Ral Striker Sr., a well-known sports pundit who spent 12 years at Noticias 23, died in Miami. His relatives have kept quiet about the cause of his death so far. Striker was a member of the Noticias 23 crew from 1980 until 1992, which included major presenters Guillermo Bentez and Leticia Callava, as well as Félix Guillermo on el Tiempo. Striker displayed his talent with his voice, charm, and knowledge during Noticias 23, and became a character admired by the whole Miami Latino populace.
Prior to his arrival in 1980, the majority of Miami’s Latino population consisted of Cuban exiles fleeing the communist dictatorship.
TeleNoche 23, Channel 23’s local newscast, which airs Monday through Friday at 10:30 p.m. and was the first television news channel in Miami for exiles, was produced in Miami in the early 1970s. Local TV reporters include Tomás Regalado, Maucha Gutiérrez, José Yedra, Esteban Lamela, Néstor Penedo, Mara Elena Prio, and Jessie Lozada Jr (sports).
Later Bernadette Pardo, Nirso Pimentel and many others joined the group. But with the arrival of thousands of Latin American countries, the Miami community began to become racially diverse. Television must adapt to this reality by incorporating reporters from other countries. Among them, striker Raúl joined Noticias 23 from Puerto Rico. Born in Puerto Rico, he studied at the American University of Puerto Rico, loves sports and is a faithful fan of the Miami team.
Raúl is remembered as a very kind man who always provided sports information with a smile on his face. After taking his first steps in Puerto Rico, he spent 12 years as a sports commentator (anchor) on Univision Channel 23 in Miami before moving to Telemundo Channel 51 for 15 years.
The history of Hispanic television in Miami could not be written without mentioning the names that have become legends among the city’s residents. In honor of justice, striker Raúl is an integral part of that reality.