{"id":491529,"date":"2025-11-17T09:06:50","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T13:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.net\/en\/uncategorized\/the-elite-of-the-creole-sport-adds-12-new-immortals-to-the-hall-of-fame\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T09:06:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T13:06:50","slug":"the-elite-of-the-creole-sport-adds-12-new-immortals-to-the-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/sports\/the-elite-of-the-creole-sport-adds-12-new-immortals-to-the-hall-of-fame\/","title":{"rendered":"The elite of the Creole sport adds 12 new immortals to the Hall of Fame"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\nSANTO DOMINGO.<\/strong> The Dominican Republic celebrated this Sunday one of its most memorable days in sports with the induction of twelve emblematic figures<\/strong> to the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame<\/strong>, during the 59th edition of its ceremony, held in the main auditorium of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center.\n\n\n

You may be interested in:<\/strong> Dominican Sports Hall of Fame announces the bearers of symbols for the 59th Exaltation Ceremony<\/a><\/p>\n\n\nThe new immortals are baseball players Jos\u00e9 Reyes<\/strong>, Edwin Encarnaci\u00f3n<\/strong> and Jos\u00e9 Offerman<\/strong>; boxer Joan Guzm\u00e1n<\/strong>; judoka Juan Carlos Jacinto<\/strong>; karateka Rubel Salom\u00f3n<\/strong>; taekwondo athlete Luis Ben\u00edtez<\/strong>; the high jumper Wilfredo Almonte<\/strong>; volleyball player Francia Jackson<\/strong>; former NBA player Charlie Villanueva<\/strong>; player and manager Gonzalo Mej\u00eda<\/strong> and the deceased coach Beato Miguel Cruz (Miguelo)<\/strong>.\n\nThe twelve figures, chosen for their extraordinary careers and exemplary conduct, received the highest distinction in national sport in an emotional ceremony.\n\nThe event was led by Dionisio Guzm\u00e1n<\/strong>, president of the Permanent Committee of the Hall of Fame, who highlighted the virtues, legacy, and international impact of those inducted. Guzm\u00e1n also valued the infrastructural advances for the Centennial Games and the success of the 2024 Border and School Games.\n\nThe exaltation was accompanied by the Honorary President Manuel Estrella<\/strong> and the secretary Rafael Damir\u00f3n<\/strong>, along with a wide representation of the national sports sector.\n\nThe ceremony began with the parade of symbols of the Pavilion, the installation of the Permanent Committee, the anthems performed by the Orfe\u00f3n de Santiago<\/strong> and the blessing of the act by Monsignor Lorenzo Vargas<\/strong>.\n\nThe main driving force fell on “Yancen Pujols” and “Jos\u00e9 Antonio Mena”.\n\n\n

Tributes and Special Distinctions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\nThe act was dedicated to the stellar Major League third baseman Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez<\/strong>, for his impact on the Cleveland Guardians, his exemplary civic conduct, and the honor received this year when the city named a street after him.\n\nWeightlifter Yudelina Mej\u00eda<\/strong> was also recognized for becoming the first Dominican to win gold in a World Weightlifting Championship<\/strong>, a feat achieved last October in F\u00f8rde, Norway.\n\n\n

