Al Sarmiento

He’s 82 years young and a member of Cuba’s Salon De La Fama. He teaches kids tennis, is a manager of an assisted living facility, a respiratory therapist and looks like he’s in his 60’s. This is Al Sarmineto. Cuban exile, Castro’s schoolmate at the Colegio de Belen, Silver Medalist in Fronttennis in the 1946 Pan American Game and a Hall of Famer in Jai Alai.
Seriously.he’s in the Cuban Hall of Fame with American League All-​Star Minnie Minoso and World Welterweight Champ Kid Gavelan. This is is an amazing man whom I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with yesterday at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center.
He’s a pure joy to talk with and, if I didn’t have to take photos of the kids, I could have whiled the afternoon away chatting. Sooo many stories of a fabled career. I love Jai Alai and didn’t have a clue that Front Tennis is a combo of both sports.
He charges $ 50/​hr. for private lessons but is worth every penny from what I see.
A living historical landmark which needs to be acknowledged.