Sunday, June 3, 2012 Magglio Ordonez threw out the first pitch at the Yankees-Tigers game and made his retirement official. Ordonez played 15 seasons with the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox, durHis 294 homers are the second-most by a Venezuela-born player, trailing only Andres Galarraga's 399.
I began writing LIFE MATTERS in 2009 and have written 52 posts with a sports label during that time. One of the most popular, not only under that tag but of all my posts was this August 2010 post. It is reflective of the character, the class, the leadership that Ordonez brought to the Tigers and to the game of baseball.
MAGGLIO ORDONEZ AND DAGLY
Posted May 8. 2010
Magglio
Ordonez has been one of the outstanding players for the Detroit
Tigers. He was one of the heroes of their 2006 American League pennant
winning season.
MAGGLIO ORDONEZ AND DAGLY
Posted May 8. 2010
But the 2009 season was something very different
indeed. The power seemed to leave Mag's bat. He struggled offensively
and defensively. Although the Tigers led the American League Central
most of the season, only to be overtaken by the Minnesota Twins, Ordonez
became the focal point of the frustration of Tiger fans and target of a
tremendous amountof vitriol. As the 2010 season has begun, the
old Mag is back and in many ways he seems a better player than he has
in many years. He is one of the four .300+ hitters at the front of the
Tiger line-up that are making fans forget the departure of Polanco and
Granderson.
Only now is the story of 2009 coming to the
forefront. It is a love story of Magglio and his wife Dagly. It is a
story of dedication and sacrifice, of a man demonstrating that being a
husband and a father is far more important than any accolade our sports
satiated culture can offer. Dagly found she had thyroid cancer. It is a
treatable cancer, but still dangerous. The doctors operated
immediately. Then there was the radiation treatment that meant Dagly
had to be separated from her family. Magglio had to become a single
parent. He didn't talk a lot about his family situation, did not add
the spotlight to Dagly's suffering and his children's fears. Later
Ordonez would comment: "The thing is, you have to understand that
life is first -- life, family," he said. "And the thing is, it's not
easy when you're working or you're playing baseball, to try to focus
mentally. You see last year at the beginning of the season, I was
struggling. My mind wasn't on baseball. But you know, the support with
family and friends, when you're in good hands with good doctors,
[helps]."
A lot of baseball fans (no, fanatics) are now hanging their heads in shame. Magly is better, doing well, in fact. Ordonez is now turning his attention to cancer victims in his baseball community. Hitting home runs again. Thrilling Tiger fans. Giving the team a great shot at the 2010 pennant.
But on humanity's all stars ... Magglio Ordonez now has earned a place.
A lot of baseball fans (no, fanatics) are now hanging their heads in shame. Magly is better, doing well, in fact. Ordonez is now turning his attention to cancer victims in his baseball community. Hitting home runs again. Thrilling Tiger fans. Giving the team a great shot at the 2010 pennant.
But on humanity's all stars ... Magglio Ordonez now has earned a place.
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