BIG NEWS: At home and out of harm’s way, respected Cuban baseball figure

By Yasel Porto

The year 2021 was plagued with bitter news, especially those related to Cuban baseball figures who for various reasons lost their lives. We are talking about a list of around 25 started with Pedro José “Cheíto” Rodríguez and with the left-handed man from Holguin, Fidencio Serrano, as the last to say goodbye.

A few days into 2022, the entry of the renowned and respected Pinar del Río pitching coach José Manuel Cortina greatly concerned everyone.

But the veteran once again overcame adversity, in this case the virus that has caused so much damage around the world in the last two years in order to be discharged from the hospital on Monday. The news was made known by some friends of Cortina, such as Jacinto Carcedo, who published on his personal Facebook profile and in the D´Porto Sports group.

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THE CORTI IS ALREADY HOME! Tremendous news for our people who were constantly concerned about the evolution of my brother, the Cuban pitching monster Jose Manuel Cortina. Now they have just discharged him on a date that coincides with the integration of our vegueros that he trains for the upcoming national contest. So thanks to all of you, and now to recover together with all your pichers, yes, sunbathe in the grass and … not in Cancun like other favored ones … jj well, you know, don’t you? I have the Pinar del Río at 200%. Come on monster, finish this, this year we are champions!

It was a week that he was hospitalized at the León Cuervo Rubio center based on the information disseminated by his own family, as well as people directly related to volcano baseball, such as the case of its Provincial Commissioner Heriberto Suárez. The latter was able to converse with Cortina and convey the good vibes received from the beginning from whom many consider to be the best pitching technician living in Cuba. It has been very recently that the Pinar del Río man turned 72 years old (he was born in the provincial capital on December 27, 1950, although other sources put 1951).

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Until very recently, José Manuel was very active with Cuban ball by being a leading player in the Camagüey Bulls, together with the individual contribution that he has given in recent times to multiple pitchers from all over the country.

Today there are not many good old-guard pitching coaches who survive on the island. Besides Cortina, another man full of merits in this regard but with the hard weight of the years on him is Pedrito Pérez from Villa Clara.