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June 1, 2005 PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore's head baseball coach, Bobby Rodriguez, is going to be honored this Thursday, June 2, 2005 as a member of the tenth class inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame in San Antonio, Texas. Rodriguez, 48, began his successful career in baseball at South San Antonio High School where he is considered to be the top player in the schools very notable history. While at South San, which had won seven state titles in the 50's and 60's, Rodriguez was a four-year starter and led the team to back-to-back Class 4A state runner-up finishes in 1975 and 1976. "I loved growing up in the San Antonio area and was very proud of my high school accomplishments," said Rodriguez. "I worked hard to make myself into a solid all-around player and the coaches I worked with like Cliff Gustafson and Robert Zamora really helped my game both on the physical and mental levels." Rodriguez was a member of the Express News All-city team as a sophomore, junior and senior. "He remains one of the best high school baseball players ever produced by the Alamo City," said David Flores, Express News sports reporter. "Twenty-nine years after he stood out as a pitcher and outfielder at South San, I still find it difficult to believe Rodriguez never got a shot to play in the majors."
In 1976, Rodriguez was recognized as a High School All-American and was later signed to play in the Mexican AAA League. His first game action came almost 29 years ago when he led off the game with a double in his first professional at bat. One year later he won the Mexican League Championship with the Nuevo Laredo Owls. That year he was the lead-off batter and hit .336. In 1980, he owned Mexican League pitching staffs as he hit .404, winning the Silver Bat Mexican League Batting Title. One year later Rodriguez won another Mexican League Championship as a lead-off hitter with the Mexico City Reds where he hit .372. He was also the top Mexican Native Hitter in 1978, 1979, and 1982 with .343, .363, and .372 averages respectively. Following his playing career, Rodriguez moved on to serve as field coach for the Baltimore Orioles' Class A Affiliate, the Delmarva Shorebirds from 1997 to 2002. His duties there included work with outfielders, third base coach, and hitting instructor. He guided the team to win the South Atlantic League Championship in 1997, the first half title in 1998, the title in 2000, and the second half title in 2002. They also made playoff runs in four of his six seasons.
Coach Rodriguez had some great opportunities to coach and play with many famous players. He has coached such pro players as Luis Matos, Larry Bigbie, Bryan Roberts, Tim Raines Jr., Jerry Hairston Jr., Mike Bordick, Sidney Ponson, Pat Hentgen, and Delino DeShields. He also played with Jerry Hairston Jr.'s, father and his late grandfather Sam Hairston while in the Mexican League. Rodriguez's experience also has allowed him to play with or against such legends as Fernando Valenzuela, Willie Crawford, George Scott, Willie Davis, Bump Wills Jr., Louie Tiant, and Diego Segui. The National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Latinos in Action Sports Association. The Association's membership is more committed to helping Hispanic youths stay in school and get into college. Given the high dropout rate among Hispanics, Latinos in Action uses its annual hall of fame banquet as its major fund-raiser for scholarships. The Hall of Fame was established in 1996, four years after the Latinos in Action Sports Association was founded by Raul "Roy" Zuniga.
Rodriguez will be inducted along side Joe Kapp, a former NFL quarterback who helped lead the Minnesota Vikings to Super Bowl IV, Jimmy Gonzales, the director of football operations at Oklahoma State, and Robert Cortez, a former track stand-out and a Texas A&M linebacker in the 60's. The induction ceremony will be held at La Villita Assembly Hall on June 2, 2005.
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