BILL ROSENDAHL PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD for Contributions to the Public Good

THE VOICE OF A

enerationCALLING 58 YEARS OF DODGERS' GAMES IS JUST THE START OF WHAT HAS EARNED JAIME JARRÍN THE g L.A. PRESS CLUB’S PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD BY SAUL GONZALEZ

o a large number of Dodger announcer. His sharp eye and eloquence Above: Jarrín received fans, a familiar and beloved make his radio audience feel like they’re the Golden Mike Lifetime Achievement Award for phrase is, “¡Se va, se va, se va, y in the stadium with him watching a 2007. He was the frst despídala con un beso!” game on a cool spring evening or warm Latino American to win a TFor non-Spanish speakers, it means, summer day. Golden Mike in 1970 and “It’s going, going, going, kiss it good- In this metropolis of immigrants, repeated in 1971. bye!” It’s what Los Angeles sportscaster Jarrín’s broadcast presence has become From left: Jarrín started Jaime Jarrín says to his listeners when a a kind of cultural touchstone. His voice announcing for the player hits a home run. reassures Spanish-speaking newcomers Dodgers on radio station Since 1959, the dapper and dignified that they’re welcome in L.A. and that KWKW in 1958. Jarrín has been the (make that “the”) becoming a fan of the Dodgers is one Early Dodger games Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers, way to connect to this sprawling and were broadcast from the covering the team’s victories and losses confusing city. Los Angeles Coliseum. through thousands of games at Dodger Jarrín knows firsthand about the Below: Frank Sinatra Stadium and Major League ballparks bravery of immigrants, and the sacri- visits the clubhouse across the country. He’s as synonymous fices they make to leave everything they before the 1974 World with life in L.A. as the beaches, palm know behind and start a fresh life in a Series game against the trees and freeways. new country. Oakland A's. His 58 years covering the team have Born in Ecuador, where he studied earned Jarrín honors at tonight’s 59th literature and journalism, a 20-year-old annual Journalism Jarrín came to the United States in 1955, Awards. He is receiving the Bill booking passage on a banana boat. him. Eventually the bosses gave in. Rosendahl Public Service Award for After the vessel docked in Florida, he In 1958, the Dodgers moved to L.A. Vin Scully was an early mentor in Jarrín's Contributions to Civic Life, named for decided to make his way west, all the from Brooklyn. The team approached broadcast career. the late journalist, public access TV host way to Los Angeles. KWKW with a proposal to broadcast and city councilman. His first job in L.A. had nothing to games in Spanish. Team owner Walter Jarrín has been a conduit for genera- do with broadcasting or baseball. Jarrín O’Malley understood the potential of tions of listeners. He has seen players’ worked at a factory in East Los Angeles cultivating Southern California’s Latinos lives play out before his eyes, detailing making metal fences. He spent the rest as Dodgers fans. their arc from rookies whose names few of his time brushing up on his English Jarrín was offered a job as an people knew to gray-haired elder states- and trying to convince the bosses announcer and given a year to learn the men of the game. at KWKW, one of Spanish- fundamentals of baseball, a game he Jarrín is far more than an expert language stations in the country, to hire knew little about.

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There have also been fortuitous turns. In 1979 the Dodgers signed a 19-year- old, left-handed pitching phenomenon from rural Mexico named . The young player’s talent sparked “Fernandomania,” especially among Southern California’s growing Latino population. Thousands of them tuned into Jarrín’s broadcasts to follow Valenzeula’s accomplishments on the field. “It was like a dream,” Jarrín told The Guardian about that era. “What Fernando did for baseball is amazing. I think he is one single player who created more baseball fans than any other player.” Jarrín’s work extends far beyond the ballpark. He has covered events including the funeral of President John F. Kennedy, the Chicano civil rights marches of the 1970s, and Pope John Paul II’s visit to Top, from left: former Dodger pitcher Fernando The other legendary Dodgers America. He also coordinated Spanish- Valenzuela, Jarrín and Pepe Yñiguez announce announcer, Vin Scully, was one of language coverage of the 1984 Summer games for the Dodgers' Spanish language Jarrín’s first broadcast mentors, and later Olympics in Los Angeles. broadcasts. a friend. Jarrín says he has always fol- Jarrín has received numerous awards Son, Jorge, started calling Dodger games with lowed some of the early professional and honors. That includes his 1998 his father in 2015. advice Scully gave him: Prepare for induc tion into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Above: Jarrín with his wife, Blanca, and their every game as if it’s your first, and never His native Ecuador has awarded Jarrín pet dog in 1974. get too close to the players. the country’s most prestigious medal of Jarrin was inducted into the Cooperstown, NY Scully also became a broadcast life- service given to civilians. Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick award. line for Jarrín. During the early days of As his professional life has flourished, his career, the Dodgers didn’t have a so too has Jarrín’s personal life. He and budget for Jarrín to travel with the team his wife Blanca have two sons, Jorge on the road. Jarrín improvised by listen- and Mauricio. Jorge followed his dad ing to Scully’s broadcasts and quickly into broadcasting and now calls Dodger translating Scully’s play-by-play cov- games with the elder Jarrín. A grandson, erage into Spanish. Scully would also Stefan, is a baseball scout. include details about the weather and At a time when many in this coun- crowds that Jarrín could use to help set try are engaged in a bitter debate over the scene. immigration, Jarrín’s life is a testament There’s another reason fans are so to the contributions immigrants have familiar with Jarrín’s voice—he doesn’t made to journalism and to that most believe in sick days. From 1962 to 1984, American of sports, baseball. he never missed a game, calling close to ¡Se va, se va, se va, y despídala con 4,000 games over 22 seasons. un beso!”

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