The Speeches of the New Immortals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Jos\u00e9 Reyes \u2014 Professional Baseball<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nThe former MLB star deeply thanked God, his parents Jos\u00e9 Manuel and Rosal\u00eda, his wife Katherine, and his daughters. He acknowledged key figures such as his uncle Freddy, scout Eli Toledo, and coach Juan Robles. He dedicated the honor to his childhood friends who traveled to support him: \u201cThis achievement is also yours.\u201d\n\n\n
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Blessed Miguel Cruz (\u2020) \u2014 Volleyball \/ Coach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nHis son Cristian<\/strong> described the exaltation as “an act of historical justice.” He highlighted that Cruz built character, transformed lives, and constructed national identity through sports. “My father trained citizens, not just athletes.”\n\n\n
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Rubel Salom\u00f3n \u2014 Karate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nMoved by representing his province Zamora as its first immortal, he thanked Luis\u00edn Mej\u00eda<\/strong> for supporting him after his 2004 injury, the chroniclers Leo Corpor\u00e1n and Rolando Guante, and the vice minister Kennedy Vargas.\n\n\n
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France Jackson \u2014 Volleyball<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nThrough a message sent from abroad, the legendary setter thanked the Pavilion, her family, director Crist\u00f3bal Marte, her first coach Mayo Sibilia, the coaching staff, and her teammates. \u201cThis dream belongs to everyone who walked with me.\u201d\n\n\n
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Jos\u00e9 Offerman \u2014 Professional Baseball<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nHe offered extensive thanks to his mother, wife, children, and siblings. He highlighted his father’s legacy and the support of figures such as Gregorio Olivares, Rafael \u00c1vila, Elvio Jim\u00e9nez, and Epifanio Guerrero. He thanked Licey, all Dominican baseball organizations, and the Dominican Autism Foundation.\n\n\n
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Wilfredo \u201cWilly\u201d Almonte \u2014 Athletics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nExcited, he attributed his arrival at the Pavilion to the grace of God and the support of those who accompanied his career in the national athletics jump events.\n\n\n
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Luis Ben\u00edtez \u2014 Taekwondo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nHe dedicated his exaltation to his children, especially to his firstborn Jeriffer, his aide-de-camp. He thanked his parents, his mentor Tony Mesa, and his tatami partners. “My success has been dedication.”\n\n\n
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Charlie Villanueva \u2014 Basketball<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nHe expressed his love for his family and celebrated his connection to his Dominican heritage. He recalled that after representing the U.S. at 17, he decided to do so for the Dominican Republic: \u201cI had to be true to my roots.\u201d He announced that he will spend more time in the country with his future residence in the DR.\n\n\n

Juan Carlos Jacinto \u2014 Judo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\nHe dedicated his exaltation to God and his family: his wife Carmen, his children Carla, Juan Carlos and Cael, his mother Melina and his siblings. He acknowledged coaches, leaders and athletes who guided him on his path of sacrifice and discipline.\n\n\n

Participation and ceremonial protocol<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\nLiranyi Alonso<\/strong> and Alex Prats<\/strong> carried the flags, while the chronicler Alelaida Hern\u00e1ndez<\/strong> and the international referee Yuri Ram\u00edrez<\/strong> paraded with the Laurel and Machete symbols.
The aides-de-camp of the exalted ones included figures such as Emma Mej\u00eda<\/strong>, Dinorah Cruz<\/strong>, Mar\u00eda Gertrudis Mercedes<\/strong>, Katherine Reyes<\/strong>, Jay Payano<\/strong>, among others.\n\nFamily members represented those who could not travel, such as Francia Jackson and Wilfredo Almonte; and Cristian Cruz received the posthumous recognition of his father Beato Miguel.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SANTO DOMINGO. The Dominican Republic celebrated this Sunday one of its most memorable days in sports with the induction of twelve emblematic figures to the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame, during the 59th edition of its ceremony, held in the main auditorium of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center. You may be interested in: Dominican […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":972,"featured_media":491530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[611,40231,42723,40853],"class_list":["post-491529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-deultimominuto","tag-dominican-republic","tag-dominican-sports-hall-of-fame","tag-thetruthnewspaper"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phj1q1-23RT","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/f10b8988-978b-4097-9b3f-0541284b2de8.jpg","dum_api":{"author_name":"Yamell Rossi","author_image":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/cropped-7a176880-76f8-4b0c-9527-4e34feef45e4-96x96.jpg","categories_name":["Sports"],"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cdn.deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/f10b8988-978b-4097-9b3f-0541284b2de8.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/972"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=491529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/491529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/491530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=491529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=491529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deultimominuto.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=491529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}