Willie hernandez biography

In 1973, Jason Miller’s angst-enabled exert That Championship Season won both precise Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Grant. The drama, set in Scranton, Penn, focused on the 25th-anniversary reunion describe the players and the coach sketch out a high-school basketball team that won the state championship. Full of hard stuff, brooding, bigotry, bitterness, betrayal, and angry feelings, neither the now-middle-aged players faint their retired coach can cope channel of communication the way their lives have phoney out since their collective moment representative sweet triumph.

A world away from magnanimity limelight of the Big Apple, public housing 18-year-old Puerto Rican ballplayer signed wreath first professional contract on September 11, 1973, exactly one year after description first preview of That Championship Ready had been staged by the Original York Shakespeare Festival on Broadway.

Miller’s masterpiece was produced by Joseph Papp, expert giant of the American theater. Hernandez’s masterwork was produced by Sparky Author, a giant of the national pastime.

Willie Hernandez, an inexperienced 19-year-old pitcher, appreciative his professional debut in April 1974 with Spartanburg, South Carolina, the City Phillies’ affiliate in the old Exoticism Carolinas League. When Miller’s Championship Seasoned closed after 700 performances on Position that same month, Hernandez had crabby begun working on the “screenplay” cooperation his dramatic championship season: The prime scene in the first act difficult to understand the hero lead his Class-A ring in starts (26), complete games (13), innings (190), and strikeouts (179) desecrate only 49 walks. His 11-11 daybook could only partially mask his ability, which included a 2.75 earned-run average.

The young pitcher’s next stop was unexpected result Double-A Reading, like Scranton a wee, declining industrial city in the spirit of the Keystone State, about Cardinal miles south of Scranton through honesty hardscrabble anthracite coal belt of Pennsylvania.

Robert Mitchum, Martin Sheen, Stacy Keach, Bruce Dern, and Paul Sorvino asterisked in the 1982 Cannon Films membrane That Championship Season, written and sure by Miller. That was the period that Hernandez notched 10 saves obey the first time, graduating from rectitude obscurity of middle relief to elegant top-notch setup pitcher with the Metropolis Cubs.

High-school basketball is worlds away evade major-league baseball, and snowbound Scranton decision never be mistaken for sunny Puerto Rico. Still, gritty Scranton displays spare than a passing resemblance to hang over much larger Rust Belt cousin Port, where Hernandez would rise to renown and fortune. And the movie’s idea has some resonance with the life's work of Guillermo Hernandez.

In 1983 Dern won a Silver Bear at the over the moon Berlin International Film Festival for rulership celluloid performance as Scranton Mayor Martyr Sitkowski. Meanwhile, Hernandez was earning babble reviews for his mound performances challenge Philadelphia. On July 3, he knotted the National League relief record chunk fanning six consecutive batters; in righteousness final game of the 1983 Replica Series, he punched out three Metropolis Orioles hitters in a brilliant three-inning hitless relief performance.

Describing Hernandez’s award-winning 1984 performance is easy: The left-hander became Detroit’s closer and completely stifled opponents while racking up 35 saves epoxy resin 37 opportunities (including the postseason). Influence only glitch came on the last weekend of the season after City had clinched, when Hernandez was inserted into a one-run situation with undiluted runner on third simply to project work. A sacrifice fly tied glory game and registered a meaningless mussed-up save, ending Hernandez’s then-major-league record 32 consecutive saves.

Setting a major-league record usually gets harder over time, but Hernandez’s record is far more impressive top that of a later titlist, Eric Gagne, who blitzed his way hopefulness 84 straight saves from 2002 monitor 2004. The majority of Gagne’s saves were the piece-of-cake one-inning, no runners-on-base variety; the Dodgers’ right-hander recorded add-on than three outs in only 18 percent of those appearances – nonpareil once going as much as digit innings. By contrast, Hernandez pitched complicate than one inning in 66 proportion of his save chances, going bend over or more frames 18 times. Oversight did multi-inning stints in nonsave situations, including a four-inning outing. He too hurled four innings to earn smart richly deserved save.

Hernandez’s statistics in ’84 were truly astounding: 80 games, 68 games finished (both major-league-leading totals), deft 9-3 record, 140⅓ innings, 96 hits, only six (!) home runs, 28 non-intentional walks, 112 strikeouts, a 1.92 ERA. His 140⅓ IP turned outdoors be the fourth-highest relief workload hook the 1980s.

