1
CAPTIONING
OCTOBER 2, 2014
BOCC AWARDS & RECOGNITION CEREMONY
***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.
>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HOLDS A QUARTERLY AWARDS RECOGNITION CEREMONY TO THANK RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE THE COUNTY THROUGH VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, CIVIC APPOINTMENTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS.
WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THIS IS A GREAT DAY.
WE LOVE IT WHEN THE ROOM IS FULL OF HAPPY CITIZENS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE --
[LAUGHTER]
-- WITH THE PLEDGE AND THE PRAYER FROM COMMISSIONER MILLER.
WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, AGAIN, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR YOU ALLOWING US TO SEE ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAYS.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR GIVING US A PORTION OF HEALTH AND STRENGTH, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU ALLOW US TO DO.
FATHER, WE WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES AND THEIR TIME FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
THEIR VOLUNTEERISM WE RECOGNIZE TODAY, FATHER.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THEM.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING THEM OCCUPY PART OF THE SPACE THAT YOU ALLOW THEM TO OCCUPY AND THEM GIVING BACK TO YOU FOR THE SPACE THAT YOU ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR WILL AND THEIR WORK.
WE ASK YOU TO BE WITH THEM, GUIDE THEM, COMFORT THEM, AND KEEP THEM, AND CONTINUE TO PUT THEM ON THE RIGHT PATH TO DO THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO KEEP THINGS STRAIGHT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, YOU TAKE US BACK TO OUR HOMES TO FIND EVERYTHING SAFE AND SOUND.
THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.
AMEN.
> AMEN.
>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'VE GOT TWO MEMORANDUMS TO READ INTO THE RECORD.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM: I WILL BE UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S BOCC AWARDS CEREMONY DUE TO BEING UNDER THE WEATHER.
PLEASE READ MY MEMORANDUM INTO THE RECORD.
AND THEN I ALSO HAVE FROM COMMISSIONER BECKNER: I'M OUT OF TOWN VISITING FAMILY.
THIS TRIP WAS PLANNED PRIOR TO THE BOCC CHOOSING TODAY FOR THE AWARDS CEREMONY.
PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY CAUSE AND READ THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE INTO THE RECORD.
SO WE'VE DONE THAT.
AND, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON PLANNED WITH SOME GREAT AWARDS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
>KEN HAGAN: WELL, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I AM ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED TO PRESENT THIS FIRST COMMENDATION TO THE SOUTH BRANDON LITTLE LEAGUE FOR WINNING THE STATE TITLE AND COMING ONE GAME SHY OF MAKING THE WORLD SERIES IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL STARTED IN 1939 IN PENNSYLVANIA AND HAS GROWN TO BECOME THE LARGEST YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD.
ALL 50 STATES AND MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATE IN LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL.
WITH OVER 2.5 MILLION PLAYERS WORLDWIDE, IT IS TREMENDOUS HONOR TO WIN A LITTLE LEAGUE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH IS WHY WE WANT TO COMMEND THE SOUTH BRANDON LITTLE LEAGUE.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP MANAGER TONY SALADINO, III; WE HAVE COACHES OZ MALAVE; COACH GARY DELALLEY, AND WE HAVE SOME PLAYERS HERE.
PLAYERS, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS COME ON UP HERE TOO.
WE HAVE WITH US -- AND I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD IN A FEW MINUTES AND SAY THEIR NAME AND POSITION AS WELL, BUT WE HAVE MYLES CABA, LUKE CADWALLADER, BRENDON
GERENA-LEE, I BELIEVE -- I'M SORRY, IF I MISPRONOUNCE -- MARCOS HERRAND, McALLISTER JORGENSEN, MARCUS LAWRENCE, ADRIAN MALAVE, DALTON MARSH, DINO MARTIN, EION MULRENIN, NOAH SALADINO, MALACHI WOODSIDE, AND GAGE YOUNG.
CONGRATULATIONS, FELLAS.
> THANK YOU.
