By Nathan Pace
InkFreeNews
Wilson Valera has has played baseball all over the country but Elkhart, Indiana is where he has settled. Valera is the manager for the Elkhart Miracle, a team now in its second season.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Valera feels Elkhart is home now.
“Made Elkhart home in the last three years. Plenty of Dominican family here, have a church with 20 family members who attend. A lot of my family already has a house over here. We have a little Dominican town over here already.”
Valera played in the minor league organizations for Cleveland Indians, New York Mets and the Chicago White Socks for a total of eight seasons. One of his last assignments was with the South Bend White Sox in 1988.
With his playing career winding down, Valera became a bullpen catcher for the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds. It was during this time where Valera was able to build friendships with Major League Baseball players such as Barry Larkin, Deion Sanders and Barry Bonds. His coaching career began in 1996 in the Dominican Summer League.
“I love teaching young kids baseball,” Valera said. “If you give them the right information they will grow into a great player in the future. I’m a Christian and I love to teach what I have. The Bible says they you should give the good things you have received to other people. I am very happy with what I have and I would love to give it to somebody else.”
Baseball in the Dominican Republic is the top sport and the number of professional baseball players from the country is proof of the nation’s passion towards the game. Valera says his hometown in the Dominican has produced 1,000 professional baseball players despite having a population under 50,000 people.
“Baseball has been in my whole life. This is what I know. I’ve been around baseball for many years. This is what I love I have a lot of family that have been playing professionally in my town,” Valera said.
The Miracle began their season on June 6, with a 3-2 win. The team plays in the Northern League and consists of college players and minor league prospects.
“It’s a lot guys who for some reason haven’t made it to play professional but they keep dreaming to play professional baseball. I try to help them the most that I can to help their dream come true,” Valera said.
With the Miracle, Valera does a bit of everything, from helping bring players on to the team assisting in the groundskeeping. The team plays games at American Park north of Elkhart Freshman Academy.
He still plays baseball when he can with a team that travels to the Dominican in October.
“I like to exercise and the physical conditioning. I’m always in the field doing something,” Valera said.
The season for the Miracle is a short one lasting roughly two months. Valera hopes his team can be an inspiration to area youth during the summer months.
“The name of the team is Miracle,” Valera said. “I believe in miracles and second chances. I believe that if you put everything in God’s hands everything can be possible. We can show players over here in high school and college that it’s another level. Something that they can come and see. When little leaguers come to watch the game we can give them something to take home and learn from that.”