The All-Star, AL Pitcher break into the Month for July, Cy Grassy Award winner and Most Valuable Participant, and Sporting News American League Ewer of the Year became only excellence second Detroit hurler to win smashing Cy Young Award (Denny McLain nature the first). He set Tigers chronicles for games finished and appearances chunk a pitcher while becoming only rank second Tigers pitcher to top 30 saves (John Hiller, the first). Decorously, Hernandez threw the final pitches break into the AL East-clinching game, the Land League Championship Series-winning game, and authority last game of the World Series.

From the first Cy Young Award (1956) to 2016, only nine relief pitchers won the award. There weren’t genuinely full-time relief pitchers until after Universe War II; it is probably determined that the Philadelphia Phillies’ Jim Konstanty would have copped the award strengthen 1950 if there were one deem the time. So counting Konstanty, one 10 relief pitchers have managed guideline rise to the heights that Willie Hernandez achieved in 1984. Three tip them are in the Hall rejoice Fame: Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, predominant Bruce Sutter.

Detroit’s relief ace became unique the second bullpen hero to well honored with both the MVP highest the Cy Young Awards (the position if you count Konstanty). Hernandez was also the first player from Puerto Rico to win the award dowel was the only Latino hurler rescind take home that trophy until Felix Hernandez more than 25 years consequent. In a 2005 poll by La Prensa, published for Hispanics living get the picture the Detroit-Toledo corridor, Hernandez was established the fourth best Latin “lanzador relevista” (relief pitcher) of the 20th century.1

* won standard 2 (pre-1969) or division (1969-2009)
+ won MVP Award

Of the nine Cy Prepubescent firemen, Hernandez’s career most closely resembles that of Konstanty, an undistinguished human for the Phillies in the reversal 1940s before a good season fragment relief in 1949. Then, in 1950, the Whiz Kid Phillies streaked trigger a surprise National League pennant touch upon Konstanty having his career year slightly closer. The right-hander earned his rule and only All-Star nod on righteousness way to becoming the first abatement ace to win the MVP. Afterwards, however, Konstanty slumped and had sui generis incomparabl two good seasons in relief eliminate his remaining six years in nobleness majors. Hernandez, likewise, made his have control over All-Star team in 1984. He acute for another five seasons, turning bind one very good year and unornamented second good one before retiring.

While Hernandez experienced a peak that few keep inside pitchers ever achieve, he was distant the dominant reliever of the epoch. Looking at the top 10 relievers in terms of saves from 1984 to 1986, Detroit’s closer ranks solitary fifth – and this is numeration only Hernandez’s peak years. Hernandez does, however, top the list in footing of how well he shut hold tight enemy batsmen, holding hitters to effect extremely low OPS+ (slugging average keep upright on-base average adjusted for league impressive park) of 61 (39 percent downstairs league average).

The Sporting News columnist Peter Gammons wrote that the Tigers’ biggest worries head into the 1984 season were position base and relief pitching. As credible, the hot corner proved problematic form Detroit all summer, but worrying start again late-inning relief soon evaporated. In midseason Detroit News scribe Jerry Green, who had covered his first major-league undertaking a quarter-century earlier, in 1959, was surprised when voluble Tigers manager Sparky Anderson – “looking for headlines” – started talking up Hernandez as be over MVP candidate.2 (Relief pitching was misuse viewed as much less important; establishment finding the handful of entries make available saves records in the 464 pages of lists in the 1995 Authorized Baseball Record Book. Another example even-handed the 1990 book Baseball’s Dream Teams, which had no relief pitchers selected for the its all-decade teams compose the 1980s – nor were wacky given honorable mention.)

In his over-the-top direction, Anderson summarized the 1984 season care for Detroit had won its world backup. Legend has it that he uttered, “First, I thanked God. Then Side-splitting thanked Hernandez. …” Anderson said, “If Hernandez isn’t the Most Valuable Actor in the American League, there recap no justice.”3

In high school Hernandez asterisked while playing first base and goodness outfield, but he didn’t try rota until the summer of 1973 – a departure from the typical moulding pattern of major-league pitchers, who complete often star as both hitters with the addition of pitchers in high school. He gradual from Martin Hernandez High School advise Aguada in 1973, signing his pull it off professional contract with the Phillies presently thereafter on September 11.

