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Jorge Fuentes has been interviewed a dozen times in his long sports career. He is the Cuban baseball manager who had won the most games (974 victories), including two world titles in 1988 and 1994 and two Olympics in 1992 and 1996, which are authority and prestige credentials. However, we have the chance this time, to get closer to the history of a man born in Pinar del Rio province, San Cristobal locality that still has a lot to devote to baseball with modesty and experience.
Little is known of your beginning in baseball…
We should go back to my childhood. By that time, there was no TV set at home, but one of my aunts gave one as gift to my grandparents, and when I visited them on weekends in the 1950s, I watched a lot of baseball games and boxing. So, I started liking it. Then, I began practicing it. I competed in the provincial level. I played third base and also pitched. When I registered at Fajardo Sports School I was lucky to have teachers like Juan Ealo, Nelson Ciero and Rene Masip.
And when did you work as manager for the first time?
In 1975, the Selection Series started and I am not included because I was assigned to lead the first Special Series or Development League. I went to the competition and won against Construction Team at Latino Stadium. It was my first victory as manager. By the end of 1976, Jose Miguel Pineda arrived to Pinar del Rio and he is appointed as manager of Vegueros Team. We were not close friends by then, but I went to the same group selected to work and I spent five seasons together with him.
How did Pineda contribute in your career?
Pineda was a wise baseball player. He had an amazing view. He was very intelligent in programming batting order and changing pitchers. Besides, he was able to get great communication with the athletes and trainers. He had a great sense of humor. It was a school to share with him about 600 games. In the second year, he assigned me the responsibility of the team’s training. I can say he treated me as a son and I am deeply grateful because he was an idol to me.
Then came a happy 1982
Pineda left and the only experience I had as manager was that Special Series. I still do not why, but I was appointed manager of Vegueros Team. I was 31 and during that campaign I left walking through the wide door. I won the National and the Selective. I gain trust on me as director.
First impressions when leading a National Team
It was on October 1987. I was called to a meeting in Havana to tell me I was going to lead the team that was going to participate in the Intercontinental Cup to be held in Cuba. Although I had some good results to be the manager of a national team is a really great responsibility. I was a bit tense, because there were also good teams and we suffered until 2:00 a.m. when Alejo O’Reilly hit a homerun and we won.
Did you have the right to select your players or Team Cuba gave them all set up?
I always had absolute authority and I decided, together with the direction staff of the Cuban teams taking the best baseball players of the country. There were so many good ones that sometimes you had to leave two or three out of the selection. No one interfered on the decisions. Our leaders were always respectful, so I can mention Jose Ramon Fernandez
After ten years of victories you lost the Intercontinental Cup in 1997. Was that unfair?
I felt bad. How could it be that 100 victories and dozens of tournaments won would not be more than one defeat? We lost vs a Japan that was hot on our heels since 1995. I got angry and considered it was unfair.
What was good for you in the Third World Classic?
We have to train a lot to be well prepared in each area, and make a great selection. The staff must work hard from one side to another of Cuba, so we will not miss a technical, tactic detail related to the date of the competition, the previous matches, the implements, and so on. We were very close to the fourth position and the last game was decided by one run.
After the Classic you joined Campeche’s Pirates in the Mexican League. There were many comments when you left the club. Why did they cancel the contract?
I have several discussions with the second in charge or the owner of the team when the games of the Mexican League started. I had a hard time adapting to some matters. For instance, I had decided who will open the initial game, Francisco Campos and I declared it to the media. That disgusted the staff of the club, because I should have consulted them and discussed the decision with the superiors.
The situation complicated because they questioned my decisions if I asked the batter to touch the ball or run. We talked and I tried to tell him, it was not the case I did not want to hear suggestions, but that he should trust my job.
One Sunday he sent an emissary in the middle of the game in the fourth inning and ordered to change one player by another and said the names. I was going to quit the team, but the trainer Roque Sanchez told me: “that was not good, but do not go.”
I tried to talk to him and get understood to continue there, but, I do not have the soul of a slave. Someone had warned me he was not an easy person to deal with; he was kind of fanatic, hard to stand who was used to interfere in the decisions. Then the time came when he called me to his office and canceled the contract. He offered me job in another place but I did not accept it, because he was going to continue as my superior and I did not feel well.
This was what really happened and not all that was published by Internet. He handed me a letter with recognition of my job that says these kinds of changes are normal. This is the truth.
How do you value the insertion of baseball players in professional leagues?
This is something we needed since long ago, although we should now adapt our National Series because almost all these leagues start in March. Perhaps we could begin the first week of in October and play until the end of January or the first week of February. And then we go to the Caribbean Series and to the Classic when it is its turn without problems. The other thing is that we can now watch on TV international baseball, to learn and compare technicians and players, with Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the United States.
Are there any aspects to improve in our series yet?
We should have more discipline and respect to our referees, get stability on the roles on the pitchers, players should be more patient while batting. Our referees are not that bad as it is sometimes said. We should keep on improving it, but in the Great Leagues are using the cameras more times and that is to help in the performance, because there are moves which are defined by inches or thousandths.
Is there any decision that should be rectified from the past?
In the past we had a tattoo in our forehead of invincible and there was nothing else but winning and winning. If there is something I could correct from the past today, well, I would not appointed Jose Ariel Contreras in the semifinal of the Intercontinental Cup in 1997 and I would have kept him for the final vs Japan.
Which is the most corageous decision you have ever taken?
It was when I had six pitchers in the staff of the Cuban Team for the Intercontinental Cup in 1987. It was good, but I never did it again. What I suffered the most was the composition of the Cuban Team, because it very hard for me to leave good boys out of the selection.
Which is the most relevant mistake in the direction of the team?
In the last years, managers have been changed many times. I feel they do not have the chance to mature or there is little trust on them.
Have you ever lost your temper, the power to persuade?
Few times, but I lost it. I always tried to irradiate confidence in the group. I told the trainers: “we have to show our boys we are sure of what they do, and convinced we will win. There should neither be excitement nor craziness. We should all act sensibly, with prudency in training, but above all in the games.
Can you give us your opinion of the Pinar del Rio’s victory in the 53rd National Series?
Urquiola is unique, he has his own mark. He is an excellent manager. We have worked together in several teams, but he really highlights and he is one of the best directors from all times. The roots are the roots. I am Cuban, but I love this place. The other day, someone said that in life fortune is important. It is true, but you have to look for that fortune and be her best friend.
Acerca del autor
Máster en Ciencias de la Comunicación. Director del Periódico Trabajadores desde el 1 de julio del 2024. Editor-jefe de la Redacción Deportiva desde 2007. Ha participado en coberturas periodísticas de Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe, Juegos Panamericanos, Juegos Olímpicos, Copa Intercontinental de Béisbol, Clásico Mundial de Béisbol, Campeonatos Mundiales de Judo, entre otras. Profesor del Instituto Internacional de Periodismo José Martí, en La Habana, Cuba.
