On January 23, 2023, when Las Tunas welcomed the triumph of Agricultores in the 1st Elite League of Cuban Baseball, Abeysi Pantoja entered the city with a major challenge: to take the reins of the Leñadores (Lumberjacks) with the conviction of remaining in the aristocracy, although immersed in a generational renewal.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- At that time, his first words to the press were "taking this nomination with great humility." A couple of seasons later, modesty prevails; instead, the achievements stripped him of the terseness of yesteryear, after becoming the most successful manager in the province.
While crowning in the 63rd National Series, at the Julio Antonio Mella Stadium, the mentor reached an eighth victory in the finals before thousands of green and red fans, placing him as the greatest exponent in the territory. However, these statistics demand little attention for someone who makes work religion and prioritizes the common good above the rest.
"Every manager and athlete, indeed, aspire to have results, but I assimilate it as the fruit of the many years and multiple coaches. I had to be in charge of these players, so I thank them all for what they have done so that this team is champion for two consecutive seasons."
Without falling into excesses of confidence, Pantoja spread among his own the desire to protect the privileged place, knowing that he commands a group with the ambition to compete, in addition to having as a virtue the unity that other teams with similar potential lacked.
"The difference is that these guys believe in it, they set their minds to it, and they achieve it, that's the main thing. They imagined it from the beginning, that was the objective when they started training. Also, leadership within the team is contagious and passes from one to another. We always said that one day anyone could stand out, and the next, a different one. When you have athletes of great quality, there is always one who stands up.
"We always thought that the playoffs would be difficult and much more against Pinar del Río, which is coming off a good year, with a young but talented team. The new arms did a good job for us. Once we managed the starter to walk, we had a bullpen accustomed to these moments; we knew we could count on them. The rest depended on the offensive line, our fundamental weapon. When we saw that we got the two-nil advantage, we thought about not going back to 'Pinar' but rather having it decided here, for the first time with our fans. We had to wait until the last game at the 'Mella', although the important thing is that we kept the title."
It was precisely that emotional support from the fans of Las Tunas that served as a boost when the weaknesses appeared; from there, the magic and charms of the "forest" emerged. At the Balcón de Oriente the locals won 36 of the 45 challenges played; at their "home," they paved the way to the top with smiles against Ciego de Ávila in the seventh match; the sweep of the Granma Sorrels, in the semifinals; and that last assault on glory against the Vegueros.
"We are grateful to the fans. All the people came out to support us and I think it became ‘a Lumberjack fever' that we all enjoyed. Thanks to the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and the Provincial Government, which also supported us, mainly by accompanying us, because the first secretary, Walter Simón Noris, never left the bench and was always convinced that we could achieve success."
These days, Abeysi repays the first adventures as a strategist when he asked for faith in the project, with that outpouring of happiness that floods the streets of the city because, just like the initial promise, "the Lumberjacks will continue to be there."
