SANTO DOMINGO.– The Dominican Sports Hall of Fame announced the selection of Héctor Jacinto Báez Pérez (Héctor Báez) as a contributor for the Immortal Class of 2026, in recognition of an exemplary career that made him one of the most successful and influential figures in the history of national basketball.
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Known as “El Toro”, Báez will be immortalized during the 60th Special Ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, November 15, for his extraordinary contributions to Dominican sports as a player, coach, executive, and manager.
Born in La Romana on December 12, 1955 and passed away on February 22, 2014, Báez left a legacy of success both on and off the court. During his career, he won national and international titles, including the historic silver medal obtained by the Dominican national basketball team at the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan American Games, considered one of the greatest achievements in national basketball.
In addition to his achievements as a player, he also reached championships from the bench as a coach and later from the front office as a general manager, establishing himself as one of the most winning figures in Dominican basketball.
The president of the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame, Dionisio Guzmán, highlighted that Báez’s election recognizes a life dedicated to the growth of sports and the training of new generations.
With this designation, Héctor Báez joins the group of promoters announced for the Class of 2026, which includes José Ramón “Cuqui” Reyes (taekwondo), Domingo Saint Hilaire (journalism), Julio Cross (table tennis), Agustín Brea (baseball and softball officiating), Andrés Vander Horst (sports development), Félix “Gallego” Ogando (weightlifting), and Víctor Pascual (Olympic boxing).
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Likewise, the Hall of Fame has confirmed as immortals of the Class of 2026 Mariano Reyes (athletics), Yuderkis Contreras (weightlifting), Winston Royal (basketball), and former baseball players Ricardo Joseph, Darío Veras, Alex Rodríguez, Rafael Soriano, and Johnny Olivo, in amateur baseball.
The exaltation of Héctor Báez constitutes a tribute to a career marked by excellence, leadership, and a legacy that transcended the courts to become a benchmark for Dominican sports.