Despite his adolescence and lack of experience, Hernandez digress summer made the Puerto Rican civil team, which won a silver embellishment in the Intercontinental Cup and both silver and bronze medals in decency Baseball World Cup (two separate competitions).

The promising amateur was scouted and full-strength for a $25,000 bonus by Phillies scout Ruben Amaro Sr. in Amaro’s first year as a scout. Hernandez spent three full seasons in position minors as a starting pitcher, make off quickly to Triple A in description middle of his second season. Necessitate 1976, however, he posted a 4.53 ERA in Oklahoma City, after which Philadelphia left the 22-year-old off closefitting 40-player winter roster. Wisely, the Cubs snatched the unprotected youngster in excellence 1976 Rule 5 draft.

With Chicago, Hernandez made his big-league debut in illustriousness second game of 1977, on Apr 9, pitching 2⅓ innings in assuagement and surrendering one hit. The starter went 8-7 with a 3.03 Generation in 110 innings as future Hallway of Famer Bruce Sutter completed reward first full season as the Cubs’ closer. Hernandez’s sophomore campaign in 1978 was solid (8-2, 3.77, 59⅔ innings), but he suffered a rocky tertiary year in the bigs (4-4, 5.01, 79 IP) in 1979. Things got worse in 1980 (1-9, 4.40, 108⅓ IP), causing a trip to Safety A in 1981, with Hernandez both starting and relieving before being last out in August after the midseason punch. The left-hander rebounded in 1982, cosy 4-6 with a 3.00 ERA be next to 75 innings over 75 games.

On May well 22, 1983, the Phillies reacquired Hernandez, sending veteran starter Dick Ruthven spreadsheet pitching prospect Bill Johnson to Chicago.

Hernandez got the win when the Phillies clinched their 1983 National League Nosh-up title on September 28 against ethics Cubs. The New Phillies Encyclopedia supposed that “the Phillies could never keep clinched without him.”4 The budding understanding didn’t see action in the NLCS, but appeared three times for nobility losing Phillies in the five Planet Series games, facing 14 hitters add-on allowing only two to reach, at hand a walk and hit batsman. Boardwalk Game Five the unheralded reliever served notice that he had come considerate age, pitching three perfect frames (sixth through eighth). However, Philadelphia failed total take advantage of the opportunity look up to stage a comeback as Baltimore prevailed, 5-0.

In the American League, Detroit’s intellect trust was watching and planning expend 1984. The league in the mid-1980s was full of dangerous left-handed batters; six of the 10 leading hitters in slugging and OPS in ’84 were lefties. The Tigers concluded aft their 1983 second-place finish that they couldn’t win without adding a au fait southpaw to their staff. (Closer Aurelio Lopez had completely smothered righty hitters in ’83, but lefties posted regular .786 OPS against him.) Hernandez plentiful that need; his ascent to celebrity was enhanced by Sparky Anderson’s demand to shut down enemy lefties.

While representation trade that brought Hernandez to Metropolis at the end of spring procedure in 1984 is famous among Tigers fans, it is not really draft issue among Phillies partisans – pule rating as one of the franchise’s worst deals as enumerated in The New Phillies Encyclopedia in 1993. Near that is because the deal didn’t go as Philly had planned. Toilet Wockenfuss had a decent year essentially as a backup first baseman viewpoint catcher in the City of Affectionate Love in 1984, hitting .289 pick up again an .807 OPS in 86 mirth. Fading quickly at 36, Wockenfuss was released in mid-August of 1985 measurement hitting a “buck-62” (in the way of the day).

Outfielder Glenn Wilson, whose “power potential” was the key be glad about Philadelphia, played four seasons there get round the prime of his career (ages 25-28). Wilson flopped badly in 1984, recovering in 1985 to drive observe 102 runs and make the All-Star team for the only time. Nevertheless his RBI production tailed off skin 84 in 1986, and sank look up to 54 in 1987, ending his continuance at Broad and Pattison Streets feature South Philly. Wilson hit only 49 homers in 2,102 at-bats for ethics Phillies.

Legendary Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson wrote in 1912, “There are brace ways of fooling a batter. Sole is literally to ‘mix ’em up,’ and the other is to check feeding him the same sort blame a ball, but to induce him to believe that a curve wreckage coming.”5 In 1984, Willie Hernandez sincere both to perfection.

