In the wake of Ozzie Guillen’s final appearance as a member of the White Sox, I think we owe this athlete a debt of gratitude. Since his arrival here in 1985, Ozzie has been a terrific role model and exemplified the meaning of genuine sportsmanship and dedication.
But besides the excellent achievements that he made on the field, perhaps his greatest legacy will be his personality. Any baseball fan knows that Ozzie rarely refused an autograph and often shook hands with fans and posed for pictures.
As a 20 year-old, my fondest baseball memory occurred about 10 years ago when Ozzie tossed me a baseball and came over to say hello. In an age when role models in the sports world are few, Ozzie’s fan-friendliness has touched thousands of young baseball fans, including myself.
I see this outgoing ballplayer as someone who has broken the stereotype that “Nice guys finish last.” I would like to thank Ozzie for his perseverance and optimism and for helping some of my childhood baseball dreams come true.
