The sporting world of Los Angeles cried the lack of considered one of his most beloved voices, Rolando “El Veloz” Gonzalez, the lengthy -standing station of the galaxy and a pioneer of Sports Radio in Spanish, who died on June 25.
Its legacy transcends generations on the microphone.
Gonzalez’s profession started virtually by chance. Although his dream was to play soccer, life had different plans for him and remodeled him right into a narrator.
“One day on March 6, 1962, I used to be enjoying soccer within the native league and within the radio-game radio broadcaster to which that sport of my Escortla workforce towards Universidad was assigned, Dr. Otorrino Ríos Paredes, I had a automotive accident”, I used to be dressed, I used to be dressed, I dressed, I dressed, I helped myself dressing), I helped myself. gown), I helped myself gown), I helped myself gown? Let the coach inform me. “He mentioned,” I want you as a result of they informed me that soccer tells me. “I replied that I do it among the many boys.”
He later moved to Los Angeles, the place the previous Dodgers presenter Jaime Jarrín gave him his nice break in the course of the 1984 Olympics.
“I met him, I imagine in 1984, simply earlier than the Olympics. I wanted sports activities writers for the Spanish -language protection and I used to be struck by his stability, his data, his diction and his time as a voice for soccer,” mentioned Jarrín to La Times in Español. “He labored with me for 3 weeks and this has opened many doorways for him in Los Angeles.”
Jarrín’s name stunned him.
Friends and colleagues be a part of Rolando “El Veloz” González, Center, in a transmission cabin throughout a galaxy match. He known as his final sport on May thirty first.
(Armando Aguayo)
“It was Jaime Jarrín,” mentioned González. “He requested me if I narrated soccer and if I had skilled within the packages. He informed me {that a} narrator for the Olympics got here from Ecuador and needed to have (González) from 18:00 to 12:00 in a program. I used to be leaving the manufacturing facility at 4:30 pm all soiled with paint and I couldn’t miss that chance.”
Jarrín highlights González’s dedication towards the protection of the Espn Deportes Radio 1330 AM galaxy, a González workforce lined with two lengthy intervals through which the workforce gained 5 of the six titles of the MLS Cup. The final sport González known as a sport was May thirty first, when the Galaxy gained their first sport of this season towards Real Salt Lake on the Lake on the Holth Lake Health. Sports Park.
“He gave his workforce one of the best, as I did to the Dodgers,” Jarrín mentioned. “His inheritance is an instance for younger individuals. He outlined what he needed to be, and he did it along with his coronary heart, with 110% of efforts.”
Together with Hipolito Gamboa, González scored an period on the radio with their present “Hablando de Deportes” on Ktnq-Am (1020) and at last on Kwkw-Am (1330). The present centered primarily on soccer and simply overshadowed different sports activities packages that attempted to repeat the format with a extra aggressive contact of their conversations.
The duo González and Gamboa offered a extra full evaluation with out relying on the fireworks.
“I at all times had one thing that made you giggle within the cabins of” Hablando de Deportes, “mentioned Gamboa.” It was not at all times tremendous, as a result of there have been moments of stress. It’s a actuality, however we’ve at all times completed nicely. “
Gamboa described González as somebody out of the atypical.
“He was one of many first to transmit soccer within the United States. His distinctive fashion, his vitality, his velocity … no one equaled him,” Gamboa mentioned. “That’s why they known as him” El Veloz “(” The Swift “).”
They labored collectively by broadcasting gold cups, Liga MX video games and worldwide video games. Despite his critical voice, Gamboa highlighted González’s cheerful character.
“He narrated with spectacular readability at an unimaginable velocity. People acknowledged him from his voice,” mentioned Gamboa. “At a celebration, my little daughter, only one yr on the time, heard him converse and mentioned:” Objective! “Because we grew up listening to it to Rose Bowl, on the Aztec stadium, in so many cabins.”
Armando Aguayo, who grew to become the pinnacle of González, mentioned it was greater than a colleague.
“It was my instructor. What I do know in regards to the narrative, I discovered from him,” mentioned Aguayo. “He taught me to enter the rhythm of the narrator, to not cease, to adapt to his velocity. He was demanding, however formative.”
Aguayo affectionately recollects the 2 phases he shared with González, first as his producer to “Deportes en Acción 1330” after which as teammates within the second period of the galaxy beneath the Bruce Arena.
Armando Aguayo, who grew to become the pinnacle of Rolando González, mentioned it was greater than a colleague: “He taught me to enter the rhythm of the narrator, to not cease, to adapt to his velocity. He was demanding, however coaching”.
(Armando Aguayo)
“We informed the finals, the titles, the massive video games collectively,” mentioned Aguayo. “And out of air, we talked in regards to the household, the way forward for the radio, of life.”
According to Aguayo, who calls Lafc and Clippers video games, González had an admirable self-discipline.
“He would arrive an hour earlier, he ready, he made lists with formations,” mentioned Aguayo.
During his profession González, known as the world cups, Olympics, Pan American video games, video games from his beloved National Guatemala workforce, in addition to the United States National Team. He lined soccer, baseball, basketball and soccer.
“The solely factor he did not inform was golf as a result of he mentioned he bored him,” mentioned Aguayo, laughing. “But he even narrated a marble competitors in Guatemala.”
González was often called a terrific narrator.
“He at all times mentioned:” Let me let you know, in such and a yr … and he would provide you with precise dates. “He was a historian with the voice of a narrator,” mentioned Aguayo.
In addition to professionalism, Gonzalez has left a deep human imprint.
“We known as him” Don Rolis “(e)” Pope Smurf “. It was like everybody’s dad.
Rolando González, on the left, joins Armando Aguayo whereas calling a sport of galaxy.
(Armando Aguayo)
González was nonetheless energetic till just a few weeks in the past. He known as the final sport of the Galaxy towards Real Salt Lake.
“He arrived two hours earlier, ready his vessel, sat right down to narrate and when he completed, he acquired up and left, as typical,” mentioned Aguayo. “It was Rolando. Professional, punctual and easy.”
Aguayo spoke to González simply earlier than listening to the information of his loss of life. Although González lately had a coronary heart assault, he was nonetheless answering calls, his drained however optimistic voice.
“He mentioned to me,” I’m tremendous. Thanks to your name. It could be very helpful for me. You are one of many few who known as me. “He informed me in regards to the future, of his household,” mentioned Aguayo. “Also in his final days, he was fascinated about the others.”
For Jarrín, González represented the picture of the laborious immigrant, the passionate communicator, the devoted skilled.
“He has by no means precipitated issues. He has at all times served the Hispanic group in southern California with curiosity. His voice will stay engraved in our recollections and his inheritance will stay in each younger man who needs to commit himself to sports activities transmission,” mentioned Jarrín.
González’s voice will not resonate within the stadiums, however his echo will stay within the recollections of his colleagues and within the ardour of those that have listened to him.
“I used to be deeply wounded by his disappearance, as a result of we have been nice pals,” mentioned Jarrín. “We had plenty of mutual respect and I preferred it very a lot from the start for its simplicity and accountability in every part. So I feel that sports activities followers, and specifically soccer followers, will miss him rather a lot.
This The article appeared for the primary time in Spanish Via the occasions in Spanish.
