Higinio Vélez Carrión

Considered by Cubans as a high-class scholar, having displayed a striking collection of conquered titles: four in National Series three consecutive, two in selectivas and in the two only Revolution Cups celebrated, in addition to a panamerican title Indianapolis, 1987, and others in children's and youth categories.
Content

He began his studies for a Bachelor's degree at the Higher Institute of Physical Culture, ISCF "Comandante Manuel Fajardo" and acted as a relief pitcher for the team directed by René Massip and advised by Professor Juan Ealo, recognized technicians now deceased, an excellent roster of base players, which forced this easterner from the town of Dulce Nombre, Songo La Maya, to change his position from shortstop (acceptable batter as a youth) to that of relief pitcher.

A man of vast experience spanning 26 tournaments, with Mineros, Orientales, Santiago de Cuba and Serranos. With a total of 892 successes, 565 losses and an average of 612. In playoffs, he also had a good record (72-52) and because of this he won nine crowns (four national series, three selectivas and the two Revolution Cups that were held).

Appointed manager of the Cuba team to attend the XXXIV World Baseball Cup held in Taipei, China. Due to the results obtained on one occasion he took the reins of the national team: Indianapolis 1987 and came out victorious.

He has worked in Mexico, Nicaragua and much longer in Italy, where he served as director of Cubans who collaborated there in children's teams from different regions, which meant great learning, since he represented a country that excels in baseball.

Former helmsman of Santiago teams in domestic championships, Vélez guided the Cuba team in Athens 2004 to the conquest of the Olympic title, the last one obtained by the island in summer competitions. Furthermore, he triumphed in the World Cups of Havana 2003 and Holland 2005, while achieving the runner-up title in the First World Baseball Classic.

However, and despite the defeat in the Classic final against Japan, the performance of the Cuban team and the manager provoked unanimous praise, and dominated the front pages of most international press outlets. In that tournament Cuba defeated powerhouses like Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic, teams full of baseball superstars, and demonstrated the outstanding quality of baseball in Cuba, in addition to the shortages and constant defections. The first World Classic, categorized by technicians and specialists as the strongest tournament in the history of modern baseball, catapulted Velez's prestige to unsuspected levels, and many sports analysts even consider that this championship established his consecration as a director.

After three decades dedicated to baseball, he can be considered a winner in the complex art of commanding teams in a sport of high demand. He has followed the preparation of the national team players closely throughout time. With a face that shows happiness and satisfaction. He aspires to conquer glory, there where the sun is born, something that is known to him, although now the stage of battles is more distant.
Family

Amid all these labors that entail effort, dedication, tenacity, demands and much discipline, Higinio has managed to form a lovely family made up of his wife Griselda Rodríguez and children: Susana and Lester Michel.

However, this good father has not only blood running through his veins, but also baseballs, which is why an appropriate response is received when asking him in an interview about the meaning of baseball for him: to which he responds:

...A box of surprises. Until the last out there is no winner. Something unpredictable, even infinitely if you will, because you never find the end of the road. It is everything in my life, I would say more, a permanent school that teaches me something different every day.

Sometimes I hear it said that in baseball everything has been said and that is a great error. It is the only sport that forces you to modify rules and constantly change strategies because one situation looks nothing like the other. The counts, the outs, the scoreboard situation and the innings provoke different performances. Many modifications to the rules have been made because of the intelligence of the players. And this is very important, because it must be taken into account that on the field not only managers think and act.