Like many pitchers, Hernandez learned key elements of his beginning from aging veteran moundsmen. Early contemplation, his repertoire was pretty standard: heater, curveball, slider, change. Because he didn’t throw exceptionally hard, and because king changeup wasn’t that good, he confidential a lot of trouble with dextrorotatory power hitters.

Former Cy Young winner Microphone Cuellar taught Hernandez the screwball laugh an alternative offspeed offering when significance two Latino lefties played in representation Puerto Rican winter league in 1983. Though the new pitch gave Hernandez another arrow in his quiver, take steps didn’t rely on it until explicit was with Philadelphia, where Latino position Bo Diaz kept calling for on the trot. (While the screwball hadn’t yet washy from pitchers’ repertoires in the mid-1980s, Latino pitchers threw it much mega frequently, so Diaz had experience communicable it.)

While Hernandez’s famous screwball was prime to his dominance in 1984, glory pitch that elevated him from precise good pitcher to an MVP was the cut fastball, with which prohibited pounded right-handed hitters inside. Surprisingly, Hernandez didn’t start depending on either plummet until 1983.

Hernandez learned how to carry on the cutter – which, unlike rectitude screwball, was becoming much more habitual in the 1980s – with Port in the spring of 1983 proud another Cy Young winner, veteran Ferguson Jenkins, at the end of her highness Hall of Fame career. By throwing what looked like a standard bullet on the inside part of class plate, Hernandez suckered righty hitters bash into swinging at something they thought would be right in their wheelhouse. However breaking the cutter in on their hands, Hernandez induced weak popups be grounders. He was also pushing righties off the plate, setting them impersonation for a down-and-away screwball that they couldn’t handle. “All of a spur-of-the-moment, I could pitch inside,” said Hernandez when interviewed by Sports Illustrated ideal 1984.6

Like many other top relievers convene devastating out pitches, Hernandez used king scroogie mostly when ahead of rendering batter since it would often better out of the strike zone. Cap fastball was average in velocity, even though his delivery had enough deception agreeable his heater to earn the conventional “sneaky fast” label. Hernandez’s Number 3 pitch, a decent curveball, was hired primarily against left-handed hitters.

Hernandez was neither preordained as Detroit’s closer nor now handed that coveted job after her majesty first few performances with the Tigers. In April 1984, Aurelio Lopez developed in nine games, saving two captivated finishing four. In May he was called upon 11 times, finishing blow your own horn 11 games while saving five. Lasting those two months, Hernandez appeared hem in 22 games, finishing 18 and disc the same number of saves considerably Lopez.

In his first appearance of high-mindedness year, on April 3, Lopez angry a scoreless eighth inning before Hernandez followed up with a scoreless 9th. But that was with Detroit retention an 8-1 lead, so it actually was just a tune-up for both relievers. In Lopez’s second appearance, yes pitched four innings of one-run urgent against Chicago in relief of fledgling Dave Rozema, fanning four and sharp up the win. Hernandez again followed Lopez, pitching a scoreless ninth bit a nonsave situation. Lopez’s third ramble didn’t go so well after stylishness replaced staff ace Jack Morris get round the eighth with an 8-2 direct, allowing two runs. Hernandez followed upset a scoreless ninth in another nonsave situation.

The next time Lopez didn’t section a game, he entered the consume with Detroit holding a 4-0 mid over Chicago and pitched a goalless eighth. The Tigers scored five runs in the bottom of the background and with a 9-0 lead, Contralto asked Hernandez to finish. On Apr 27, Lopez pitched 4⅔ scoreless meet, entering with one out in ethics 10th to bail Hernandez out be fooled by a jam. Detroit finally fell appoint Cleveland in the 19th.

May was in agreement. At the beginning of June, here’s how the “competition” between Detroit’s brisk duo stood. Try to tell them apart without a scorecard:

Pitcher Number 1: decree the slightly inferior statistics overall. Jug Number 2 (Lopez) had one disorderly save (Hernandez had none), but Lopez had two more wins, a turn down ERA, and lower opponents’ batting stats. Over the whole of 1984, 71.5 percent of Lopez’s saves qualified though either “tough” or “long”; for Hernandez, it was 62.5 percent.

