Raiders' Ruiz Impacting NFL from High Above the Field
Las Vegas Raiders' Spanish play-by-play commentator Harry Ruiz has had a once-in-a-lifetime journey and is impacting the National Football League from high above the field.
Ruiz worked his way up from the University of Texas at El Paso to the pinnacle of the National Football League in his profession.
"I started working in media outlets when I was 19 years old in my parents' hometown of Torreon in Mexico," Ruiz said. "My first play-by-play opportunity came when I was 20 calling professional basketball on the radio, then that was followed up in El Paso when I did so for the UTEP Men's basketball team and their football team.
"I've always loved football, so getting the opportunity to call the Miners' games was the first step to learning the ropes when it came to timing for the sport, which is completely different than basketball. Being able to do so in El Paso opened doors for me."
Of all the aspects of his journey, Ruiz is most proud of exactly how far he has come over the years.
"That all the hard work I've done since I started in the industry 17 years ago have set the foundation and paid off with multiple opportunities presenting themselves in different ventures and outlets, including being able to work directly with the Raiders," Ruiz said.
"Hard work pays off and all the sacrifices I've made have been worth it."
Las Vegas Raiders Spanish play-by-play announcer's voice and passion is unmatched.
Harry Ruiz
The fact that Ruiz represents something much larger than himself is not lost upon him.
"Representation is huge; I've always admired Spanish language broadcasters from all backgrounds like Jaime Jarrin, who did so with the Dodgers for 64 years," Ruiz said. "Or Alvaro Martin and Raul Allegre, who I grew up watching and listening to in Mexico, and now I'm fortunate enough to call them colleagues and friends.
"Every time I hang out with the Raider Nation at the tailgates or the night before the games, it's a blessing to see people who are minorities and who come up to me to tell me that they enjoy my work, that they love having someone who looks like them and sounds like them doing what I'm doing.
"And that's how a lot of folks in the Latino community felt when Tom Flores and Jim Plunkett were with the Raiders.
"They're in a completely different stratosphere with all their accomplishments, but I like being able to do my part when it comes to making this sport accessible to folks who maybe in the past wouldn't pay attention to it if it wasn't delivered to them in their language."
For Ruiz, the importance of Latino Heritage Month, specifically for the Raiders, "puts an even bigger spotlight on the Latino community, and the Raiders have one of the biggest Latino fan bases in the sport."
As Latino Heritage Month is celebrated around the country during October, Ruiz continues to be a trailblazer for those who aspire to walk in his footsteps.
But make no mistake, Ruiz isn't just a tremendous Spanish broadcaster. That would be unfair to the voice of the Raider Nation. He is a tremendous broadcaster who has a Latino heritage. That makes him even more of a Raider Nation treasure.
Silver and Black are famous for calling the franchise to have a "Commitment to Excellence." Ruiz personifies that he is not just a great broadcaster but a standard bearer of excellence with his craft.
The Silver and Black will stay on the road to take on the Detroit Lions on Monday night, Oct. 30, at 8:15 p.m. EDT/5:15 p.m. PDT.
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