Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez Joins Radio/TV Marti Broadcast Team
Former Major League great and Cuban defector Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez will provide color commentary during the live Radio/TV Marti broadcast of the 82nd annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game from Chase Field, in Phoenix on July 12.
Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez won four World Series Championships during his major league career, three with the New York Yankees and one with the Chicago White Sox. He is also a Cuban who defected in 1997.
“Our listeners and viewers are extremely fortunate to have a legendary ball player such as “El Duque” providing commentary to his fellow countrymen and fans in his native Cuba,” said Carlos A. Garcia-Perez, Director of Radio/TV Marti.
Hernandez played for the Cuban national team during the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 and won a gold medal. He also played for Industriales baseball team in Havana.
In 1996, Hernandez was detained and questioned by Cuban security forces and was banned from Cuban baseball. Then on December 25, 1997, he defected from Cuba traveling on a small boat.
Radio and TV Marti will broadcast the All-Star game as part of their ongoing cooperation with Major League Baseball, which includes broadcasting three games a week, plus the playoffs and World Series.
El Duque will be joining Marti’s broadcast team of Edemio Navas, Pepe Lacayo and former MLB pitcher Orlando “El Guajiro” Peña.