Juan Pedro Villamán
Encyclopedia
Juan Pedro Villamán (April 5, 1959 - May 30, 2005) was a Dominican
-American
sportscaster
who served as the Spanish language
play-by-play announcer for the Boston Red Sox
.
The youngest of nine children, Villamán fell in love with broadcasting at an early age. At age of 13, he called baseball
and basketball
games from a local radio station in San Francisco de Macorís
, where he was born and raised by his aunt, Orfelina Villamán, after his mother died giving birth to him. Like most Dominicans, Villamán played baseball and was a pretty good catcher
. His best sport, though, was basketball; he played on the national teams in Panama
and Puerto Rico
.
Villamán came to the U.S. in 1986 and followed the trail blazed from New York City
to Lawrence, Massachusetts
by thousands of other Dominican immigrants. He landed a job with radio station WCCM
in Lawrence in 1990. Four years later, he was recommended for the job when the Red Sox were looking for a Spanish-speaking broadcaster for a new radio venture aimed at reaching the growing population of baseball-mad Latino
s in cities like Lawrence and Worcester
. Villamán was hired as a part-time broadcaster by Bill Kulik, a former freelance TV sports producer and writer and baseball fanatic. For the next seven seasons, Villamán was the play-by-play announcer for selected Red Sox home games carried by small Spanish-language stations.
The initially haphazard venture really took off after Pedro Martínez
joined the Red Sox in 1998
. Villamán said the Red Sox ace brought thousands, maybe even millions, of Latino fans into "Red Sox Nation
." Before the 2001
season, Kulik organized the Spanish Beisbol Network to carry every Red Sox game, home and away, and made Villamán a permanent Red Sox announcer alongside young newcomer Adrian Garcia Marquez who also called games for ESPN Deportes
. The radio show aired in Massachusetts
, Connecticut
, Rhode Island
and New York
. Villamán's Spanish commentary was also available on NESN, and baseball fans as far away as the Dominican Republic, Colombia
, Costa Rica
, Mexico
, Nicaragua
, Panama
, Venezuela
and Spain
heard him via satellite
. They would sometimes call in to his pregame show, which pleased Villamán enormously. Listeners called him Papá Oso (Papa Bear)a nickname given to him by his friend and co-announcer Garcia Marquez.
In April 2005
, at Fenway Park
, Red Sox owners John Henry
and Tom Werner
showed their respect for Villamán and his worldwide audience by delivering him a diamond-encrusted World Series
championship ring during his broadcast of home opener against the New York Yankees
. The ring, which came with a notarized appraisal putting its value at $14,100, was the official acknowledgement that Villamán was part of the Red Sox extended family (500 or so got rings), from ushers to superstars. Villamán's ring also recognized the importance of the team's growing Latino fan base. With top Latin stars such as Manny Ramírez
, David Ortiz
, Edgar Rentería
and, before, Pedro Martinez, Rich Garcés
and Orlando Cabrera
, the Red Sox are becoming Latin America's team.
On May 30, 2005, Villamán, at age 46, was on his way home around 3:40 a.m. after broadcasting from Yankee Stadium
over the weekend. He died when his sport utility vehicle
sideswiped a truck on Interstate 93
near Wilmington, Massachusetts
, rolled down an embankment, and slammed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The loss of the charismatic broadcaster was also felt deeply in San Francisco de Macoris, where he was raised. Portions of his funeral, held at St. Mary-Immaculate Conception Church in Lawrence, were broadcast live on three regional radio stations. He is buried at St. Mary's cemetery in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
who served as the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
play-by-play announcer for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
The youngest of nine children, Villamán fell in love with broadcasting at an early age. At age of 13, he called baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
games from a local radio station in San Francisco de Macorís
San Francisco de Macorís
San Francisco de Macorís is a city in the Dominican Republic. It is also the capital of the Duarte Province. It has had a very active role in the shaping of Dominican history, as it is known as one of, if not the most, politically active cities in the country. It is located in the northeast portion...
