Cesar Camacho '02-'04

César A. Camacho Ortiz attended Iowa Lakes Community College from 2002-2004, he is going into the Hall of Fame for Baseball.

Growing up in Puerto Rico, César first heard about Iowa Lakes from then-player and hall of famer Carlos Aponte. Carlos mentioned the team would need a third baseman for the next season but César didn’t think too much of it until he heard from Coach Jason Nell a couple of weeks later. 

While at Iowa Lakes Coach Nell and McCoy played an important role in César’s development. They made him both a better player and a better person. 

Coach Nell fondly remembers Cesar and had this to say about him, “Cesar was the best third baseman that I had when I was there and quite possible that Iowa Lakes has ever had.  He had a rare talent. He was big and strong but had a quick first move on defense… not real fast though unfortunately. What is even more rare is that he could hit well from both sides of the plate, which was reflected in his stats and All-American status. More than one of the best hitters at the national level, Cesar was a great person. He has such a big heart, very humble, and was always smiling, and there’s not a bad bone in his body.”

Assistant Coach Pat McCoy enjoyed his time coaching Cesar, “Cesar was not only a great teammate and player he is an outstanding person. Cesar was, as I like to describe him “the quiet before the storm”.  Cesar was not one to do a lot of talking at practice or during games. He let his play do all the talking.”

Being so far away from home it was really important to have a strong support system in Estherville. César appreciated the Hall family, Abby, Becky, Chrisanne, and Pat. They always treated him and the rest of the guys like family, especially those days like Thanksgiving when they wanted to be home with their families but couldn’t. Even though they were far away, César’s family were his biggest fans and support. They called after every game to check in, especially his dad.

 One of César’s most memorable moments was in 2004 when the team was playing in Cocoa Beach, Florida over spring break. The Lakers were down 4 runs going into the bottom of the ninth. They were able to rally back to tie the game and César came to the plate with two runners on and two outs. He ended the game with a walk-off home run which was even more special as it was his family’s first opportunity to see him play college baseball. 

While attending Iowa Lakes, César earned 1st team all-region, 1st team all-district, and 1st team all-american honors. After majoring as a recreational specialist, César continued his academic and athletic careers at Grand View University. 

After college, César returned to Puerto Rico and earned his Personal Trainer certification. He played in the Puerto Rican Amateur League, worked for the government and as a personal trainer, and coached Little League baseball. 

Five years ago César and his wife moved to Houston, Texas where they live with their two children. His wife Enid and sons Anotonio Joniel and Juan Carlos are his daily motivation to be someone better. 

César would also like to thank: God, because He is the one that gave him the strength to play all those years; his parents, César and Magdalena, his brother, Juan Luis, and his sister, Cecily, they were his number one fans and gave him all their support; Coach Nell for giving him the opportunity to play at the college level; Coach McCoy for being a great assistant coach and friend, and for the good advice he gave on and off the field.