This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ST. PETERSBURG -- Imagine starting your professional career at 16 or 17 years old, starting your young adult life by moving to a new country to do so, and not being able to speak a word of that country’s native language.
That scenario faced Ozzie Guillen when he first arrived in the United States from Venezuela in 1982 to play baseball.
Now, we move ahead to 2023, and Guillen received a regional Emmy nomination for Best Sports Analyst. His exceptional work is done completely in English, usually alongside Chuck Garfien on CHSN, marking the third highly successful career path for the 62-year-old.
From All-Star shortstop, to World Series winning manager, to astute, pointed and hilarious pregame and postgame broadcast work, Guillen has done it all. And all as part of the White Sox. It’s an even greater achievement knowing the road he traveled to get to this point, resulting in his White Sox jersey No. 13 officially being retired one week from today at Rate Field.
“First of all, don’t be afraid to make mistakes,” Guillen told MLB.com during a recent conversation. “That’s the number one thing. Second of all, believe in yourself and try to get better. The reason we come from another country to the best country in the world is to get a better life.
“That’s why I get a little bit irritated when people talk about immigrants. People who come here, try to make things better, try to take advantage of the opportunity and we did it. I was never afraid to live in the United States. It’s the reason I moved to Chicago. I moved when I should be leaving. It’s funny because in the beginning, you worry about what you are going to say.”
Guillen’s high level of baseball acumen -- beginning with his 1985 American League Rookie of the Year campaign through his present broadcasting days -- often gets overlooked because of his humorous commentary. Did that candor put him in tough situations from time to time over his career? There’s no doubt.
Then again, most of his players appreciated his honesty, as do the present-day White Sox fans.
“I’ve told guys, ‘What was it like playing for Ozzie?’” said Astros announcer Geoff Blum, who played for Guillen with the White Sox in the 2005 championship season. “I’m like, if you won the game, you were the best player in the league.
“If you lost the game for him, he was going to say you are the worst player in the league. It was a little give and take, but you knew what you were going to get. Nothing was ever surprising when you played for Ozzie. … He’s a character. I feel like he always represented the city of Chicago great and the organization.”
Just like anyone else, Guillen, a grandfather of four, has grown wiser over the years. He gives a great deal of credit to his wife, Ibis, who came to the United States in ’83, for helping navigate those early days.
“Being married with the right one. That’s why I don’t know what my life would be without her,” Guillen said. “She went through a lot. And first year she left the country, we lived in Beaumont, Texas. We'd never seen a hurricane, and in Texas and we are by ourselves and didn’t know what to do. We put the radio on, and I don’t know why because we don’t understand what they are saying.
“Very scary moment. Was it easy? No. But it was fun. There’s a lot of guys who don’t make it in the States -- players -- because so many things go through their mind: missing mommy, missing daddy, missing their friends. All of a sudden, nowadays we have the same food in the U.S. we had back home. Back then it was very different.”
Family, friends, former players and former teammates will be in Chicago for Guillen’s special night. Harold Baines, who also has his No. 3 retired by the White Sox, will be there to support his friend, as will White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, whom Guillen credits for presenting him all of these baseball opportunities.
There’s a great pride for Guillen to be part of the White Sox. There’s an even greater pride for Guillen to be a naturalized U.S. citizen, which took place on Jan. 20, 2006, in Chicago.
“I’m part of the country that give a lot of people big opportunities,” Guillen said. “Sometimes people talk about the gas, how hot it is. Listen guys, go to another country. It’s hotter than here, no gas, no water, no electricity.
“Appreciate every day where [you] are born. Nothing is perfect. I don’t think it’s the greatest, but it’s the best one. It’s the best one. They really take care of a lot of people not born in the United States. That’s why I have so much respect for them.”