SP-Jose Mendez-R/R Jose Mendez was known as "the black Christy Mathewson," but the astute John McGraw once said, "Jose Mendez is better than any pitcher except Mordecai Brown and Christy Mathewson-and sometimes I think he's better than Matty." A rangy right-hander born in Cuba in 1888, Mendez set pro ball on its ear in 1908 when, pitching for the Almendares Blues, he held the touring Cincinnati Reds scoreless for 25 innings over three games. The first game would have been a no-hitter, but Red 2nd baseman Miller Huggings broke it up with a one-out single in the 9th inning.

The Cubans called Jose "El Diamante Negro" (The Black Diamond). He had a white-hot fastball and a hard-breaking curve, using his unusually long fingers to give the ball extra spin. In his first seven years, Mendez led the league in victories and shut-outs five times. In 1909, Jose teamed with fellow Cuban League pitcher Eustaquino Pedroso to whip the barnstorming Detroit Tigers, whose line-up included batting champ Ty Cobb and RBI king Sam Crawford; the Tigers staggered out of Cuba with a 4-8 record. That summer, Jose traveled to the States and compiled a record of 44-2. In 1910, he was 18-2. Mendez was still winning in 1914 when, without warning, his golden arm turned to lead. He dropped out of baseball for several years, but resurface in 1920, when the Negro National League was formed. As manager-shortstop on J.L. Wilkinson's new Kansas City Monarchs, he steered the team to three straight pennants in 1923 through 1925. In the 1924 World Series, he even gave himself the ball as stating pitcher in the deciding game, and at the age 36, like Lazarus reborn, pitched and shut-out against the hard hitting Hilldales.

SS-Rodolfo Puente Started with Baseball in 1961 and was a shortstop for the Cuban National Team from 1969-1982, a period when Cuba won eight Baseball World Cups. A slick fielder and clutch hitter, he is considered by many to be the greatest shortstop in Cuban Baseball history.

C-Miguel Gonzalez-The patriarch of Cuban Baseball, and the first Hispanic manager of a major league team was Miguel Angel "Mike" Gonzalez, a Cuban national who managed the St. Louis Cardinals between 1938 and 1940 for only 23 games. Although Gonzalez never became the full-time manager of the Cardinals, his short stay at the front of a big league club was significant because it came more than ten years before the next opportunity for a Hispanic. The ‘Pride of Havana’, Gonzalez was a powerful hitter with an above average arm and defensive skills.

OF Francisco ‘Pancho’ Coimbre-Was recognized as one of the two best Puerto Rican players of all time along with Perucho Cepeda. Halll of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige often said that Coimbre was the most difficult batter he ever faced. Unfortunately, Cepeda and Coimbre could not play in the Majors because of their skin color. Coimbre was a dominating right-handed hitting outfielder, with above average defensive skills and surprising speed on the base paths.

SP-Fernando Valenzuela-En route to being named TSN Player of the Year in 1981, Valenzuela, the Mexican star long sought by the Dodgers, ushered in Fernandomania and turned Dodger Stadium into a Mexican fiesta on the nights he pitched. No one had ever broken in quite like Valenzuela. He won his first ten major league decisions and was the first rookie to win the Cy Young Award, and his eight shutouts (including five in his first seven starts) tied the rookie record in a season a third shorter than usual due to the players' strike. The youngest of twelve children from a Mexican farm family, Valenzuela, who spoke through an interpreter his rookie year, was successful after he learned the screwball from former Dodger Bob Castillo and had even learned to throw it at two different speeds. In April 1986, he became the first to win Pitcher of the Month honors despite a losing record when he went 2-3 with a 0.21 ERA en route to setting a new major league record of 44.1 consecutive innings without an earned run at the start of a season. His Ruthian physique was deceptive, as he was a good all-around athlete. He won a Silver Bat in 1983 and a Gold Glove in 1986, pinch hit on occasion, and even played outfield during a 21-inning game. In 1983 Valenzuela became the first player awarded $1 million in arbitration.

