CESAR RIVERA - A Life in Sport

We may all know a few, or at least one, sports fanatic. However, not many can say they know that person who can quote with authority on not just one sporting event, but multiple sports, multiple disciplines, and not like a robot, but with genuine passion-- the bona fide sports fanatic.

Cesar Romero is that person. The 'living legend' in Caribbean golfing circles happily confesses to being into "almost every sport, every team, every player." And yes, it started at home, at an early age. "My father loved all sports and used to take us to the ball parks to see ball games. My father was a manager at a sugar mill and I grew up participating in many different sports."

A partial list of those is baseball, volleyball, basketball (though admittedly not at a high level), and of course, golf.

And Cesar's participation was not limited to playing. As early as 1959, he recalls, at the 3rd Pan-American Games in Chicago, USA, he was appointed referee for volleyball. In fact, he was also assigned the Gold Medal showdown that year between USA and Brazil. "I remember when it was announced at the Olympic Village that I was going to be the referee of that match, hundreds of member of the Puerto Rico delegation went to see the game, including my wife who was a member of the PR volleyball team." When they returned to Puerto Rico, Romero was selected that year by the territory's Olympic Committee as the personality of the Year in the Sport.

But, of course, he's best known for golf, and that came into his life in the mid-70s, through a friend, and Romero recalls loving it from the first moment. "In those days it was an elite game, only for wealthy people." A few years later, in 1978 another friend, who was the President of the Puerto Rico Golf Association (PRGA) invited him to be part of the PRGA board. "That year," he goes on "at the election, I was elected to the Board and they appointed me as the Tournament Director of the PRGA."

From there on, he became interested in learning the rules of the game, which involved attending seminars and paying attention to his new colleagues. It must have paid off, because in 1979, he was elected President of the PRGA, the first of an incredible 12 consecutive terms. Further, in 1986 the US Golf Association (USGA) appointed him to its Regional Affairs Committee, beginning what became a 26-year tenure.

Challenged to name his inspirations and motivations, he pauses be=ore saying, "I think first my parents, next my family, third but not least my integrity and my respect with the people and the whole community. For me every one is the same. And not because someone does not have what another has doesn't mean they should be treated any less than that person."

Analysing the growth of the sport regionally, he notes, a lot of different people all around the Caribbean are now seriously interested in the game and put a lot of time into getting it." He cites TV as a major boost and no doubt the visibility of golf's leading lights is a factor. But how can it get even better? "For the game to grow in our area, we need to put more effort thinking on others-- not only on us. Also, I know that cost is a problem, but, all problems can be solved if we want to solve it."

He has no regrets, he says, only gratitude. "I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be involved in Sports. For me to be involved in sports was the best thing that could happen to me. My family helps me and I thank them. When I was President of the PRGA, my whole family (wife, daughters and sons) work as hard or more than me. Everything was so good and beautiful that I would say that if born again I would like to have the same life that I have. Be involved in Sport."

Having Iived-- and continuing to live-- a fulfilling life in sports, Romero wants be remembered by the sporting fraternity as "a person that lived most of his life to give something to all sports without expecting anything back." Solid words from a man who has given his life to sports and to service-- and both are the richer for it.

Sport History of Cesar Rivera

1956- Start of interest in becoming an International Volleyball Referee. Went to various Rules Seminar

1958- Certified by the International Volleyball Federation as an International Referee with card #117. The first in the Caribbean and one of the few in America.

1959- Went to Referee first International t Tournament. The 3rd Pan-Am games in Chicago, USA. After that went to 6 Pan-Am games.

1962- Went to my first Centro America and Caribbean Games in Jamaica. After that went to 6 more of them.

1964- Wanted to be a Basketball International Referee and started going to Rules Seminar and was certified by the International Basketball Federation as an International Basketball Referee. The only person in America to have both certifications.

1966- During the 10th Centro America and Caribbean games in Puerto Rico, appointed as Chief Rules Official for Volleyball.

1967- First Caribbean Referee to referee in a Pre-Olimpic games in Mexico.

1968- First Caribbean Referee to referee in an Olimpic games in Mexico. Referee at 4 more Olimpic games.

1969- Appointed by the International Volleyball Federation Member of the International Volleyball
Referee Comision for America and the Caribbean. One of the duties were to give Rules

1969- Started in Mexico the first North-Centro America and Caribbean Volleyball games and referee on all of them till 1989 retirement as a volleyball referee. During those games, tried the use of Antenna in the net and was after those games approved by the International Federation and still they are using them.

1970- During the 11th Cento-America and Caribbean games in Panama, the first Referee to work as Referee in two different sports, Basketball and Volleyball.

1974- Referee his first World Volleyball Games and after referee in 3 more of them. Referee in NCAA, Centro and South America and around the world like in Japan, Europe, Africa and Others.

1975- Interested in Golf and excelled in the sport of golf.

1987- The USGA appoint me as Member of the USGA Regional Affair Committee in charge of the Caribbean All Latin America. Elected for a total of 26 years as member of the committee.

1988- Certified as Course Rating by Mr. Dean Knuth who was the inventor the Course Slope Rating.

2000- Inducted to the Golf Hall of Fame by The Puerto Rico Golf Association

2009- The Municipality of Bayamon (the town where Cesar lives) inducted him into their Sport Hall of Fame.

2013- The CGA inducted him into the Hall of Fame in Golf.

2015- Fedogolf inducted him into the Hall of Fame in Golf in the Dominican Republic.

2015- Puerto Rico inducted him into the Volleyball Hall of Fame.

2016- La Romana, Dominican Republic. The town where he was born inducted him into their Sport Hall of Fame.

2018- The Caribbean Golf Association council decided to ensure that Cesar Rivera’s name would continue in the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships. Therefore, from now on, in the Hoerman Cup and George Teale Memorial Trophy, the first place male and female medalists will receive the Cesar Rivera medal.