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About The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame

In the United States, there are Sports Halls of Fame that honor professional and amateur athletes in football, basketball, track, tennis, baseball and other sports. There are also ethnic halls of fame that recognize outstanding athletes from different groups including Italian, Jewish, Irish and blacks to name a few. But, there was not a single sports hall of fame that would recognize, honor and salute the outstanding accomplishments/achievements and contributions of our Latino/Hispanic Sports Heritage not only from the United States but also those who came to this country from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Central and South America and from the vast talent from the Caribbean Islands. The Latin-American International Sports Hall of Fame/Salon de Ia Fama Latinoamericano del Deporte was organized in Laredo, Texas in 1974. At first it was to celebrate, honor and promote local and regional individuals who had excelled at their particular sport but soon it opened the doors to include National and International Professional Athletes. It also recognizes as Sportsman of the Year individuals who continue to preserve and enhance our Latino culture, values and educational opportunities for our youth and who contribute to the betterment of the City of Laredo and South Texas. There have been since its inception an equal recognition of women athletes inductees. It was important to find role models for our youth and the organizers wanted to include all ages, regardless of sex in their programs. The Latin Hall was also created to promote economic development and stimulate business activity in downtown Laredo when local businesses are contracted to provide services to our inductees, their families and guests who visit Laredo during the annual 3-day welcome reception, media luncheon and induction banquet celebration weekend. Through the years. (1975-2014), and with limited amount of funds the organization has, had the opportunity to help the youth of our community with scholarships and other youth activity fundraisers. Plans are to have a Latin Sports International Hall of Fame Museum (downtown) (soon) which will be a first for the United States and to provide clinics (free of charge) to instruct our youth in different sports.

Mission

The Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1975 to recognize individuals with good and proper standing in the community, high morals and values and who have excelled in sports and/or have contributed to the promotion of sports and goodwill in the Latino community.


Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame

47th Annual Induction Banquet

Luis Gonzalez

Gonzalez will forever be in the hearts of Arizona Diamonbacks fans as the player who beat the New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series.

 

Luis grew up in Tampa and graduated, from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1985 along with his neighborhood friend and New York Yankee player, Tino Martinez. After attending South Alabama University where he garnered Baseball America’s All-Freshman Second Team honors, he was selected in the fourth round of the 1988 Amateur Draft by the Houston Astros.

From 1990 to 1995 Gonzalez played for the Houston Astros. In late 1995, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs where in 1996, he had a .271 batting average with 15 homeruns and drove in 79 runs. In 1998 and under a one year contract with the Detroit Tigers he batted 267 with 23 home runs and 71 runs batted in and in 1999, Gonzalez was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks and become a key player in the organization.

He helped the Diamondbacks become league leaders hitting a career high.336 in 1999 and leading the league (NL) with 206 hits which helped the Diamondbacks captured the western division. The team lost in the play-offs to the New York Mets for the right to represent the National League in the World Series. 1999 proved to be a great year for Gonzalez as he was selected to the All-Star Classic in July. In 2000, the Diamondbacks ended the season in third place in their division. He blasted 31 homerun with 192 hits.

2001 proved to be the best year for Gonzalez as he surprised everyone by hitting 57 homeruns, his personal best in any season. The 57 homeruns is the third best in National League history for a left-handed batter behind Barry Bonds’s record 73, which also came in 2001, and Ryan Howard’s 58 in 2006. He was selected to his second All-Star game in July and finished a league second best with 198 hits and was the over-all champion in the Home Run Derby. In 2001, it was Gonzalez base hit in the 9th inning against Mariano Rivera, ace reliever for the New York Yankees, that captured the World Series for the Diamondbacks.

Gonzalez retired in 2009 and later joined the ESPN and FOX baseball networks as a baseball commentator. Presently, he is now an executive with the Diamondbacks organization. Gonzalez jersey No. 20 was retired by the Diamondbacks in special ceremonies in 2010.