>KEN HAGAN: WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU.
I SAY THAT AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER BUT ALSO AS A FORMER LITTLE LEAGUE PLAYER AND COACH WHOSE SON PLAYS AT CITRUS PARK LITTLE LEAGUE.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS HONOR FOR YOU GUYS TO -- TO WIN THIS TITLE, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THESE ARE MEMORIES THAT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO FORGET.
I ALWAYS TELL THE COACHES THAT -- WHEN WE BRING THEM IN HERE THAT -- THANK THEM BECAUSE SOME OF LIFE'S GREATEST LESSONS ARE LEARNED ON THE BALL FIELDS, AND WHILE YOU GUYS ARE PLAYING BALL AND HAVING FUN, MAKING FRIENDS, YOU'RE ALSO LEARNING SOME OF LIFE'S GREATEST LESSONS, AND I WANT TO THANK THE COACHES FOR EVERYTHING THEY TEACH THESE YOUNG MEN, BOTH ON THE FIELD AND OFF THE FIELD.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO READ THIS COMMENDATION, WHICH STATES: THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COMMENDS THE SOUTH BRANDON LITTLE LEAGUE 11-12-YEAR-OLD BASEBALL ALL-STAR TEAM FOR ITS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON AND FOR ADVANCING TO THE SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT IN WARNER ROBINS, GEORGIA.
AS STATE CHAMPIONS, THE SOUTH BRANDON TEAM REPRESENTED FLORIDA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WITH DISTINCTION, UNDER MANAGER TONY SALADINO, III, AND COACHES OZ MALAVE AND GARY DELALLEY.
IN ALL, 52 TEAMS IN SIX REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS COMPETED FOR EIGHT SPOTS AT THE 2014 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.
THE SOUTH BRANDON LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM FELL ONE GAME SHY OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT WITH ITS REGIONAL AND SEMIFINAL LOSS TO THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS FROM SOUTH NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
WE RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK AND OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OF THE SOUTH BRANDON LITTLE LEAGUE 11-12 BASEBALL ALL-STAR TEAM AND COMMEND THE SOUTH BRANDON LITTLE LEAGUE, ITS PLAYERS, COACHES, PARENTS, AND SUPPORTERS, FOR CONTINUING TO ADVANCE THIS VOLUNTEER-BASED ORGANIZATION.
IT HAS BEEN A TREASURE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
AWARDED THIS 2nd DAY OF OCTOBER, 2014, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
AND BEFORE I HAVE THE COACHES COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND WHAT POSITION YOU PLAY.
> BRENDA GERENA-LEE, NUMBER 6.
I PLAY OUTFIELD AND PITCHER.
> HI.
MY NAME IS NOAH SALADINO, AND I PLAY OUTFIELD.
> MY NAME IS LUKE CADWALLADER, AND I PLAY EVERYWHERE BUT CATCHER.
[LAUGHTER]
MY NAME IS DALTON MARSH, AND I PLAY OUTFIELD.
> MY NAME IS GAGE YOUNG, AND I PLAY CATCHER.
> MY NAME IS MARCUS LAWRENCE, AND I PLAY CENTERFIELD.
> MY NAME IS McALLISTER JORGENSEN, AND I PLAY SECOND BASE.
> MY NAME IS MARCOS HERRAND, AND I PLAY THIRDBASE.
[LAUGHTER]
KEN HAGAN: DON'T BE SHY.
YOU'RE ON TV.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A DVD FOR YOU TO KEEP IT.
> THAT'S AWESOME.
MY NAME IS DOMINIC MARTIN, AND I--
[LAUGHTER]
-- I CATCH AND PLAY SECOND BASE.
> MY NAME IS ADRIAN MALAVE, AND I PLAY FIRST AND OUTFIELD.
> MY NAME IS MALACHI WOODSIDE, AND I PLAY SHORTSTOP.
> MY NAME IS MYLES CABA, AND I PLAY RIGHT FIELD.
> COACH OZ MALAVE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR HAVING US OVER HERE TODAY.
