Consternation among Industriales fans after devastating news

By Yasel Porto

The spectacle of baseball is not only made up of players, coaches and umpires. Fans must also be prominently included there, even though they are less well-known in a general sense, they also deserve respect and attention. Hence, this horrible news shared by dozens of industrialist and non-industrialist fans has dissimilar justifications to share it with the rest of the people for whom Leo Menéndez was a total stranger.

“El Cangri” as he was nicknamed and was called, passed away in a dramatic way this Sunday afternoon, thus stopping a life in which sport and industrial They were an essential part. Just the day before he had gone to the “Coloso del Cerro” for the debut of Industriales as home club after making a trip no less than from the Matanzas municipality of Colón.

His visit to the house of the felines left him captured with photos and texts on his personal page. “The positive mindset keeps us strong. Industriales Campeón”, were Menéndez’s last public words, accompanied by snapshots with players, friends, and teammates in the stands. It was also his final trip to the great Havana stadium and to a game of his favorite sport.

The misfortune occurred a few days after he was 38 years old (February 5) after a truck in which he was traveling overturned down a ravine arriving in his Colón municipality. He was unable to make it to the nearest hospital alive since death was instantaneous as he was trapped under the truck.

As soon as it was known of the death of this young man, the writings began on social networks of several people, which found multiple replicas with a mixture of pain and surprise.

“From day one that you came into my life, you became one of those children that God did not give me but that life took care of giving me. Always aware of each other, always talking about the problems and successes of each one. But I just found out something that has left me without strength. You left me and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. Many things remained pending, like that last photo. to your mom, to Keren Soto, your wife who loves you with life, your princesses who anxiously awaited you, I hug them as tightly as my arms can hug them and I share the pain they are feeling right now and I promise that I will be there for them whenever they need. I love you with my life my godson. Your godmother will never forget you.

This was the extremely emotional post of one of the great followers of the Lions, Dunia Padilla, spark plug of the outstanding Facebook group Industriales los Azules de la Capital and who provided us with some of the details of something so heartbreaking. According to the prominent fan of the Havana squad there were several injured in the accident but apparently Leo was the only deceased.

Dayron Damián Cabrera wrote a paragraph in Leo’s profile that also carried a good sentimental charge. “My brother can’t believe it. A few hours ago I was talking to you telling you that if you were from Havana now and what if your team was now the Industriales. This news has left me in shock. What great pain I feel in my heart, you were my true friend! I will always remember you Leo. Fly high rest in peace my brother.

Among the players who echoed this tragedy was infielder Marlon Chayanne Jiménez. “My brother, I met you very recently, but that was enough for me to take tremendous appreciation and affection for you, your loss hurts me as if my own brother were gone. May God have you in his holy glory and if there were another life, I hope I see you again one day, forever blue my brother Industriales Champion”.

Although this news may not interest people outside of Leo and the Industrialists, the impact that this event left for his people and the fact that he is one of the most staunch supporters of the most winning team in Cuban baseball. In addition to having traveled from Colón, Matanzas, to witness the debut of the blues in front of his fans, it certainly seemed fair to join in the condolences through a site that he followed a lot and proof of this are all the articles he shared on his wall From Facebook.

Perhaps it would be a good idea if part of one of the groups of fans with the most affinity could pay tribute to “Cangri” throughout the season with a poster showing that phrase that was his last post after the game Industriales and Granma that it represented his official farewell to the Industrialists and to the whole world. “The positive mindset keeps us strong. Champion Industrialists”. At least he had the satisfaction of the victory of his team in the last ball game he saw.

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Leo was so passionate about baseball that he almost never missed a game at the Victoria de Girón stadium and at the Latinoamericano itself during various times of the year to support the team of a life that unfortunately faded away. Dunia tells me that Yuli Gurriel and Frank Camilo Morejón were the two players for whom she had the greatest affinity.

EPD whom I saw several times in photos and in the stadium itself but based on how positive so many have spoken, it would have been a joy to have been able to greet and get to know more closely. Strength to his family, his wife and two little girls, together with all those friends who will support them and will always keep Leo’s memory alive inside and outside of Latino and baseball.