Alfredo A. Cabrera (May 11, 18811964) was a professional baseball
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
who played many years in the
Cuban League
The Cuban League was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961. The schedule usually operated during the winter months, so the league was sometimes known a ...
. His nickname was ''Pájaro,'' which is Spanish for "Bird."
Cabrera's career is particularly noteworthy because he became the first Spanish-born major leaguer and the first from the continent of Africa when he made his
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL ...
debut for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ...
on May 16, 1913. He was hitless in two at-bats and never played in another MLB game.
Cabrera played in the
Cuban League
The Cuban League was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961. The schedule usually operated during the winter months, so the league was sometimes known a ...
from 1901 to 1920 and was elected to the
Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942. He also managed in the Cuban League and won a championship in the winter of 1915/16 as manager of the
Almendares team.
[Figueredo 2003, pp. 117–119, 485, 508.]
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1881 births
1964 deaths
Spanish emigrants to Cuba
Cuban people of Canarian descent
Sportspeople from the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Major League Baseball players from Spain
St. Louis Cardinals players
Major League Baseball shortstops
Azul (baseball) players
Nuevo Criollo players
Almendares (baseball) players
All Cubans players
New Britain Perfectos players
Almendares Park players
Club Fé players
Waterbury Spuds players
Springfield Ponies players
Springfield Tips players
Worcester Busters players
People from Tenerife
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