Gold medal	2004 Athens	Baseball Men's Team Competition

Ariel Pestano (Valdes) (born January 31, 1974)—better known as el veterano "the veteran"—is the tuff-as-nails Cuban catcher with great defensive skills, and is known as one of the greatest catchers in Cuban history. Although Cuban baseball history is filled with many outstanding players, he is one of the few real stars left of his time who still play in Cuba. He has won both silver and gold medals in the Olympics and also played catcher on Cuba's World Baseball Classic team in March 2006. He is also a well known professor. Subject: The Olympic Rings. ... The 2004 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, were held in Athens, Greece, over a period of 17 days from August 13 to August 29, 2004. ... Baseball is a team sport in which a player on one team (the pitcher) attempts to throw a hard, fist-sized ball past a player on the other team (the batter), who attempts to hit the baseball with a tapered, smooth, cylindrical stick called a bat. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... The position of the catcher Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in cricket. ... Baseball is a team sport in which a player on one team (the pitcher) attempts to throw a hard, fist-sized ball past a player on the other team (the batter), who attempts to hit the baseball with a tapered, smooth, cylindrical stick called a bat. ... A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests (typically athletics competitions) such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. ... Gold Medal is an album by American band The Donnas, released in 2004. ... For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... The World Baseball Classic, sometimes abbreviated WBC, is an international baseball tournament, first held in March 2006. ...

He has played with Cuban superstars like Orlando Hernandez, Livan Hernandez and Jose Contreras. Orlando Hernández Pedroso (born October 11, 1965 in Villa Clara, Cuba), also nicknamed El Duque, is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. ... Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera (born February 20, 1975 in Villa Clara, Cuba), better known as Liván Hernández [lee-VAHN er-NAN-deth], is a right-handed starting pitcher who plays with the Washington Nationals. ... Jose Contreras (born December 12, 1971 in Havana, Cuba) is a right_handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays with the Chicago White Sox. ...