Raising the number of immortals that are chosen each year by the Permanent Committee of the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame would be one of the proposals to be taken into consideration for future selections of athletes and sportspeople who have woven a career worthy of being immortalized.
In this way, Dr. Dionisio Guzmán, who chairs said committee, expressed it and who expressed that meetings have already begun to be held, in order to increase the group to be immortalized each year.
Although it is a topic to be discussed and debated by the Committee, the doctor would like as his personal proposal to expand from 10 to 12 immortals in each event.
“It is a topic that will be discussed in future meetings of the Permanent Committee, but I would like this option,” said Guzmán, after participating as the guest in the Diamante Deportivo program, which is broadcast Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 noon on 106.9 fm in the Voice of the Armed Forces.
He adds, “There are more and more sports and the number of athletes who are left without being chosen is immense, some would understand that we should take them to 15, but that will be analyzed,” he said.
Another aspect that, as revealed, will be discussed will be the opening for athletes in the speed line to be eligible for the Hall of Fame.
This year, the issue was already raised in several meetings and Guzmán understands that “Sooner rather than later”, athletes in this line could be taken into account.
“So far, these rules do not count among the sports that we have been recognizing, but that issue will be discussed,” he said.
For years, this has represented one of the main criticisms that the Hall of Fame has received in the sense that members of the speed line (cars and motors) have not appeared on the ballots.
Some examples are represented by Luis Rafael Méndez, Adriano Abréu, Luis Manen Méndez, Aris Azcona, Tony Canahuate, just to cite a few cases, and of those who are estimated to have achieved achievements in their disciplines to be placed in the most special club of athletes.
Twice positive for steroids out
On the other hand, Guzmán was emphatic in pointing out that athletes who have received more than one sanction in their sport would be banned, at least at this time, from being eligible to be part of the Hall of Fame.
And he quickly raised the question that in the case of Major League Baseball figures of great importance among Dominicans such as Alex Rodríguez, Robinson Canó, Miguel Tejada, Manny Ramírez, just to cite a few cases, could not receive the protocols established for eligibility.
Even the case of Tejada, who for his dedication to the country, both in the Caribbean Series and in the World Classics, is called the Player of the Homeland.
Báez without being elected on several lists
Guzmán also referred to the highly seasoned case of the late Héctor Báez, who for years was on several of the eligibility lists and was never elected by the group of voters.
“There has been a lot of talk about his case, but he was on the voting list a while ago and did not receive the necessary votes, he went on to the Veterans Committee list and did not receive the necessary votes, we have also placed him as a promoter and he has not got the votes,” he said.
“I understand that the day he is elected will be a good choice,” he said.