SP-Luis Tiant Sr.- A Negro League standout, Tiant was a master of changing speeds, a junkball-screwball pitcher with a herky-jerky motion and a superior pickoff move. He was also a fierce competitor; according to one of his beanball victims, the Philadelphia Stars' Ted Paige, "he gave no mercy to any batter." In October of 1935, Tiant's New York Cubans defeated the Babe Ruth All-Stars 6-1 and 15-3. Tiant pitched both games and held Ruth to one scratch single. At age 41, still pitching for the Cubans, he fashioned a 10-0 record with eight complete gamesand three shutouts. In 1975, Cuban leader Fidel Castro allowed Tiant to go see his son, Luis, Jr., pitch for the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

 

SS-Dave Concepcion-Concepcion came out of Venezuela to become one of baseball's greatest shortstops. Wearing number 13, the lithe infielder won the position in 1972 after sharing it with Woody Woodward for two seasons. In 1973, Concepcion was named captain of the Reds. The winner of five Gold Gloves, he also started five All-Star Games from 1973 to 1982, more than any other NL shortstop during that period. In 1978 Concepcion became the first Cincinnati shortstop to bat .300 since Joe Tinker in 1913. Hampered by an elbow injury in 1980, Concepcion took advantage of the Astroturf at Riverfront Stadium and developed the one-hop throw to first base to reduce arm strain. The winner of the Roberto Clemente award as the top Latin American ballplayer in the majors in 1977, he led the NL with 14 game-winning RBI in 1981, when he was the Reds' MVP. In four World Series, Concepcion hit better than .300 three times and topped .400 in the 1975 and '79 LCS. He played over 100 games at shortstop 12 straight years (1974-85) and in 14 of 15 seasons, with injury cutting into his 1973 season. Replaced by Barry Larkin in 1986, Concepcion became a dependable handyman working at all four infield positions. Only Pete Rose is ahead of him in doubles (389), games, hits (2,326), and at-bats in Reds history, and only Joe Morgan has more Reds stolen bases than Concepcion's 321. Concepcion also ranks in the Reds' top five in runs, RBI, and total bases. On his retirement, he was only 44 games away from Larry Bowa's NL record for shortstops.

Perucho ‘Pedro’ Cepeda-Orlando Cepeda's father, Perucho, was a big powerful hitting first baseman/outfielder. Nicknamed "Bull", Orlando became known as the "Baby Bull." A big man who ran well, Perucho was a five-tool player before the term had been invented...and put up statistics in the Puerto Rican league that led some to call him "the Puerto Rican Babe Ruth". More than that, though, Perucho was a national hero in his native land of Puerto Rico.

OF-Rafael Almeida-R/R Rafael Almeida was born on Sunday, July 30, 1887, and began his Major League baseball career in 1911 with the Cincinnati Reds. The 24 year-old played for 3 seasons on one team and ended his big league playing career in 1913.

 

OF-Armando Marsans-Marsans was not the first Cuban in the major leagues, but he was the first successful and highly popular one. Half black, he was light-skinned enough to cross baseball's rigid color line, and could be considerd the first black in 20th-century major league ball. He was discovered by Clark Griffith, Cincinnati manager and the principal exploiter of the world of inexpensive Latino players. A swift outfielder, Marsans could also play the infield when needed. Though only an average hitter, he was an audacious baserunner. His slide was a thing of beauty. He was also an early challenger of baseball's restrictive contracts, giving Cincinnati ten days' notice in 1914 and jumping to the Federal League.

 

P-Jose Acosta-R/R Jose Acosta was one of a host of Cubans (which included his younger brother Merito, an outfielder) signed by Washington during the 1920s. The 5'6" 134-lb hurler had back-to-back 5-4 seasons in 1920-21.

 

OF Alejandro Ohms L/L-‘El Caballero’ 1921 through 1935. A colorful player, he entertained fans by catching fly balls behind his back in one-sided games. He batted approximately .325 during his Negro League career. He also played in Venezuela into the 1940s, and was Venezuela's top defensive outfielder in 1943.

