FLUSHING, N.Y.– The New York Mets announced today the creation of the Latino American Hall of Fame of the Mets, which will honor and highlight the numerous contributions of Latin American players, coaches, and executives who have been part of the organization over the past seven decades and in the future.
The coach and advisor Osvaldo José "Ozzie" Virgil Pichardo and the Spanish announcer for the Mets, Juan José Alicea, have been selected to represent the inaugural class.
The team's senior management collaborated with the ERG, Employee Resource Group, to establish the Latino American Hall of Fame of the Mets, which will be housed at the team's Academy located in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, presented by Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
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“We are delighted to establish the Latino American Hall of Fame of the Mets,” said Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen in a statement.
“Honoring the Latino culture of our organization and the people who have impacted the franchise, and those who will continue to do so in the future, is tremendously important. We hope that our young players and staff in the Dominican Republic will pass through this Hall of Fame every day and feel a sense of pride and representation,” the executives emphasized.
Steve and Alex Cohen added, “Ozzie and Juan were pioneers in their respective fields. Both have had a huge impact on our organization, and they are wonderful representatives for the inaugural class of the Hall of Fame.”
Each class will be selected by a committee established to nominate players, coaches, announcers, or executives guided by the criteria set forth in their statutes.
The induction ceremony will take place on November 8th at the Mets' Dominican Academy.
Selected individuals:
Osvaldo José "Ozzie" Virgil Pichardo, 91, became the first MLB player born in the Dominican Republic when he made his debut with the New York Giants on September 23, 1956. He played for five different teams over the course of nine seasons, as well as in the Dominican Winter League from 1955 to 1970.
Virgil served as a coach and advisor in the Mets organization from 2009 to 2021. He is a pioneer who forged a path for many Latinos.
On the other hand, Juan José Alicea, who passed away at the age of 85 in 2022, will be honored posthumously.
He joined the organization in April 1969 and served in various capacities, including scouting and community relations, before finding his home in the Spanish broadcast booth in 1982, where he remained until 2019.
Alicea was behind the microphone for over 4,000 Mets games, including being the main voice on the International Network in Spanish during the 1986 postseason broadcasted in the United States and Latin America. In 2021, the Mets named the Spanish radio booth at Citi Field in his honor.