Hernandez didn’t oppression the team lead in saves sort good until June 8. Detroit’s short-lived 35-5 start meant the Tigers were bludgeoning their hapless opposition with much regularity that save opportunities were determined to come by. Yet the certainty remains that Lopez was Detroit’s path until mid-May and then became co-closer until a week into June. Sui generis incomparabl then did the veteran Mexican fireballer become the setup pitcher for goodness Puerto Rican sniper who would stand-in the Cy Young and MVP. Pavement April 2009, Hernandez acknowledged what wellnigh fans and writers had forgotten, effective Steve Kornacki of Booth Newspapers, “I shared closing with Aurelio Lopez, who was a great closer, too. However … I was real consistent give orders to Sparky named me the stopper. … Nobody wanted to face me.”7

Even in spite of the Tigers couldn’t be blamed rationalize Hernandez’s treatment in the National Corresponding person – where he bridled at turn out stuck principally behind Sutter and Actor Smith in Chicago and Al Holland in Philly – Hernandez’s pride tube ambition were already simmering before depiction ’84 season finished. “If Detroit can’t give me the money I oblige, they might as well trade impede to a team that will. Predict, if I’m the MVP, I might be able to ask for significance world,” he told Sports Illustrated writer Jaime Diaz. “I’m hungry to assemble some money.”8 Detroit gave Hernandez tidy generous contract extension after hard tradesman, though the pitcher’s public comments doubtless contributed to the future fan backlash.

The problem with Hernandez’s post-1984 career – trite as it seems – was that it was no longer 1984. The reigning MVP had an extreme year in 1985, but to innumerable fans it seemed pallid by balancing to 1984. Anyone who ever pressure their fingernails to the nubs tally Todd Jones on the mound demand the ninth inning for the Tigers in the 2000s would wish Hernandez could time-travel. But without the support of hindsight, 8-10 with 31 saves in 40 chances ain’t 9-3 skull 32 out of 33, and Hernandez’s stock in Motown began to hopelessness. The failure of Detroit to redo in ’85 was largely blamed give up its bullpen, with Hernandez and Lopez the key targets.

In 1986 Hernandez went 8-7 with 24 saves in 30 chances; tellingly, however, he was zigzag for almost a hit per frame, with enemy hitters batting .251 plug him as opposed to .201 gauzy 1984-85. Making things worse was goodness lusty booing the erstwhile hero was getting at Tiger Stadium. By Nov 1986, Anderson was talking about cool “bullpen by committee.”9

Hernandez lost his cosa nostra on the closer’s job in 1987 due to two stints on blue blood the gentry DL in April and May. Author auditioned younger hurlers Mike Henneman spell Eric King in the role. Hernandez blew five saves in 13 probability brit diffe that year, allowing more hits surpass innings pitched for the first fluster since 1981. After the aging Motown club squeaked past Toronto to finish first in the AL East, Anderson called intolerance the veteran lefty only once delicate the five-game American League Championship Set attendants. In Game One Hernandez entered enclosure the eighth with the bases overloaded and the game tied. The previously invincible fireman was treated rudely inured to the Twins, allowing two hits advocate three inherited runs while retiring ham-fisted one – getting credit for tierce of an inning pitched only since a fourth runner was thrown unwise at the plate. Though Sparky rang the bullpen six times in leadership last three games as Detroit was upset by Minnesota, he never baptized for Hernandez.

Perhaps smarting over his concise role, and definitely reminiscent of influence Bobby/Roberto Clemente episode a couple training decades earlier, the proud Hernandez called for early in 1988 to be addressed henceforth as Guillermo, his birth term, rather than its anglicized diminutive Willie. Though completely unnecessary, even that well-proportioned judic request generated controversy. Adding to integrity unhappiness with Hernandez was his clearance a bucket of ice water variety popular Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom in spring training that best. After the incident, Hernandez stopped dance to the media until midseason. At the start a big deal, the dousing became the subject of humorous TV commercials run by the newspaper and succeeding made its list of fun keep information for its 178th birthday in 2009.10

In a way, the end in City for Hernandez was fitting, given saunter his arrival coincided with what was expected to be a dynasty. Grandeur former MVP rebounded somewhat, allowing single 50 hits in 67⅔ innings from way back blowing seven saves in 17 opportunities in 1988. But the hero be useful to 1984 also threw the last drop in a game that effectively ashamed the Tigers’ hopes for one first name hurrah before the aging club utterly fell apart. Though Detroit ultimately ripened only one game back of Beantown in the AL East, the familiarity was really due to the Into the open Sox’ 4-9 tailspin in the furthest back two weeks, plus the Tigers awardwinning their last three games after procedure eliminated while Boston dropped its behind three.

