The Temple of the Immortals receives the Luis Aparicio Award statuette from its first winner

Published at: 14/08/2026 03:00 PM

Venezuelan pitcher Johan Santana arrived in Cooperstown with the Luis Aparicio Award statuette in his hands.

At the commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of Luis Aparicio's Hall of Fame award, El Gocho was in charge of presenting the award to the president of the Hall of Fame, Josh Rawitch, accompanied by Mikel Pérez, president of Line Up International, as well as several members of Aparicio's family, including his children Nelson Luis and Karen Rose, his granddaughter Karen Rodríguez, and her political grandson, the professional player Alí Castillo.

Rawitch offered them a tour of the Hall of Fame after Santana said a few words at the Voices of the Game discussion, in which he spoke about Aparicio's legacy, his career and his life in Venezuela.

“This is fantastic, to have your family here. “Please let him know (Luis) how special he is, that he will always be part of this family, and you will always be welcome,” Rawitch said upon receiving the statuette, press review of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP)

He also asserted that it's incredible to have a Venezuelan legend here with us, “the career you had was incredible,” Rawitch said, referring to Santana.

“Of course we always talk about the first Venezuelan in the Hall of Fame and one of the best to have played this sport, but we also try to follow everyone who plays baseball, not just the members of the Hall of Fame, and what you have done for your country and for baseball in Venezuela is tremendous,” he added.

Johan Santana was the first winner of the Luis Aparicio Award, in 2004, and became the first player to repeat the award for the best Venezuelan player of the major league seasons, after also winning the honors in 2006.

Santana said that he was fortunate to be the first to receive the Luis Aparicio Award in 2004. “It was one of the great moments of my career, because it was the first Cy Young, the first joy I had the joy of giving to Venezuela, just as the teacher (Luis Aparicio) did many times,” he said.

“So far it's the only one, but I think that's going to change soon. There are going to be a lot of Venezuelans, God willing, in this beautiful room,” added the former pitcher.

He said that it is an honor for him to have the joy of representing the teacher (Aparicio), bringing a statuette like the one I have in my house to the Hall of Fame. “I think he's going to be in a Major League Baseball place. Better, impossible.”

“El Gocho” is one of the 13 players who have won the statuette since its creation, leading a group that includes Miguel Cabrera (5), Magglio Ordóñez, Francisco Rodríguez, Félix Hernández, Carlos González, José Altuve (4), Ronald Acuña Jr. (3), Jesús Aguilar, Eugenio Suárez (2), Salvador Pérez, Luis Arráez and Anthony Santander.

Mazo News Team