Oms made his greatest impact in his native Cuba, collecting 537 Cuban Winter League hits in 1531 at-bats for a lifetime .351 average. He won batting crowns in 1924-25 (.393), 1928-29 (.432), and 1929-30 (.380). He led the CWL with 76 hits in 1928-29 and with 44 in 1931-32, when his 14 stolen bases were also the league high. He played on championship teams in Santa Clara, Havana, Almendares, and Cienfuegos.

3B Omar Linares-The Crown Jewel of Cuban baseball, Linares may be the greatest baseball player in the world playing outside of the United States. A five-tool talent with exception speed, power and defensive ability, the right-handed slugger has played on several world champion and Olympic champion teams for Cuba. He has turned down millions from U.S. teams to remain in his native country. Linares continues to serve as the bastion of Cuban baseball, both physically and symbolically.

 

RF Willie Hernandez L/L Willie Hernandez was a fine, but unsung, reliever until 1984. He had been among the NL leaders in appearances with the Cubs in 1982 and the Cubs and Phillies in 1983. Traded to Detroit March 24, 1984, Hernandez quickly became manager Sparky Anderson's stopper. His phenomenal season (9-3, 1.92, 32 saves in 33 chances, 80 games, 112 strikeouts in 140 innings) earned both the MVP and Cy Young awards. He appeared in every non-complete postseason game for Detroit, with three saves in as many chances. In 1985 he became the first Tiger with back-to-back 30-save seasons

 

2B/SS Antonio Pacheco-Considered one of the 3 best Amateur baseball players in the world, Pacheco is a true super-star second baseman, possessing exceptional speed and defensive skills. He has been captain of the Cuban national team which has won several world and Olympic championships.

 

3B/SS /2B/OF Esteban Bellan The first Latino major leaguer is Esteban Bellan (Cuba), who played infield for the Troy Haymakers and the New York Mutuals, 1871-1873.

 

2B-Roberto Avila-The Indians signed Avila for only $17,500 out of the Mexican League, where he was already a star. The first Mexican to have real ML success, he was the Indian second baseman for eight years and became a national hero in his own country. In a 1951 game at Boston, he hit three homers, a single, and a double. In 1952 he led the AL in triples (11). He won the AL batting title in the Indians' 1954 pennant-winning year when he hit .341 despite playing half the season with a broken thumb. An adept bunter and daring baserunner, his soccer training paid off several times when he intentionally kicked the ball out of defenders' mitts while sliding.

 

SP-Mike Garcia-R/R Garcia was part of the great Indian pitching staff that included Bob Feller, Early Wynn, and Bob Lemon. Signed in 1942, The Big Bear spent three years in the military. He went 14-5 in his rookie year (1949). The hard-throwing Californian of Mexican-Indian descent posted his second straight 20-win season in 1952, leading the AL in starts and hits allowed, and tying for most shutouts (6). He again tied for the shutout lead (5) with an AL best 2.64 ERA in 1954 and was 19-8 as Cleveland set an AL record with 111 wins and ended the Yankees' pennant string at five. Garcia lost Game Three of the World Series in which Giants routed the Indians in four straight. Known as ‘the Big Bear’.

C-Al Lopez-The 5'1" 165-lb Lopez had a long and distinguished career as a catcher and manager and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1977. Not much of an offensive threat, Lopez hit higher than .275 only three times in his 19-year career. His career high in home runs was eight (1936 and 1939) and in RBI was 57 (1930). His great value was as an extremely durable receiver. For many years he held the record for most games caught in the major leagues (1,918) and the NL (1,861), and for most years in the NL catching 100 or more games (12). These endurance marks were somewhat inflated by the fact that he was largely a defensive replacement the last two and a half seasons of his career. He tied the record for most games caught in the NL without a passed ball (114 games in 1941) and led NL catchers in assists three times (1932-33, 1936) and fielding average three times (1940, 1943-44).

