Terry Pluto tells Omar Vizquel story

As we note on our news page here at our news press release site here at Artistwebsites.com, our Play Ball sports art now has more than 11,700 views here. Our Play Ball baseball sports art and Play Ball U.S. postage stamp art are dedicated to Omar Vizquel who was magic playing short stop and getting on base, is held in high regard in Cleveland where he played for many years. Terry Pluto, a top sports writer, author of many books and a columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, tells us more about this great baseball player.

OMAR WON HEARTS OF CLEVELAND FANS
by Terry Pluto ( For full story, see www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2013/07/omar_vizquel_won_clevelands_he.html )

Terry says, - now that I'm growing old, the Tribe ( Cleveland Indians ) player who will always be special is Omar. Omar Vizquel will always be just Omar to Cleveland baseball fans. Many fans on Terry Pluto's Facebook page tell about their experiences related to Omar. Jennefer Pignolet threw her cap to Omar, who signed it and threw it back. Lynn Maslinski who was an usher at games in the late 1990s, says, "Omar was one player who would consistently and genuinely treat workers with a friendly attitude and respect when passing them in the lower level on his way from the parking lot to the locker room.

During a rain delay, I ran into Omar just sitting outside of the locker room on a folding chair. I was on my way for a lunch break. I stopped to talk to him an spent the entire break talking to with him about teaching music, art and his favorite cities to visit. From that point on, whenever I saw Omar at work or outside of work at an area restaurant, he would always come up to me and greet me by name." Omar made thousands of friend this way during his 11 years playing Hall of Fame-caliber shortstop for the Cleveland Indians baseball team. And thousands more who never met him , but just loved how he played with such joy- and how this man who grew up in Venezuela embraced Cleveland. He became a very good hitter because he could bunt, slap singles to the opposite field and steal bases. In 11 years with the Cleveland baseball team, he batted .283 (.731 OPS) and averaged 25 stolen bases a season. At age 39, he won a Gold Glove as a shortstop with the Giants baseball team.

Terry Pluto adds, - but in Cleveland this weekend, we find Omar looking back at some of the greatest teams in Cleveland baseball history, two trips to the World Series ( 1995 and 1997) and six seasons in the playoffs.

And this is why we dedicate our Play Ball artwork to Omar who was magic at shortstop and in many peoples lives. And now thousands honor him here at Artistwebsites.com with our Play Ball artwork receiving thousands of views.

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