There are fewer characters in professional sport then there used to be. There are a handful, but not as many as there once was.
That’s why it was so nice to see 45-year-old Bartolo Colon reach a milestone on Tuesday night. He is the winningest Latin American-born pitcher in baseball history.
Win 246 came in the Rangers 11-4 victory over Seattle.
Colon, who first arrived in the big leagues in 1997, was a terrific pitcher in his prime. His talent shouldn’t take a back seat. He’s a four-time all-star and won the 2005 Cy Young Award while he was with the Angels after a 21 win season.
However, his personality and portly physique is refreshing. He appears to take his job seriously, but never appears to take himself too seriously.
He’s an athlete that no matter what team you cheer for, you can cheer for the player. He makes teammates, opponents and fans smile, which in these times is a good thing.