Lopez also left his mark as a manager. He led the Indians from 1951 to 1956 and the White Sox from 1957 to 1965 and 1968 to 1969. He was the only AL manager to finish ahead of the Yankees in the 1950s, winning pennants with the Indians in 1954 and the White Sox in 1959. He finished second every other year that decade, and nine times overall. His record as a manager was 1,422-1,026, with a .581 winning percentage that is ninth on the all-time list.

In a poll taken among retired major leaguers in the mid-1980s, Lopez was rated the seventh-best defensive catcher as well as the seventh-best manager of all time.

SP Mike Cuellar R/L- In 1966, his first full year in the major leagues, Cuellar finished second in NL ERA, behind Sandy Koufax. He won a then-club-record 16 games in 1967, fanning 203. After the 1968 season, the Astros swapped Cuellar to Baltimore for Curt Blefary, at that point a highly regarded young power hitter.

Cuellar tied Denny McLain for AL Cy Young honors with a 23-11, 2.38 performance, then in the World Series was the only Oriole to beat the Mets. He led the AL with 24 wins and 21 complete games in 1970, capping the year by hitting a wind-blown grand slam off Jim Perry in the LCS against the Twins. Cuellar was 20-9 in 1971, as four Oriole starters won at least 20 that year. After winning 18 games in both 1972 and 1973, Cuellar enjoyed his last great season in 1974: 22-10, with a league-leading .688 winning percentage. At age 42 in 1979, two years after finishing up in the majors, Cuellar attempted a comeback, compiling a 7-6 record with three clubs in the Inter-American and Mexican Leagues.

OF Tony Oliva-The only player in major league history to win batting titles in his first two full seasons, Oliva was one of the most graceful, natural hitters of all time, but had his career cut short by a bad knee. Oliva enjoyed a sensational Rookie of the Year season, leading the AL in batting (.323), hits (217), runs (109), and doubles (43). His 217 hits established an AL rookie mark. He also led the majors with a club-record 374 total bases, 84 extra-base hits, and 71 multi-hit games. He once again led the AL in batting (.321) and hits (185) for the pennant-winning Twins. He ultimately would lead the league in hits five times. He was named the AL player of the year in 1965 by TSN. In Game Two of the 1965 World Series he helped defeat Sandy Koufax when he doubled off the Dodgers ' ace in the sixth inning of the Twins' 5-1 win. In 1966 Oliva hit .307, second best in the AL. He also captured a Gold Glove award as the league's best defensive right fielder. In 1969, Oliva tied Joe DiMaggio's record of having been named to the All-Star team in each of his first six seasons in the league but missed the game with the chicken pox. He won his third batting title in 1971 (.337) despite a serious knee injury suffered in Oakland while chasing a Joe Rudi fly ball. With the exception of ten games in June, he missed the entire 1972 season because of his ailing right knee, which went under the surgeon's knife seven times during his career.

SP Adolfo Luque (El orgullo de La Habana)-R/R One of the first Cubans to succeed in the majors, Luque came to the U.S. in 1912 to pitch for Long Branch (NY-NJ League) and was 22-5 in 1913. After a couple of unsuccessful trials with the Braves, he caught on with the Reds during WWI and stayed for 12 seasons. In the 1919 World Series, he relieved twice without allowing a run, and the next year he became a regular Cincinnati starter. He led the NL in losses (23) in 1922 but had his career year the next season, leading the league in wins (27), winning percentage (.771), and ERA (1.93). Although he never again topped 20 wins, Luque led again in ERA with 2.63 in 1925. In the 1930s he turned to relief pitching for the Giants. his 4 1/3 shutout innings earned him the win in the 10-inning fifth and final game of the 1933 World Series.

SP Dennis Martinez R/R Developed in the Baltimore system, Dennis Martinez was a star with the Orioles, then overcame alcoholism in a successful comeback with the Expos. Using a basic repertoire of pitches, Martinez was the International League Pitcher of the Year in 1976. He averaged 15 wins a year from 1977 to 1982, excepting an injury-interrupted 1980. From 1983 to 1985, he was simply a hard thrower. Traded to Montreal in 1986, he learned to cope with alcoholism, but still found himself out of a job in May 1987. Given a last chance by Montreal, Martinez led NL pitchers with a .733 winning percentage (11-4) in 1987 and became the staff ace by pitching, not just throwing. His 16-7 record (3.18 ERA) in 1989 helped the Expos contend for the title.