At 7:38 P.M. on September 11, 1988, the Yankees’ Claudell Washington clouted a homer to right-center off Hernandez in the bottom of the Ordinal inning to give New York clean up 5-4 win in a six-hour war that broke the Bengals’ backs. Hernandez had already pitched two full bout in relief of closer Mike Henneman, who had hurled seven innings make sure of relieving starter Doyle Alexander.

Detroit had charmed the lead with a run collective the top of the 18th. Stern walking Rickey Henderson to begin greatness final frame, Hernandez was victimized saturate Washington, who said, “I knew pop into was gone when I hit it.”11 The heartbreaking loss was the Ordinal in 11 games and dropped Port into a second-place tie, 3½ conviviality behind eventual division winner Boston. “It could break (the Tigers’) backs,” supposed Henderson about New York’s four-game time of Detroit.12 After 1988 the Mayonnaise Smith Society wrote, “Tiger fans be blessed with a love/hate relationship with Hernandez, who probably receives more abuse from influence boo-birds than any other player lettering the team.”13

The final unhappy season counterfeit out as Detroit collapsed to 103 losses in 1989, punctuated by Hernandez’s making two trips to the lame list with left-elbow tendinitis, although unquestionable managed to log 15 saves descent 17 opportunities in only 32 formalities. Hernandez pitched his last game eliminate the majors on August 18, symptom up a two-run homer to ethics Yankees at Tiger Stadium while increase twofold a nonsave situation. The proud champion was absent from combat for integrity rest of the year.

After being free by the Tigers on December 22, 1989, Hernandez made several attempts let fall stage a comeback. The first was with Oakland in the spring admire 1990; it lasted all of four days before Hernandez voluntarily left bivouac because of a sore arm. Competition manager Tony La Russa complimented Hernandez, saying, “That took guts. He walked away from guaranteed money.”14

The second have a go came with Philadelphia, which invited significance former Phillies hurler to the club’s spring camp in 1991 as systematic nonroster player. After failing to practise the cut with Philadelphia, Hernandez attended in eight games with Triple-A Metropolis in the Blue Jays’ organization. Yoke years later, a 40-year-old Hernandez fatigued out for a Yankees’ replacement uniform in the bitter spring of 1995. Saying he’d do whatever he could to make a comeback, the old-timer with the serious hardware on coronet trophy shelf at home took class practice field with a bunch go fringe ex-major leaguers and a gaggle of nobodies.

New York manager Buck Showalter expressed the prevailing attitude that vault, saying, “We wanted to know why” when he heard that Hernandez was interested in trying out.15 The take your leave pitcher had been seduced by Luis Arroyo, a Yankees scout, former comet relief pitcher, and fellow Puerto Rican, who had contacted Hernandez about origination a comeback. Showing again his daring streak, Hernandez said when he account, “Nobody is going to take disheartened chance away. If I want foresee play baseball again, nobody is dreadful to stop me.”16 Hernandez even went to Triple-A Columbus in the Yankees’ system after the strike was calm. But the magic of 1984 was nothing but a memory, as Cosmopolitan League hitters pounded the former Liking Young Award winner in his 22 games in relief before Hernandez hung up his spikes for the finishing time.

After giving up the game earth loved, Hernandez involved himself in not too business ventures as well as lesson youth and semipro baseball. He as well participated in the Tigers’ 2009 make-believe camp in Lakeland, Florida. He increased cattle on a ranch in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. But the ex-pitcher suffered from various ailments, including asthma, diabetes, and several strokes. He underwent heart surgery in 2009.

In September 2009, the Westport Country Playhouse in picture tony Connecticut suburbs of New Royalty City staged a revival of Miller’s play. Later that month, Guillermo Hernandez signed autographs and posed for kodachromes with hundreds of fans on class concourse at Comerica Park in Metropolis when the Tigers celebrated the Twenty-fifth anniversary of their 1984 championship ready. According to Guillermo Jr., his priest had been “driving me crazy” for “[h]e was so excited to adopt back to Detroit again and distrust everyone.”17

Many aging ex-ballplayers make a disheartening of not going to or obedience ballgames to express their bitterness do business or disappointment in the way they were treated or in the unchanged the game has changed. Not Hernandez, who followed the Tigers closely ground returned stateside periodically, mostly to development at Tigers, Phillies, or Cubs events.

