Rene Cardenas inducted into Astros Hall
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Ángel Cantú, Contributor
- August 18, 2024
Rene Cardenas and Ken Caminiti enter Astros Hall
Alongside his wife and his family observing from home plate, Rene Cardenas was inducted into the 2024 Class of the Astros Hall of Fame. An exuberant Cardenas proudly sported the distinguished orange blazer as he received his plaque Saturday afternoon before the Astros faced the White Sox at Minute Maid Park.
Cardenas, who was the first Spanish language broadcaster for the Dodgers, Astros and Rangers, opened the doors for many Latino broadcasters in today’s game.
The 94-year-old broadcaster started his career with the Dodgers before accepting a role with Houston. Cardenas knew he couldn’t deny a personal request by Colt .45’s owner Roy Hofheinz.
Cardenas spent the next 14 seasons in the Astros’ booth calling games in Spanish before he returned to his country. He later returned to the Astros radio call in 2007. A grateful Cardenas couldn’t hold back smiles at Minute Maid Park.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen to me, but it did,” Cardenas said. “In my 94 years it seems like it was when I joined the Colt 45’s in 1962 and it seems to me like it was yesterday when we played our first spring training game in Apache Junction.
“I have Astros all over me. I think I have Astros blood.”
Cardenas an inspiration
The native of Managua, Nicaragua, set the foundation for Spanish radio broadcasts in Major League Baseball. He helped the Colt .45s and Astros gain popularity among Latino communities in Texas. In 1966, Cardenas created the first international radio network for the Astros. The network reached 13 different countries.
By doing this Cardenas helped the Astros recruit players from South and Central America. He also gave a hope to Latinos in the media.
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Current Astros Spanish play-by-play radio broadcaster Francisco Romero was emotional as Cardenas spoke at his press conference Saturday.
Rene Cardenas mentored Romero. The Nogales, Sonora native, became the voice for the current Spanish broadcast with the help of Cardenas. Romero was inspired by Cardenas when he listened to Cardenas’ radio call from Mexico. Romero and Cardenas still hold a very close relationship.
“I used to listen to him as a 12 year-old kid,” Romero said. “When I moved to this country I couldn’t listen to him because the Spanish games were not in Tuscan so I listened to Vin Scully. I listened to (Rene Cardenas) as a kid.
“I thought being a broadcaster was something I could never reach. But what he did was able to pave the road for us to reach for what at one time was unreachable.”
Ken Caminiti honored
The late third baseman Ken Caminit joined Cardenas in this year’s Hall of Fame class. The three-time Gold Glover was represented by his three daughters and his former wife Nancy, whom graciously accepted the 1996 MVP’s orange jacket.
The three women, Kendall, Nicole, and Lindsey reminisced about their favorite baseball memory. Kendall’s favorite memory involved her father receiving lots of Snickers bars after Caminiti had two home runs in a series in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1996. He famously claimed to have had a Snickers bar to feel better before starring in a game for the Padres against the Mets.
Caminiti spent eight years in Houston before being traded to the San Diego Padres in 1994. He played four seasons in San Diego before returning to the Astros for two more seasons. In 2001 he had stints with the Rangers and Braves.
“It’s different being here because this is home,” Kendall Caminiti said. “We grew up here. He fought to come back to the Astros from the Padres. I found out that from his agent Rick Licht. Detroit really wanted him and he was like, ‘Absolutely not, I want to go home with my girls in Houston.’’’
Both men are equally deserving of being recognized by the Astros. For Cardenas, he hopes this award can help him get to Cooperstown, N.Y., and win the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence.
Ángel Cantú
Contributor
Our Esquina contributor Ángel Cantú is a co-host for the Full Seam Ahead podcast. He joined Teach for America after graduating from Texas A&M University. He is currently a fourth grade teacher at KIPP Public Schools in Houston.
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