 

1B-Keith Hernandez-Hernandez was indisputably the best-fielding first baseman of his time, winning eleven straight Gold Gloves and setting major league records for most seasons leading league first basemen in double plays (six) and lifetime assists by a first baseman. His great range helped him lead NL first basemen in assists five times, putouts four times, and fielding average twice. Twice he tied for the lead in errors with 13; it is the lowest total ever to lead the NL, and he never made more errors than that in a season. Hernandez led the NL in batting in 1979 with the Cardinals, winning the only shared MVP award in history that year (Willie Stargell was the other recipient) as well as TSN NL Player of the Year. He also had career highs with 48 doubles and 116 runs, both league-leading totals, and 105 RBI. His .344 BA, also a career high, marked the first time he had hit .300 ; he went on to top .300 five other times. He was a great clutch hitter who worked the count and fouled off pitches until he got the offering he wanted. In the short lifetime of the game-winning RBI as an official statistic, he set ML records for most in a season (24 in 1985) and most lifetime (129). Always selective, he led the NL with 94 walks in 1986. His on-base percentage was above .400 seven times during his career, and he led the league in 1979 and 1980.

 

OF Pablo Mesa-L/L A swift and sure handed outfielder with a powerful throwing arm, Pablo Mesa was one of the best fly-catching outfielders ever to play in the Negro Leagues. With his .300 plus batting average, his ability to draw walks and steal bases, Mesa was a prototypical lead-off man.

 

Bernardo Baro

 

Julio Moreno

 

Tetelo Vargas

 

Camilo Carreon

 

Jacinto Calvo

 

Sandy Alomar Sr.

 

Baldomero Almada

 

Joaquin Andujar

 

Felipe Alou

 

Matty Alou

 

Jesus Alou

 

Rico Carty

 

Julio Franco

 

Vincent Nava

 

 

 

 

Mexican Baseball Hall of Famers

 

OF/3B Orestes (Minnie) Miñoso- Minoso debuted in 1949, but he was still officially a rookie when obtained by the White Sox in a three-team deal involving the Indians and A's on April 30, 1951. On May 1, in a game against the Yankees in Comiskey Park, the young Cuban speedster became the first black player to don a White Sox uniform. In the very first inning, Minoso homered off Vic Raschi. (Mickey Mantle hit his first ML home run in the sixth inning of the same game.) Minoso finished his rookie year as the AL leader in stolen bases (31) and triples (14); his .326 batting average was second only to Philadelphia's Ferris Fain's .344, and his 112 runs fell one short of Dom DiMaggio's league-leading 113. Though the Yankees' Gil McDougald won the baseball writers' Rookie of the Year honors, Minoso was TSN's Rookie of the Year. He led the AL in stolen bases again in 1952 and 1953 and in triples in 1954, and tied for the league lead in steals in 1956 and in doubles in 1957. He would do whatever was necessary to get on base, including getting in the way of fastballs. In 16 AL seasons, he set the league record by being hit by a pitch 189 times. Traded with Fred Hatfield to Cleveland in December 1957 for Early Wynn and Al Smith, he was not around when the Go-Go White Sox won the 1959 AL pennant; Bill Veeck awarded him an honorary championship ring anyway. With Cleveland, Minoso hit a career-high 24 home runs in 1958, and he batted .302 in both 1958 and 1959 before the White Sox reacquired him. In 1960 he led the AL with 184 hits, was second to Roger Maris with 105 RBI, and batted over .300 for his eighth and final time. Following stints with the Cardinals and Senators, he retired after spending 1964 as a White Sox pinch hitter. Twelve years later, during the second Veeck ownership, Minoso was brought out of retirement and went hitless as Chicago's DH against the Angels' Frank Tanana on September 11, 1976. "It's been many years since I face pitching like this," he explained. "I hope they [the fans] forgive me." The next day, he collected his last ML hit. He was a White Sox coach from 1976 to 1978, and in 1980, when he was again activated, joining Nick Altrock as the only five-decade major leaguers; he went 0-for-2 as a pinch hitter. Ever popular in Chicago, he became a team goodwill ambassador.