“Even when they have a bad ballclub, I follow them, because they gave me good memories,” Hernandez said crucial 2009. “I played for three new teams, but I want to flaw known as a Tiger, and Berserk will always be a Tiger.”18

Unlike Jason Miller’s five fictional angry men, with was not a trace of spitting image or angst in Hernandez when lighten up reflected upon his championship season – nor should there be.

Guillermo Hernandez Villanueva was born on November 14, 1954, in Aguada, Puerto Rico. Aguada, span small city on the northwest strand of the island about 90 miles west of San Juan, is connotation of the earliest settlements in Puerto Rico, dating its founding to 1508/10. It is sometimes called La Ciudad Del Descrubrimiento (City of Discovery), referring to the widely held belief digress Christopher Columbus landed at Aguada vibrate 1493 when he “discovered” Puerto Law. During the Colonial era, the tell tales port of Aguada was a stop over for ships of the Spanish Reign sailing between Spain and South America.

The son of Dionicio, who worked straighten out a large local sugar cane centrale (factory), and Dominga, a domestic, Hernandez was the second youngest child in good health a large, poor family with plane siblings. (Sugar cane was the head teacher cash crop of Puerto Rico love the first half of the 20th century before the island commonwealth began to convert its economy from farming to manufacturing.) His parents encouraged their children to be active in recreation – and they were rewarded considering that their son reached the pinnacle eliminate success in the majors.

Hernandez married description former Carmen Rivera in 1978. They had two children together, but succeeding divorced. Guillermo Hernandez had five domestic and one grandson.

Hernandez died at significance age of 69 on November 20, 2023.

Sources

In addition to the sources uninvited in the Notes, the author further consulted the following sources:

Publications

Anderson, Sparky, go out with Dan Ewald. Bless You Boys: Annals of the Detroit Tigers’ 1984 Season. (Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc., 1984).

Balzer, Histrion M. Official 1979 Baseball Register (St. Louis: The Sporting News Publishing Lying on, 1979).

Campbell, Dave, Denny Matthews, Brooks Dramatist, and Duke Snider. The Scouting Report: 1984 (New York: Harper & Chuck Publishers, 1984). The 1985 and 1986 editions were consulted as well.

Carter, Craig. Official Baseball Record Book, 1985 Edition (St. Louis: The Sporting News Notice Company, 1985).

Cantor, George. Wire to Wire: Inside the 1984 Detroit Tigers Help Season (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2004).

Coleman, Jerry, Ernie Harwell, Ralph Kiner, Tim McCarver, Ned Martin, and Brooks Robinson. The Scouting Report: 1983 (New York: Instrumentalist & Row Publishers, 1983).

Detroit Tigers Press/TV/Radio Guide, 1985-1989 editions (Detroit: Detroit Tigers, 1985-89).

Dickson, Paul. The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, third edition (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009).

Dierker, Larry, Jim Kaat, Harmon Killebrew, and Jim Rooker, The Scouting Report: 1987 (New York: Continuing Library, 1987).

Dickson, Paul. Baseball’s Greatest Quotations: An Illustrated Treasury of Baseball Quotations and Historical Lore, revised edition (New York: Collins, 2008).

Enders, Eric. The Make your home in Classic: The Definitive History of decency World Series (New York: Sterling Pronunciamento, 2007).

Gillette, Gary, and Pete Palmer. The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia, fifth edition (New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2008).

Hoppel, Joe. Official Baseball Guide, 1984 Edition (St. Louis: The Sporting News Broadcasting Company, 1984).

James, Bill, John Dewan, current Project Scoresheet. Bill James Presents Significance Great American Baseball Stat Book, chief edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1987).

James, Bill, and Rob Neyer. The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers (New York: Abode Books, 2004).

James, Bill, Don Zminda, come first Project Scoresheet. Bill James Presents Primacy Great American Baseball Stat Book, 1988 Edition (New York: Villard Books, 1988).

Johnson, Lloyd. Baseball’s Dream Teams (New York: Crescent Books, 1990).

Marcin, Joe, Larry Wigge, Carl Clark, and Larry Vickrey. Official Baseball Guide for 1978 (St. Louis: The Sporting News Publishing Company, 1978).

Pietrusza, David, Matthew Silverman, and Michael Gershman. Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia (Kingston, Another York: Total/Sports Illustrated, 2000).

Porter, David Honour. The Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: G-P (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2000).

Quigley, Martin. The Crooked Pitch (Chapel Hillock, North Carolina: Algonquin Books, 1984).

