In a letter to Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the U.S., Bernardo Álvarez, expressed his congratulations to the Venezuelan-born baseball player and highlighted that both his achievements in baseball and his humble response to a mistaken call by umpire Jim Joyce have made the Venezuelan people proud.

“For more than just your achievement I am proud to commend you for the attitude you displayed given the circumstances, notably after umpire Jim Joyce admitted his error in calling the Cleveland Indians player safe at first,” wrote Ambassador Álvarez in the letter dated June 4, 2010. “The professional decorum you displayed, much as your sensitivity when you declared to the media that ‘we are all human and we make mistakes,’ are demonstrations of your great sense of humanism that far surpasses the great dedication you have to your sport.”

“It makes us proud as Venezuelans…to know that you represent the best values of the Venezuelan people,” added Ambassador Álvarez in the letter.

During the June 2 game against the Indians, Galarraga was on his way to a perfect game – no hits over nine innings – when a late-game mistaken call by Joyce cost him the chance to be the first Tiger and 21st player in baseball history to reach the milestone. Joyce apologized to Galarraga for the call, and Galarraga humbly accepted that mistakes happen.

Galarraga has played in the Major Leagues since 2007, and is one of four Venezuelans playing for the Detroit Tigers. There are 58 Venezuelans playing for Major League teams in the 2010 season, a new record for the country.

Press and Communications Office of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the U.S./ June 4, 2010