirement is missing the camaraderie of the long season.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the owners of the teams I played for: Roy McIntire, owner of the Warfield Cheeseheads, who drafted me, and gave me my first opportunity. It’s tough to leave a team you’ve played for for six years, but in 2003 I got to play for two fine teams, with great owners: John Corrado in Chicago, and Cliff Miller in Coconut Creek. I moved on to the Michigan Marauders and played for Gary Regulski and then Randy Shreiner’s Topeka Talons, where I finished my career. I enjoyed every stop along the way.
Finally, the most important people I’d like to thank are my family, without whom none of this would have been possible. My wife, Betzaida, and my children, Carlos and Mariana, who have been so patient with the life of a ballplayer. I’d also like to thank my parents, Carlos and Carmen, for raising me with strong belief in myself and my abilities, and for instilling in me a work ethic and sense of honor and duty.
People ask me what about my career I’m most proud of. And apart from my .402 season in 2001, I’d have to say it was my ability to stay in the lineup, and my fielding. I prided myself on being on the field and being a good teammate, and that included doing whatever it took to make the plays on the tough throws. I loved hitting, and I think I got pretty good at it, *chuckles* but making a play to save a run, or to prevent an error, well, that’s what being a teammate is all about.
Thank you again, everyone.