Venezuela’s feeling proud today of their native son, Ozzie Guillén, who did what no one thought was possible; he took the White Sox (or “las medias blancas” as they are known in Latin America) to the World Series and they won. This makes him the first Latino manager to ever lead a team to victory in a World Series:

Ese orgullo por ser venezolano es lo que también le ha dado una personalidad especial, porque en cada una de la entrevistas que ofrece en inglés siempre las finaliza con un recuerdo al país y el “Viva Venezuela”.

“En mi Venezuela están celebrando como si fuese carnaval, están disparando cohetes. Eso me llena el corazón de felicidad. Todo esto es por Venezuela, que necesitaba esta alegría”, afirmó. “Como desearía estar ahora mismo en mi tierra”.

Venezuela’s passion for baseball has always been insatiable. It remains that way now, as evidenced by the fact that despite strained relations between Venezuela and the United State, President Hugo Chavez took a moment to congratulate Guillen on his victory in a weekly radio address.

Venezuela has played a key role in professional baseball in the United states since the 1960s, when Luís Ernesto Aparicio Montiel, a native of Maracaibo, was named to the Hall of Fame. But America’s game became Venezuela’s game far before that. Baseball arrived in Venezuela with oil-hungry Americans in 1895 and has thrived there ever since.

Venezolanos everywhere see this win as not just a win for Chicago, but more of a win for Venezuelans and their favorite sport. America’s favorite pastime is Venezuela’s national pride today.

Via / ESPN Deportes