Cuba's 2004 Olympic baseball gold medal manager Higinio Vélez passes away

The renowned manager and federation president achieved 892 victories in Cuba's National League. He guided the National Team to a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games.

The baseball community is grieving the death of Higinio Vélez Carrión, the president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, who died in Cuba on May 12 from complications related to COVID-19.

Baseball officials and national federations throughout the Americas, along with World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari, conveyed their shock and condolences to the global baseball community. Cuban media and politicians, including the president's office, also shared their grief and cherished memories of the Cuban baseball leader.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel tweeted that COVID-19 is affecting families and dreams.

Baseball Canada, the Dominican Republic Baseball Federation, the Nicaraguan Baseball Federation, the Pan Am Baseball Confederation (COPABE), the Panamanian Professional Baseball League, the Puerto Rican Baseball Federation, and the Venezuelan Baseball Federation all expressed their condolences to the Cuban Baseball Federation and community.

Vélez, born in 1947, graduated in Physical Education. As a manager in the Cuban National League (Serie Nacional), he achieved 892 game wins and led the National Team to a gold medal at the 1987 Pan Am Games.

In 2001, he resumed his role as the manager of the Cuban National Team after guiding Santiago de Cuba to three straight national championships from 1999 to 2001.

He guided Cuba to a 2001 Baseball World Cup victory in Taiwan, overcoming the 2000 Olympic Champions, the United States, in the final. Under his leadership, Cuba secured two additional World Cup titles (2003, 2005), an Olympic gold medal (2004), and a silver medal in the first World Baseball Classic.

Vélez had been the president of the Cuban Baseball Federation since 2008.