Retirement of Carlos Martí.

Photo: Taken from the author's Facebook profile.

Dear Teacher:

Rarely, and I would dare to say that I don't remember any in our National Series, is a mentor retired.

And he sees that they have passed good and bright.

Without the arrogance, arrogance or luck of others.

His aché was unique and natural: humility, charisma, sincerity and love for his homeland and his players.

For this reason, by dint of being sincere, I applaud the initiative of giving him a ceremony with a drive-in, suit, recount report, family by his side, flowers, painting and applause.

Only that it was not necessary to rush her into an inauguration where there was barely an audience to applaud him and not even the organizations of the territory could give him what they give abundantly to the players in the farewell.

I know that his modesty is as high as the hills of his native Granma and that later he will tell me in a phone call that "I

But professor, you deserved a packed Mártires de Barbados stadium as you filled it with your

, a painting and a couple of hugs from the presidency and the Matanzas and Granma teams.

I'm talking about details that sometimes we lose in the haste of a tribute.

The gigantography inaugurated with his face should have been accompanied by the retirement of the number 45 for any future player or coach in the territory and in Cuba.

That 45 is yours.

He should go to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame when he returns together with Linares' 10, Casanova's 14, Muñoz's 5, Kindelán's 46 or Vinent's 35, just to name the last exalted.

I know about their emotions and how many memories flashed through their eyes while reading their chronicled sports record.

I liked that at least Alfredo Despaigne hugged him at that moment.

He is one of those who gratefully owes his sports career, because when nobody wanted him in Santiago de Cuba, you supported him as a father and coach.

He gave him confidence and watched him grow to immensity.

I wanted to write these lines perhaps before the retreat and deliver them to him at home, sitting next to the mother he cares for and loves so much.

There are few people in Cuban baseball who inspire so much respect and affection, even for opponents.

He never stopped being raw and tough when the occasion called for it.

I saw him defend one or more of his players with his nails for a team that would play abroad with a single argument:

Since the letters cannot be very long and even less for social networks, allow me to dismiss you journalistically with one of the teachings that you gave me on one occasion, after reading an article in the pages of the newspaper and listening to its radio version days later.

He told me then: "

And that he achieved by far in more than four decades.

His seat, his cap, his parsimony when going out to discuss, his firmness, his love for Cuba and for Fidel, no one will ever be able to forget him.

That is Carlos Marti.

To whom did I owe this farewell letter?

Postscript:

A hug, Joel García... and perhaps all the people of Cuba.