Braves center fielder Nate McLouth is bilingual, and has found that knowing Spanish builds teamwork, even during a game.
In high school, I had to choose between learning German or Spanish. My mom is half-German, and my younger brother Jake is fluent in that and Spanish. With me coming into baseball, Spanish was the right decision.
In the lower levels of baseball, the percentage of Spanish-speaking players is maybe even 30 percent. When I was in the minors, I would sometimes watch Spanish TV. The more you hear, the more you understand.
I’m so happy I made the effort. Speaking their language, I made a lot of friends. I knew the basics, and could kind of translate. A lot of baseball words are the same in both languages, but Spanish has helped me bridge the gap between American and Spanish-speaking players.
Last month [August], when Randall Delgado [from Panama] got called up to pitch, [Braves catcher] Brian McCann came up to me before the game. McCann was pretty sure they had the signs down, but he wanted me to make absolutely sure. I like being able to bring people together.
My Spanish would come more into play if I were an infielder. I see Martin Prado, who has crystal clear English, sometimes help a Spanish-speaking pitcher and American catcher communicate.
The language barrier makes it hard to know each other as teammates and friends. When I was in Pittsburgh, some players were even having a hard time understanding what the manager was saying. But Jose Bautista, who speaks perfect English, spoke Spanish to me to help me out.
I still mess up some words. Once in Pittsburgh I was trying to say in Spanish that I was embarrassed. Instead I said I was pregnant. I got a good laugh out of the team for that.
Knowing Spanish, I’ve discovered some guys are different people than what you see. Because they don’t feel as comfortable talking in English, people don’t get to know them as well or their personality. The view of them is not always the true one that comes when they speak in their own language.
Being bilingual has influenced my vacations. My wife and I have gone to countries with Latin cultures. We went to Mexico, and next is the Dominican Republic.
Outside of baseball, I don’t speak Spanish much. But it’s something I work on. If I hear someone saying something I don’t understand, I ask. I learn new stuff every day, different words. Once my playing career is over, I figure it can’t hurt.
Reported by Michelle Hiskey