> HI.
MY NAME'S TONY SALADINO, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNTY FOR SURE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE TODAY.
IT'S A -- THESE KIDS HAD A -- I WAS REMINDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER THAT -- ONE OF THE KIDS TOLD ME, COACH, WE'VE ONLY HAD SIX DAYS OFF ALL SUMMER, SO THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT THESE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES AND THE PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY PUT INTO WHAT WE DID, WE CAN'T BE MORE THANKFUL TO EVERYBODY, AND IT WAS JUST A HECK OF A RUN THAT WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER, SO THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY AND ALL THE SUPPORTERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>KEN HAGAN: I HAVE TWO FINAL COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A GROUP PHOTO.
I WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK MANAGER TONY SALADINO.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT -- I'M SURE MANY IN THIS ROOM RECOGNIZE THAT NAME.
HIS FATHER, TONY SALADINO'S, WHO THE POPULAR TONY SALADINO TOURNAMENT IS AFTER HERE, THAT HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, PLAYED IN THROUGH THE YEARS.
I THINK -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 70 OR 80 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS HAVE PLAYED IN THAT TOURNAMENT, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, TONY AND YOUR FATHER, TO YOUR COMMITMENT TO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL HERE FOR DECADES HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARENTS OF THESE PLAYERS.
AS A PARENT OF A YOUNG SON AND DAUGHTER THAT PLAY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL, I KNOW THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE AND THE SACRIFICES YOU MAKE SO THESE BOYS CAN PLAY BALL, AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO SO THESE KIDS CAN COME OUT HERE AND LEARN AND HAVE FUN AND BE STATE CHAMPS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS, AND WHY DON'T WE TAKE A TEAM PHOTO HERE.
>RUSLANA PANOV: CAN YOU GUYS MAKE TWO ROWS, PLEASE.
> SHORT GUYS GET IN THE FRONT.
>RUSLANA PANOV: YEAH, SHORT GUYS...
VERY GOOD.
CAN WE MOVE THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT, ALL OF YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
STAND BY.
ONE MORE TIME.
ONE MORE TIME.
BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>KEN HAGAN: THESE NEXT TWO COMMENDATIONS ARE A REAL TREAT FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVE KNOWN AND ADMIRED THESE TWO GENTLEMEN FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HAVING FIRST COMPETED AGAINST THEIR RESPECTIVE TEAMS ON THE BASEBALL FIELDS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE BASEBALL COACH EMETERIO "POP"CUESTA FROM JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, WHO IS RETIRING AFTER 43 SEASONS; AND COACH FRANK PERMUY FROM GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL, WHO IS RETIRING AFTER 30 SEASONS.
ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINS OF BASEBALL COME FROM EUROPE, THE MODERN-DAY VERSION HAS ITS ROOTS PLANTED FIRMLY IN THE UNITED STATES.
BASEBALL IS SO INGRAINED IN OUR CULTURE THAT IT IS CONSIDERED OUR NATIONAL SPORT.
MANY OF THE GREATEST NAMES IN BASEBALL GOT THEIR START IN HIGH SCHOOL AND OWE SOME OF THEIR SUCCESS TO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COACHES.
THIS IS AMONG THE MANY REASONS WHY WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND SERVICE TO STUDENTS AND ATHLETES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
YOU HAVE IMPRESSIVE RECORDS WITH THE JEFFERSON DRAGONS AND GAITHER COWBOYS, INCLUDING PRODUCING SOME LEGENDARY BASEBALL PLAYERS.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP COACH POP CUESTA AND COACH FRANK PERMUY TO PLEASE COME FORWARD.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST IN THE ENTIRE NATION.
HAVING PERSONALLY COMPETED HERE AT CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL, I CAN SAY, WITHOUT QUESTION -- BUT ALSO THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE FACT THAT MORE MAJOR LEAGUERS HAVE COME OUT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAN ANYWHERE IN THE NATION, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE BIG REASON WHY WE HAVE SUCH A POWERHOUSE OF A BASEBALL PROGRAM HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS DUE TO THESE TWO GENTLEMEN.
IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES, WE HAVE LEGENDS LIKE TAMPA'S OWN HALL OF FAMER TONY La RUSSA; IN COLLEGE RANKS -- AND AS A GATOR, IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS, BUT WE HAVE LEGENDS LIKE FSU'S MIKE MARTIN.
WELL, IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THESE TWO GENTLEMEN ARE OUR LEGENDS.
I'M GOING TO READ BOTH THESE PROCLAMATIONSAND THEN ASK COACH CUESTA AND COACH PERMUY TO PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS.
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION TO EMETERIO "POP"CUESTA"
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONGRATULATES POP CUESTA ON THE OCCASION OF HIS WELL-EARNED RETIREMENT FROM COACHING BASEBALL AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL.
WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE MANY YEARS OF HARD WORK AND TIRELESS EFFORT HE'S PUT FORTH IN EDUCATING STUDENTS AND HELPING INSTILL A LOVE OF HEALTHY COMPETITION IN HIS ATHLETES.
POP CUESTA, A MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME, FINISHES AFTER 43 SEASONS AND 645 WINS AT JEFFERSON.
DURING HIS TENURE AS COACH, HE HAS SENT OVER 30 OF HIS PLAYERS ON TO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY, INCLUDING LUIS GONZALEZ, TINO MARTINEZ, AND FRED McGRIFF.
THE SUCCESS OF HIS STUDENTS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY MARK A LASTING LEGACY TO A MAN MANY LOOK TO AS THEIR FIRST MENTOR.
COACH CUESTA, A LIFELONG HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT, WAS BORN IN YBOR CITY AND GREW UP WITH AN INTENSE LOVE FOR BASEBALL.
HE CREDITS HIS EARLY TRAINING IN BASEBALL TO ANDREW ESPOLITA, WHO COACHED FOR THE TAMPA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, POP PLAYED SEMIPROLEAGUE BALL WITH THE TAMPA SCRAPPERS, BEFORE GOING ON TO LEAD AN EXTREMELY LONG, SUCCESSFUL, AND WELL-RESPECTED CAREER AS THE JEFFERSON DRAGON'S HEAD BASEBALL COACH.
HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND AWARDS ARE NUMEROUS, AND THE ADMIRATION FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY OF FELLOW COACHES, PARENTS, AND ATHLETES IS WELL EARNED.
WE COMMEND COACH EMETERIO "POP"CUESTA FOR HIS PASSION TOWARD HIS ATHLETES AND THE GAME THAT BECAME THE FOCUS OF HIS LIFE, AND WE WISH HIM A RETIREMENT RICH WITH OPPORTUNITY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.
AWARDED THIS 2nd DAY OF OCTOBER, 2014, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THE NEXT PROCLAMATION -- OR COMMENDATION I'M GOING TO READ IS AWARDED TO FRANK PERMUY.
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONGRATULATES FRANK PERMUY ON THE OCCASION OF HIS WELL-EARNED RETIREMENT FROM COACHING BASEBALL AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL.
WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE MANY YEARS OF HARD WORK AND TIRELESS EFFORT HE'S PUT FORTH IN EDUCATING STUDENTS AND HELPING INSTILL A LOVE OF THE SPORT IN HIS ATHLETES.
COACH PERMUY HAS SERVED AS THE ONLY BASEBALL COACH IN GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL'S 30-YEAR HISTORY.
HIS COWBOYS HAVE WON TEN DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS AND ADVANCED TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2005.
HE STARTED HIS HEAD COACHING CAREER IN 1971 AT LETO HIGH SCHOOL IN TAMPA, COACHING THE BASEBALL TEAM AND THE JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM.
HE THEN WENT ON TO UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA, WHERE HE WAS THE HEAD BASEBALL COACH.
