 As
you look at aging are there any particular people who you feel are
role models for vital aging?
I just had an opportunity to get together with a great role model
for aging . . .Buck O’Neil [former star player and manager
in the Negro Leagues and chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball
Museum]. He’s 93 years old and you’d never know it.
He’s in great shape. He still works very hard, but he’s
so happy. He’s always smiling, never angry. He takes great
care of himself, but you can see that he just enjoys every moment.
Buck’s going to live a long, long time.
Your father lived until he was 94, what was
his secret to longevity?
A lot of it had to do with our life in Cuba where he lived his whole
life. We lived on a farm. My father worked his entire life there.
We always were walking, always active. We walked everywhere. No
cars. We also had good, fresh food all around us. If you were hungry,
you just grabbed fruit from the trees. We ate lots of chicken. We
had lots of vegetables. It was healthy. He also had family around
him all the time. We didn’t have a lot, but we were very happy.
He had a great attitude.
Are there big differences as to how we approach
aging in the U.S. versus Cuba?
In Cuba, the tradition is that parents and grandparents go live
with their kids. They’re not in nursing homes. There is always
family around. I have nine brothers and sisters. I was living here
in Minnesota, but my parents were looked after by my brothers and
sisters. Older and younger people are together a lot more there
because the focus is on families being together. In this country,
people go there own way more . . . there’s more focus on independence.
How often do you get back to Cuba?
I used to get there every year, but now because of the travel restrictions
between the U.S. and Cuba, I can only go back every three years.
I have a lot of family in Cuba. Even though I don’t go there
every year I can talk to them on the phone. I do that a lot.
You’re approaching your mid-60s, are
you doing any planning as to how you want to live in your 80s, 90s
or 100s?
Only God knows for sure what our future is going to be. We have
made some changes to our home. Gordette and I would like to continue
living there. It’s home. The bedrooms used to be on the third
floor. We changed the layout, though. Now our main living area and
the bedrooms are on one floor. This will make it easier so that
we don’t have climb stairs all the time.
How are you different today than when you
were in your 20s or 30s?
I think I’m a lot more patient than I used to be. But a big,
big difference for me – and I’m very proud of it –
is my English. I speak very well today. That’s taken a lot
of work. It wasn’t easy. I knew no English when I came to
the U.S. in 1961. People would sometimes laugh at the way I spoke.
Gordette worked with me a lot. I kept working at it, and working
at it. I’m still learning and improving. That’s one
thing that’s never changed about me. I like to get better.
I like to learn. That will stay with me no matter my age.
Your will to continually learn seems to be
a key to your “living fully after 50” – what are
other ones?
Family. Family is so important to me. I talk to my family in Cuba
all the time. Gordette and I together have a very big family. It’s
a big part of my life.
Attitude. I love life. I grew up poor.
I never knew it. I always had fun. All of us mingled together, played
and enjoyed life. I enjoy every moment – every day.
Enjoying what I do. To me work isn’t
work. I love people. I love baseball. I get to combine the two in
my work with the Twins and Major League Baseball. I have fun every
day.
Exercise. I work out every morning at
the athletic club. I stretch 15-20 minutes, do exercises for my
back and then ride a bike for 30 minutes. It feels good. I also
watch what I eat. I still eat what I want, but I eat less of it.
What does the word “home” mean
to you?
To me, home is where you want to be. You are happy there. You’re
around your family. It’s the place where you feel comfortable,
you can relax. You have food that you like, your bed is comfortable.
I do miss Cuba. That will always be home. But I also have a great
home here in Minnesota.
Are there any stereotypes that you’d
like to see changed about aging?
That people should quit working when they get older. Look at Buck
O’Neil, he’s still working and he’s almost 100.
That’s why he looks so young, he loves doing what he’s
doing. To me work is fun. I enjoy being around people. My job helps
me bring joy to people. We get a lot from each other. I don’t
have any plans to retire.
You’ve spent more than 40 years associated
with the Minnesota Twins. What’s your most memorable moment
as part of the Minnesota Twins?
For me it was winning the American League pennant in 1965. It was
like a dream. You work your whole life for something like that and
then it happens. It was amazing. It will always be very special
to me.
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