Travels with Coach Mac
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to be invited as a guest coach in other countries more than 60 times. And what an adventure it has been! I rarely turn down invitations to hop a plane and go meet new people though the great game of baseball. One of the best aspects is having the opportunity to include some of my family, best friends and coaching colleagues to help with clinics. Of course, the best part is meeting new friends and experiencing the best that each culture and community has to offer. We travel light, laugh often and never turn down a meal!
In 2012, we’ll be heading to San Perdo de Macoris, Paris and Augsburg Germany!
Dominican Republic
Coach Mac on the Dominican Republic: A wonderful, joyful country I have visited many times that is simply one of the best spots on Earth! A rich culture brimming with ideas, literature, music, dance, food and soul force. As gracious and welcoming a group of people one could ever hope to meet. Of course, they produce by far the most professional ballplayers per capita of any country and coaching there is an unforgettable experience! We spend most of our time in an incredible town called Consuelo, a suburb of San Perdo de Macoris. I especially appreciate the many outstanding meals we have shared in the homes of Dominicans like the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Pepe and Angie Frias, General Geurrero and his wife Sulaeca, Domingo and Antonia Abreu and many families who have opened their homes and hearts to us! Muchas gracias mi amigos!
Japan Trip
In 2010, I visited Tokyo to spend the last part of the season with the Chiba Lotte Marines and their manager Bobby Valentine. Team executives Larry Rocca (a great teammate along the way), Paul Pupo and Bench Coach Frank Ramppen could not have been more welcoming! The Japanese people and culture made a lasting impression on me. On the final day of the season I had the privilege of helping Bobby hand out 20,000 thank you cards he signed individually to the Marine fans.
Coach Mac on Tokyo: “Visiting Tokyo and Kyoto was simply unforgettable. From the graciousness of the Japanese people to the culture to the baseball, I appreciated every second I was there. I was given a tour of the Kyoto gardens and temples, as well as a Shogun Fortress and the Emperors Palace in Tokyo. The level of detail and care from the gardeners was on another level. I also had a chance to eat at some outstanding Tokyo restaurants with Bobby and his staff. The chef at top of the Roppongi Tower was five stars! One thing I noticed was how respectfully Bobby and the people of Japan treated each other. Domo Arigato – I’ll be back Edo!”
Cuba
Coach Mac on Havana: “I was asked to bring along an all star team of kids from the DC when the Orioles went to Havana to play the Cuban National team in March 1999. I choose an economically diverse and talented squad for the weeklong trip. We played four games against their Cuban counterparts as a build up to the O’s Cuban game.”
“I appreciated the incredible Cuban hospitality and culture. We toured the Olympic Development Institute, public schools and historic sites. However, exploring Havana with my assistant coaches was unforgettable. Every single Cuban citizen we encountered was gracious and welcoming and often invited us to share a beverage and listen to some music. They have a rich culture and boast one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Over 600 international journalists covered this groundbreaking trip. One memory: Orioles Second Baseman Delino DeShields, a broken wrist in a cast, came on the trip anyway. I asked him why not stay back in Ft. Lauderdale? He said he wanted to come to thank the Cuban people in person for their graciousness in hosting the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson for their 1947 spring training. Nice.”
Ralph Avila, VP of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and John at the National Portrait Gallery for an unveiling of Pedro Martinez’s painting on March 25, 2011. Ralph was John’s first host in the Dominican Republic, inviting him to be a guest coach at the Dodgers Academy Campo Las Palmas. Ralph developed many Major Leaguers for the Dodgers including Ramon and Pedro Martinez, Raul Mondesi, Mariano Duncan, Pedro Guererro, Jose Offerman and Adrian Beltre, among others.
