Jaime Jarrin of the Dodgers Inspired Generations of Spanish-Language Broadcasts

A native of Ecuador, Jarrín came to the United States in 1955 never having seen a baseball game. He eventually became one of only three Spanish-language broadcasters who have received the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award, the recognition reserved for broadcasters. The others: Buck Canel, who began radio broadcasts of the World Series in 1937, and Felo Ramírez, a broadcast partner of Canel who called Miami Marlins games starting in 1993 until his death in 2017.

Throughout his long tenure on the air, Jarrín not only inspired other broadcasters but advised them in their own careers.

“It’s been a big pleasure to have the opportunity to open the doors of baseball to our community,” Jarrín said in Spanish. “And I’m grateful to the Dodgers for giving me the chance to get close to the community and fans.”

Take Eduardo Ortega, for example. Ortega, the Spanish-language voice of the San Diego Padres for the past 36 years, who grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, across the border from San Diego. At home, his family listened to both the Padres’ and Dodgers’ Spanish-language transmissions, and Jarrín’s elegance left an impression on Ortega.

“Everyone’s style is different,” Ortega said in Spanish. “I tend to raise my voice and Jaime is a romantic on the air, more of the old school, but he connects to all ages with his fine style. Listening to Jaime was the inspiration to look for excellence and to follow the greatest, in my opinion.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/15/sports/baseball/jaime-jarrin-dodgers-influence.html