Lázaro Junco: "He was not liked by those in charge"

With Lazaro Junco I talked for almost two decades and I am proud to be the only journalist who made him smile and that fact materialized once, in front of Ángel Melis' camera, when I broke his secrecy by tickling his stomach... "oh Julita!" the slugger told me while I jumped for joy before asking him about his last home run.

18 National Baseball Series, 405 home runs, so much history in the giant from Matanzas!

Just visiting a dugout, entering the playing field, receiving the warmth of the public, whether in Matanzas or in any other stadium in Cuba, is the best of memories, the best story.

Within those almost 20 years I keep in my heart having been champion with Citricultores and double starter with Henequeneros: those combative Henequeneros of José Estrada, Fernando Sánchez, Julio Germán Fernández, Eduardo Cárdenas, Carlos Kindelán, Juan Manrique, Jorge Luis Valdés, Carlos Mesa , directed by Sile Junco… what a great team!

And of course, having been the first Cuban to reach 400 home runs. I gave that hit to pitcher Alberto Pavón, in my “Victoria de Girón”, in my house, in front of my people playing against Isla de la Juventud.

Lázaro Junco hit his 400th home run on January 27, 1996 in the thirty-fifth National Baseball Series. Number 100 in the same park in 1984 against Lázaro de la Torre; the 200th, in the “Mártires de Barbados” in Bayamo, with the miner Abigaíl Escalona as his opponent, while the 300th was given to the stellar José Ibar.

The 371st home run that would break Antonio Muñoz's hitherto record was hit on May 10, 1988 in the Selective Series 14. With enviable frequency, no Cuban fan doubted that the tall man from Yumur would be the first Cuban to dribble 500 balls beyond of fences in our national pastime.

Look Julita, you knew better than anyone that that was my dream. Wearing the CUBA team jersey was a source of pride for me, but reaching 500 home runs... for what?

A dream that was broken by the crazy massive retirement that affected a good number of excellent players for the sole reason of being “old.”

Old? I was only 33 years old. In fact, I found out when I arrived in Cuba because I was playing abroad, and I couldn't believe it, much less assimilate it. I was in top physical shape and when I investigated the reason for that withdrawal, they explained to me that it did not fit into the Olympic cycle and that my case was not the only one.

I had closed my previous campaign with excellent logs: 23 home runs, 80 RBIs and a 323 average. Therefore, I did not agree and did what they demanded of me: earn a position in the municipal and then in the provincial. I did it in spades. The mockery was total because when I achieved my goal they told me clearly that I had to retire, they left me without options, they forced me, like so many other players who at that time were in very good athletic shape to play baseball.

I don't know if he was disliked but I can assure you that those in charge did not like him. I never laughed at anyone, I didn't follow them at all. I can only assure you that they were very unfair. Me trying hard day by day, trying to hit one more home run each time and them, depriving me of any possibility of reaching 500 home runs. And I feel sorry for me, but more so for my team and the Matanzas and Cuban fans.

Lázaro Junco was not thinking about CUBA for the Olympic Games but about his province and even then they did not allow him to play in a country that is proud to proclaim that “sport is a right of the people.” The same thing happened with Víctor Mesa, who could still steal home and they didn't even let him aspire to go to Atlanta '96.

With your height you could have been a volleyball player, a basketball player, why baseball?

You are not wrong, because the first thing I practiced was precisely volleyball and basketball but a knee injury did not allow me to continue. So, out of sheer excitement I started playing ball in the neighborhood. I did not go to any high-performance center, I am a product of the mass; Everything I know I learned along the way, through the streets and popular parks.

Your first coach? First ground you stepped on?

My first coach was a neighbor from the neighborhood who played in the provincial team for Limonar; I do not remember his name. These were my first steps. I confess that I was afraid of the ball. Go figure! Then she became afraid of me. The first field was the “Emiliano Ayón” of Limonar, of which I have fond memories.

What do you remember from those close SNB matches, to full stadiums; Industriales-Henequeneros rivalry, for example?

If I'm honest, and without offending anyone, those series have nothing to do with the ones being developed now. Before there was more dedication, the uniform had a value, a great value; Wearing the flannel of the Four Letters was the greatest pride. Now it is not like that, there are other dreams that fit the current world. I don't criticize anyone.

And what there was between the blues and the blacks was a beautiful thing, there was quality baseball, we were fierce rivals on the field; but once the game was over, we were friends. I have the best memories and friendships from that time.

Another line for the tiger happened when a group of MLB players visited the Victoria de Girón stadium in 2015 and you were not invited to be with them; Then, the fans in the stands shouted for your presence.

Look Julita, for me it was something great to know that those people still loved me. It was a home run that the people helped me give to those who were directing Cuban baseball at that time. In addition, I received words of praise from all the visiting players, especially from Joe Torre, Hall of Fame member and MLB manager, who was at the front of the delegation.

Fortunately I had the opportunity to see what happened in the Yumurino park despite it not being broadcast on the TVC, to that extent it is scary! The people in the stands began to chant Junco's last name, the Big Top stars joined in the applause and justice was done to that great Cuban slugger on that occasion.

You know what it is to tell me that “they had accidentally forgotten me”; That's why I answered: “If you didn't want to see me, you didn't want to invite me, that's your problem; Now I am more proud because it was the people, my people, who brought me here and not you.”

You know what it is like, they said that they hadn't invited me to go down to the field because I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt when I never dressed like that. Luckily I took photos with several and I can prove what I say: pitusa, a sweater and a cap.

And after that unspeakable moment that you lived, what happened to professional baseball players?

I went to left field and shared with Yasser Puig and Miguel Cabrera and Puig told the Venezuelan “that those home runs he hit in the Major Leagues were not compared to mine, which went over the stands of the stadium.” Cabrera told him that he was a fan of me, that he knew about me since I was young when they called me El Niño and I played in Venezuela as part of a CUBA team.

Current Cuban baseball with the constant exodus of players, where are we going to end up?

I can't give you that answer because it doesn't seem to me that there is a good ending unless many things change. It seems difficult to change the situation because for the best talents, emigrating is the most attractive way out.

Junco, All-Star team?

In the painting, Antonio Muñoz, Antonio Pacheco, Germán Mesa and Omar Linares; in the gardens, Armando Capiró, Víctor Mesa and Luis Giraldo Casanova.

Catcher, Juan Castro and pitchers Braudilio Vinent and Pedro Luis Lazo. I add other great players like Pedro José Rodríguez, Orestes Kindelán and Frederich Cepeda.

What is Lázaro Junco currently doing?

Since we saw each other last time, I work at the provincial EIDE although at the moment I am the hitting coach of the Matanzas team that is playing in the semifinal of the National Series.

How do you live, what do you have, do they pay you what you have to pay?

Now it makes me want to laugh. You know: an apartment, a motorbike to be able to get around in a city where transportation is scarce and I live in Naranjal Norte, far from the center, ah! And it is better not to talk about the salary. What are you doing these days with three thousand 400 pesos?