, where he was born and raised by his aunt, Orfelina Villamán, after his mother died giving birth to him. Like most Dominicans, Villamán played baseball and was a pretty good catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. His best sport, though, was basketball; he played on the national teams in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
Villamán came to the U.S. in 1986 and followed the trail blazed from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
by thousands of other Dominican immigrants. He landed a job with radio station WCCM
WCCM (AM)
WCCM is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Salem, New Hampshire, USA, the station is currently owned by Costa-Eagle Radio Ventures Limited Partnership, a partnership between Pat Costa and his chief investor, The Eagle-Tribune.-History:The 1110 frequency in...
in Lawrence in 1990. Four years later, he was recommended for the job when the Red Sox were looking for a Spanish-speaking broadcaster for a new radio venture aimed at reaching the growing population of baseball-mad Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
s in cities like Lawrence and Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Villamán was hired as a part-time broadcaster by Bill Kulik, a former freelance TV sports producer and writer and baseball fanatic. For the next seven seasons, Villamán was the play-by-play announcer for selected Red Sox home games carried by small Spanish-language stations.
The initially haphazard venture really took off after Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
joined the Red Sox in 1998
1998 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
. Villamán said the Red Sox ace brought thousands, maybe even millions, of Latino fans into "Red Sox Nation
Red Sox Nation
Red Sox Nation refers to the fans of the Boston Red Sox. The phrase "Red Sox Nation" was first coined by Boston Globe feature writer Nathan Cobb in an October 20, 1986, article about split allegiances among fans in Connecticut during the 1986 World Series between the Red Sox and the New York...
." Before the 2001
2001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
season, Kulik organized the Spanish Beisbol Network to carry every Red Sox game, home and away, and made Villamán a permanent Red Sox announcer alongside young newcomer Adrian Garcia Marquez who also called games for ESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes is a cable television and radio network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day to the Spanish-speaking community in the United States...
. The radio show aired in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Villamán's Spanish commentary was also available on NESN, and baseball fans as far away as the Dominican Republic, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
heard him via satellite
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
. They would sometimes call in to his pregame show, which pleased Villamán enormously. Listeners called him Papá Oso (Papa Bear)a nickname given to him by his friend and co-announcer Garcia Marquez.
In April 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
, at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
, Red Sox owners John Henry
John W. Henry
John William Henry II is a futures and foreign exchange trading advisor who founded John W. Henry & Company . He is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. In March 2006, Boston Magazine estimated his net worth at $1.1 billion, but noted...
and Tom Werner
Tom Werner
Thomas Charles "Tom" Werner is an American television producer and businessman who, via his investment in New England Sports Ventures, is chairman of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club....
showed their respect for Villamán and his worldwide audience by delivering him a diamond-encrusted World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
championship ring during his broadcast of home opener against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. The ring, which came with a notarized appraisal putting its value at $14,100, was the official acknowledgement that Villamán was part of the Red Sox extended family (500 or so got rings), from ushers to superstars. Villamán's ring also recognized the importance of the team's growing Latino fan base. With top Latin stars such as Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
, David Ortiz
David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias , known as David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. Previously, Ortiz played with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox...
, Edgar Rentería
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
and, before, Pedro Martinez, Rich Garcés
Rich Garcés
Richard Alan Garcés Mendoza, Jr. [gar-CESS] is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball...
and Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Luis Cabrera, nicknamed "O-Cab" and "The OC", is a Colombian-American baseball infielder.He won a World Series championship in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. He has played for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins,...
, the Red Sox are becoming Latin America's team.
On May 30, 2005, Villamán, at age 46, was on his way home around 3:40 a.m. after broadcasting from Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
over the weekend. He died when his sport utility vehicle
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
sideswiped a truck on Interstate 93
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
near Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.-History:Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of Woburn, Reading and Billerica. Minutemen from Wilmington responded to the alarm...
, rolled down an embankment, and slammed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The loss of the charismatic broadcaster was also felt deeply in San Francisco de Macoris, where he was raised. Portions of his funeral, held at St. Mary-Immaculate Conception Church in Lawrence, were broadcast live on three regional radio stations. He is buried at St. Mary's cemetery in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Fact
- In Game 4 of the 2004 World Series2004 World SeriesThe 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
, Villamán got so excited when pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Keith FoulkeKeith Foulke-Career:After graduating from Hargrave High School in Huffman, Texas in 1991, he attended Galveston College and Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. He began his career in the minor-league system of the San Francisco Giants, but was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1997 with five other prospects...
threw the ball to first base, sealing the Red Sox's 86-year curse-ending victory, that his voice cracked during the broadcast. ¡Boston gana! (Boston wins!) he screamed into the microphone seven times, so loudly his voice became raspy.