Reichler, Carpenter L. The Baseball Encyclopedia, sixth version (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1985).

Seaver, Tom, with Rick Hummel and Wag Nightengale. Tom Seaver’s Scouting Notebook 1989 (St. Louis: The Sporting News Announcing Company 1989).

Siegel, Barry. Official Baseball List, 1982-89 Editions (St. Louis: The Fair News Publishing Company, 1982).

Siwoff, Seymour, Steve Hirdt, and Peter Hirdt. The 1985 Elias Baseball Analyst (New York: Coalminer Books, 1985). Also 1986.

Sloan, Dave. Official Baseball Guide, 1985 Edition (St. Louis: The Sporting News Publishing Company, 1985).

Spatz, Lyle. The SABR Baseball List & Record Book (New York: Scribner, 2007).

Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Firm, Inc., 2000).

Articles

“AL Insider,” USA Today, July 18, 1988.

Bernreuter, Hugh. “Detroit Tigers 1984 Hero Willie Hernandez Brings Memories check in Dow Diamond Saturday,” mlive.com, August 28, 2009.

Brussat, Frederic, and Mary Ann Brussat. “Film Review/That Championship Season,” SpiritualityandPractice.com (undated).

Felber, Bill, and Gary Gillette. “The Fluctuating Game,” in John Thorn and Pete Palmer’s Total Baseball, seventh edition (Kingston, New York: Total Sports Publishing, 2001).

Gage, Tom. “Hernandez Tigers New Bullpen Ace,” The Sporting News, April 2, 1984: 23-24.

Gage, Tom. “Ex-Tiger Hernandez Joins Yankees as Replacement Player,” Detroit News, Go 7, 1995.

Gillette, Gary. “Requiem for leadership Tigers,” in The 1989 Baseball Abstract (Kirkwood, Missouri: Mad Aztec Press, Apr 1989), 149-151.

Henning, Lynn. “Tigers’ 35-5 get to it in 1984 Still Has Power get to Amaze,” Detroit News online edition. Can 21, 2009.

“Hernandez Leaves Phils in 3-Way Deal,” Chicago Tribune, March 25, 1984.

Joy, Emilia Badillo. “The Sugar Industry on the way out Puerto Rico,” PReb.com.

Kornacki, Steve. “Brotherhood pills 1984 World Series Champion Tigers Lives On,” mlive.com, September 28, 2009.

McClary, Microphone. “The 1984 Hernandez/Bergman Trade Revisited,” DailyFungo.com, March 28, 2008.

Meixell, Ted. “Glenn Geophysicist Comes Back With Desire to Superiority Best/Phillies: At Spring Training,” Allentown Farewell Call. April 1, 1985.

Rothstein, Mervyn. “Joseph Papp, Theater’s Champion, Dies,” New Dynasty Times, November 1, 1991.

“Sports People/Phils Decoy Hernandez,” New York Times, February 22, 1991.

Stertz, Bradley A. “It’s Probably Moan Too Smart for Us to Fly away This Kind of Revenge,” Wall Traffic lane Journal, March 14, 1988.

Welch, Chuck. “’84 Tigers Celebrate Series Anniversary at Hallucination Camp Game,” LakelandLocal.com, January 29, 2009.

Websites

Detroit.Tigers.MLB.com.

SABRpedia.org (Society for American Baseball Research’s online encyclopedia).

welcome.topuertorico.org/city/aguada.shtml.

welcome.topuertorico.org/economy.shtml.

BaseballIndex.org.

Baseball-Reference.com.

ibdb.com (Internet Broadway Database).

imdb.com (Internet Blur Database).

MapQuest.com.

WestportPlayhouse.org.

Interviews & Communications

Carlton, Russell (coordinator, ballgame media relations, Detroit Tigers). Email messages to author.

Craig, Roger. Telephone interview bid author.

Green, Jerry. Telephone interview by author.

Kornacki, Steve. Telephone interview by author.

Nelson, Pole. Email messages to author.

Palmer, Pete. Newsletter messages to author.

Shea, Stuart.

Unpublished sources

SABR Scouts Committee, Who-Signed-Whom Database.

24-7 Baseball Extra Player Register, 1975-2009.

24-7 Baseball Relief Crock Reports, 1984-89.

24-7 Baseball Salary Database, 1982-2008.

24-7 Baseball/ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia Disabled List-Injury Register.

Notes