OF/1B Héctor Espino-A symbol of Mexican pride, the slugging Espino declined offers from the Cardinals, Mets, and Padres while playing 25 seasons with San Luis de Potosi, Monterrey, and Tampico. He did play 32 games for Jacksonville (International League) in 1964, batting .300, but was offended by racial discrimination and swore he would never again play in the United States. He led the Mexican League in batting in 1964 and in 1966-68; in home runs in 1964 and 1972; and in RBI in 1962 and 1973. His Mexican League record of 46 HR, set in 1964, stood until 1986. He retired at age 45 with the career record for minor league home runs, 484.

Lucas (El Indio) Juárez

 

Antonio Delfín (Lañiza)

 

Julio Molina (El Diamante Blanco)

 

Leonardo (Najo) Alanís

 

Fernando (Cocuite) Barradas

 

Angel Castro

 

Epitacio (La Mala) Torres

 

Lázaro Salazar (El Príncipe de Belén)

 

Ramón (El Profesor) Bragaña

 

Genaro Casas

 

José Luis (chile) Gómez

 

Alberto Romo Chávez

 

Jesús Valenzuela (Cochihuila)

 

Ernesto Carmona V

 

Daniel (La Coyota) Ríos

Roberto (El Guajiro) Ortiz

Agustín (Pijini) Bejerano

Lázaro Penagos

Manuel (Manolo) Oliveros

Ramiro Cuevas

Agustín Verde

Guillermo (Huevito) Alvarez)

Luis Montes de Oca (Molinero)

Santos (Canguro) Amaro

Guillermo (Memo) Garibay

Felipe Montufar

Basilio (El Brujo) Rosell

Jesús (Chanquilón) Díaz

Leonardo (Leo) Rodríguez

Ramón Montes de Oca

Vinicio García

Tomás (El Piyuyo) Arroyo

Apolinar Pulido (Polín)

Manuel Echeverría

Francisco Ramírez (Panchillo)

Mario Ariosa

Felipe Montemayor (El Clipper)

Claudio Solano

Ronaldo Camacho (Ronnie)

José Bache

Guillermo (Memo) López

Alfonso (La Tuza) Ramírez

Miguel Fernández (Becerril)

Porfirio (Chío) Martínez

Miguel Sotelo

Marcos Valdez Carrasco (Bugarini)

Benjamín Valenzuela (Papelero)

Moisés (Moi) Camacho

Manuel (El Moro) Chávez

Jesús (Jesse) Flores

Guillermo (Memo) Luna

Lino Donoso Galata

Horacio Piña

José (Zacatillo) Guerrero

Ramón (Diablo) Montoya

Alfredo (Yaqui) Ríos

Jaime Corella

Antonio Pollorena Osuna

Vicente (Huevo) Romo

José (Peluche) Peña

René González

Oscar Rodríguez

Ramón Arano

Aurelio López

Alfredo Ortiz

Miguel (Pilo) Gaspar

Celerino Sánchez

Miguel Suárez

Carlos Galina

Aurelio Rodríguez

William Berzunza

Arnoldo (Kiko) Castro

Rodolfo Alvarado

Jorge (Charolito) Orta

César Díaz Pérez

Andrés Ayón

Maximino León Molina

Marcelo Juárez Moreno

Miguel Solís Castillejas

Juan Navarrete Sánchez

GREGORIO LUQUE FLORES

FRANCISCO MAYTORENA VERDUGO

FRANCISCO "PAQUÍN" ESTRADA

GABRIEL LUGO MORALES

ROBERTO MENDEZ NAVARRO

PEDRO "CHARRASCAS" RAMIREZ

RODOLFO "RUDY" SANDOVAL

JORGE FITCH DIAZ