IN 1982, HE CONTINUED HIS BASEBALL COACHING CAREER AT TAMPA CATHOLIC HIGH.
IN THAT YEAR, HE LED HIS TEAM TO A STATE TITLE AND FOLLOWED IT WITH A DISTRICT TITLE THE NEXT YEAR.
ALONG WITH HIS 1982 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, PERMUY WAS HONORED WITH THE CLASS 3A STATE COACH-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD.
HE IS A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE FACA HALL OF FAME AND WAS INDUCTED INTO THE FHSAA HALL OF FAME IN 2010.
FRANK PERMUY'S ALMOST 40-YEAR CAREER AS A BASEBALL COACH HAS RESULTED IN MORE THAN 500 WINS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MORE THAN 600 WINS OVERALL.
HE'S ALSO THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE BAY AREA BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION.
MANY FORMER PLAYERS AND COACHES TRACE THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH BASEBALL BACK TO COACH PERMUY.
INCLUDED AMONG HIS NOTABLE COACHING STUDENTS ARE MLB FORMER PLAYER AND CURRENTCOACH DAVE MAGADAN, AND ST. LOUIS CARDINALS SHORTSTOP OSCAR MERCADO.
SOME OF HIS STUDENTS WENT ON TO COACHING CAREERS OF THEIR OWN AT SEVERAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING WHARTON, JESUIT, ALONSO, AND ROBINSON.
GAITHER'S BASEBALL FIELD IS WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTY, THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF COACH PERMUY.
WHILE THE COWBOY BASEBALL FIELD HAS STATE-OF-THE-ART LIGHTING AND AN IMPRESSIVE BATTING CAGE, CONCESSION STAND, AND CLUBHOUSE DUE TO HIS FUNDRAISING PROWESS, FRANK'S TRUE LEGACY LIVES IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF HIS STUDENTS AND FELLOW COACHES.
WE COMMEND FRANK PERMUY FOR TOUCHING THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THROUGH HIS LOVE, ONE OF THE NATION'S FAVORITE SPORTS, BASEBALL.
AWARDED THIS 2nd DAY OF OCTOBER, 2014, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO PRESENT THESE COMMENDATIONS TO COACH PERMUY AND COACH CUESTA, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THEM TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
[APPLAUSE]
> I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THIS FINE COMMENDATION.
YOU KNOW, ME AND FRANK, WE GREW UP IN YBOR CITY TOGETHER.
I PLAYED WITH KENNY'S DADPONY AND COLT BASEBALL, SO I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
SOMEONE ASKED ME IF I WAS GOING TO MISS IT.
YES, I'M GOING TO MISS IT, BUT I THINK ME AND FRANK, SINCE WE RETIRED, WE HAVEN'T LOST A GAME, AND WE KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, SO WE'RE DOING FINE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
> I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I'M A LITTLE OLDER THAN POP.
WE DO GO BACK TOGETHER -- WE ACTUALLY WENT TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP SCHOOL AT THE TIME, AND POP WAS THE LAST ALL-CITY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYER FROM OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT HE ACTUALLY WAS A BASKETBALL PLAYER, BUT THAT'S WHERE HE STARTED IN SPORTS.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M A LITTLE OLDER.
I ACTUALLY COACHED KEN'S DAD IN AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL WAY BACK WHEN I FIRST STARTED, SO WE GO BACK A LONG -- WE ALL GO BACK A LONG WAY.
WE OWE -- I THINK WE OWE EVERYTHING TO ANDREW ESPOLITA.
I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE PROCLAMATION -- ONE OF THE PROCLAMATIONS, IN POP'S.
HE WAS A COACH AT THE SKATING PARK PLAYGROUND, AND I THINK WE WERE ALL INTRODUCED TO BASEBALL THROUGH HIM, AND BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME, SO FAR AHEAD OF HIMSELF AT THAT TIME, WE REALLY LEARNED THE GAME, AND I DON'T THINK I LEARNED ANY MORE BASEBALL UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT'S A GREAT TRIBUTE TO HIM.