'El padrino' Jarrín on his work: 'An honor'

Legendary Spanish radio broadcaster Jaime Jarrín vividly remembers his first World Series.

The year was 1959. Jarrín was 24.

He called the World Series home games for his beloved Dodgers from a booth at Los Angeles Coliseum. He broadcast the away games against the Chicago White Sox in front of a television in a studio in L.A. These days, he calls away games from a monitor in an empty Dodger Stadium and jokes that it feels like being in a time machine.

“1959 was an amazing year for baseball,” Jarrín, 85, said. “I remember being very green and nervous. We recreated games from the television for the fans back then. Things are better now for Spanish broadcasts, but they can always get better.”

Jarrín is an expert when it comes to broadcasting baseball games in Spanish. He was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 as a recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, and is currently in his 62nd season as the Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers. He is the longest-tenured active baseball radio broadcaster in the game and the dean of Spanish broadcasters.

He is known as “el padrino,” the Spanish word for the godfather. To others he is “el maestro,” which means the teacher.

“I am just pleased to be able to serve my community, because when I do a game, I am not relating what's going on the field, I’m also giving the audience some type of entertainment,” Jarrín said. “There are so many people who work so hard, especially in our communities, and to be able to give them baseball in their own language is an honor for me.”

During his illustrious career, Jarrín has called three perfect games, 21 no-hitters, 29 World Series, 26 All-Star Games and countless postseason series. He’s also called closed to three dozen world championship boxing matches.

“The atmosphere for the World Series is so unique and wonderful,” Jarrín said. “The games are a celebration, and for me, there is nothing like it. It also pleases me to see so many of my friends working at these events and enjoying the experience as much as I do.”

Jarrín was first made famous around the world when he served as Fernando Valenzuela’s interpreter during Fernandomania in 1981. His efforts helped baseball grow into a global game and make Spanish broadcasts of MLB games the norm, not the exception.

Today, most teams have some version of a Spanish broadcast, either on radio or television. Jarrín’s success and ability to show the importance of the Spanish market is part of the reason why.

“Jaime is jewel for baseball globally,” said Angels broadcaster Jose Mota, a bilingual journalist who can broadcast games in English and Spanish. “He’s always had a sense for community engagement, learning and teaching through his broadcasts. My career is better because of him, and I know there are others who can say the same things. Baseball as a whole is better because of him.”

“Baseball is considered America’s pastime, and even though he was not born in the United States, Jaime is an important part of its history,” said Polo Ascencio, who calls Cardinals games in Spanish. “But that’s what makes this pastime so great. There is a blending of all of these voices in English and Spanish with the same goal of entertaining the audience while also knowing how privileged we are to be broadcast into homes.”

It’s been quite a journey for Jarrín.

He studied journalism and broadcasting at Central University of Ecuador in Quito and came to the United States at age 16. He was drawn to the sport after watching the Brooklyn Dodgers win the 1955 World Series. A newsman by trade, Jarrín was the news and sports director at Los Angeles Spanish radio station KWKW when the Dodgers moved west in ‘58. He became the play-by-play voice for the team when KWKW bought the Spanish-language rights to Dodgers’ games the next year. The rest is history.

Together, Jarrín and fellow Hall of Famer Vin Scully, who called Dodgers games in English, formed a legendary duo for almost 60 seasons.

“My career has been beyond my wildest dreams,” Jarrín said. “I was a newsman that learned baseball. I never imagined this would happen, but I am very appreciative to all who have supported me. The Dodgers have been great with me all of these years, and I’m very grateful to them.”

In addition to Cooperstown, Jarrín was also inducted into the California Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame, the California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum. His long list of honors includes awards from the Southern California Sports Broadcasters and Associated Press Television-Radio Association, the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Jarrín, who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has also received the La Gran Cruz al Merito en El Grado de Comendador in Ecuador. He was inducted into the Dodgers' Ring of Honor in 2018.

“Jaime’s resume speaks for itself. But also remember that there are seven generations of baseball fans in the United States and Latin America that have grown up listening to him. Think about that,” said Padres Spanish broadcaster Eduardo Ortega, who is in his 34th season with San Diego and 40th in baseball. “Spanish broadcasts go hand in hand with the growth of baseball, the globalization of the game and the marketing of players from all over the world. We are very fortunate to be part of this group and to have Jaime lead us as one of the biggest names in the history of the sport.”

Jarrín’s biggest accomplishment came in late 2019, when he established the Jaime and Blanca Jarrín Foundation to honor his late wife’s generous spirit and family legacy while helping Latino students further their education in journalism and law. Blanca died of a heart attack in early 2019.

“The generosity of my wife is immensely rich, and I want to continue the empathy she showed, and I know I can rally honor her memory,” Jarrín said after forming the foundation. “I will try my best to be very successful, because I know she is in heaven smiling at us. I want Blanca to be very proud of the organization.”

The Jaime and Blanca Jarrín Foundation held its inaugural event at the end of 2019 and more events are scheduled in the future. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to offer 268,000 meals to those in need.

“Personally, the foundation is something that helps us to keep mom’s memory alive and [display] what she instilled in us. But it’s also something that helps maintain my father’s legacy and what he means to the Latino community that he serves,” said Jaime’s son Jorge, who also works as a Spanish broadcaster with the Dodgers. “I want Latinos to be proud and point to him as an example of what hard work can accomplish and the impact it can have.”

MLB and its reach across the globe, especially in Spanish-speaking countries, would not be the same without Jarrín. He works for the Dodgers, but he belongs to the world.

“The Dodgers tell me I have a lifetime contract, but I really don’t know how much longer I will do it,” he said. “Maybe this is my last year, maybe next year or in two years. I really don’t know. It all has to do with my health and how I am feeling. I’m 85 now and feeling great, so who knows?”

In his perfect scenario, Jarrín would wrap up the 2020 season in the booth with the Dodgers winning World Series title at home. No matter how it ends, his legacy is already secure.

“Every time somebody turns on the radio, their computer, their phone to listen to a game in Spanish, we are getting invited into their house,” Ascencio said. “And just knowing that we are part of the soundtrack of summer and soundtrack of life for Spanish speakers in this country and across the world is an honor. For a lot of us, Jaime made that possible. He continues to show how important Spanish broadcasts are to baseball.”