Madrid Spain.- Omar Linares Left, one of the greats of the Cuban ball, turns 55 this October 23.
Before coming to baseball, he had practiced athletics at the School of Sports Initiation (EIDE) in his native Pinar del Río and later basketball.
In 1982, when he was only 15 years old, Omar Linares began his career in the National Baseball Series, a competition in which he participated in 20 editions, and won five titles with the Vegueros de Pinar del Río.
Known as the “Child Prodigy of Cuban Baseball”, in the National Series he reached all historical records. In the offensive average he maintained the leadership in the 1985, 1986, 1990 and 1992 seasons; in runs scored he led in 1985, 1987, 1993 and 1995. He also led in triples in 1985, and in walks in the series in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2000.
He still holds the historical average record in the National Series (.368).
Very young he joined the Cuba team for his quality both offensively and defensively; and he was decisive for the national team in the 23 international events in which he participated; remaining as the most valuable player in several of them.
The titles of the third baseman from Pinar del Río also include having been Olympic champion in Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996. In the latter competition he hit three home runs, to become the only player to achieve it in the Olympic Games.
With the Cuban team, he also obtained six titles in World Championships, six titles in Intercontinental Cups, four gold medals in the Pan American Games and four titles in the Central American and Caribbean Games.
He played third base for most of his career, until June 2002, the year he decided to retire from national sport.
He later played another three seasons, between 2002 and 2004, with the Chunichi Dragons in the Japan Professional Baseball League. With this club he signed a contract last year to become their hitting coach.
Although he could not prove himself in the Major Leagues (MLB), he is considered by many to be the best Cuban baseball player of all time.
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