Alfonso Carrasquel Colón, better known as Chico Carrasquel (January 23, 1926 – May 26, 2005), was a
Venezuelan
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in t ...
professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
player,
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Coac ...
,
scout and
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
.
He played in
Major League Baseball (MLB) as a
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 ...
from 1950 to 1959, most prominently as a member of the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
where he became the first
Latin American in MLB history to start in an
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
in .
A four-time
All-Star known for his exceptional defensive skills, Carrasquel was the first in a long line of Major League shortstops from Venezuela including,
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams ...
,
Dave Concepción
David Ismael Concepción Benitez (born June 17, 1948) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won four National Le ...
,
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José Guillén Barrios (; born January 20, 1964) is a former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for 16 seasons, primarily with the Chicago White Sox, from 1985 to 2000. During t ...
and
Omar Vizquel
Omar Enrique Vizquel González (; born April 24, 1967), nicknamed "Little O", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop. During his 24-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, Vizquel played for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland I ...
among others. He also played for the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
,
Kansas City Athletics and the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight char ...
.
After his playing career, Carrasquel worked as a manager in the Venezuelan Winter League and also worked as a major league scout. He later worked as a
color commentator
A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main (play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and the ...
on the White Sox'
Spanish language game broadcasts and, as the team's Community Relations Representative. In , he was selected in the inaugural class of the
Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The Salón de la Fama y Museo del Béisbol Venezolano (in English, the ''Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum'') is a nonprofit institution operated by private interests, which was founded on April 18, 2002, thanks to the vision of Carlos ...
.
Playing career
Born in
Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
, Carrasquel began his
professional baseball career in at the age of 17 with the
Cervecería Caracas
The Caracas Base Ball Club C.A. or better known by its commercial name as the ''Leones del Caracas'', is a professional baseball team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. In its creation, its headquarters are the University Stadium of C ...
team, where he hit the first
home run in
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League history.
He was signed in by the
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Califor ...
, and was immediately promoted to the Double-A
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Baseball. ...
.
Carrasquel provided good fielding and hit .315 during the season and .364 in the playoffs to help spur the Cats to the 1949
Texas League championship.
His inability to speak English fluently may have caused Dodgers
General Manager Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...
to sell him to the Chicago White Sox although, Rickey later admitted that the move was a mistake.
White Sox' General Manager
Frank Lane solved the language communication problem by trading Carrasquel's uncle
Alex
Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis.
People
Multiple
* Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple p ...
for
reliever
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather d ...
Witto Aloma, who served as the interpreter between Carrasquel and White Sox'
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
Jack Onslow
John James Onslow (October 13, 1888 – December 22, 1960) was an American player, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball. A catcher during his playing days, he spent a dozen years in the minor leagues, but only 36 games played in the ...
.
Carrasquel joined the White Sox in
1950
Events January
* January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed.
* January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...
, becoming the third Venezuelan to play in Major League Baseball after his uncle,
Alex Carrasquel
Alejandro Eloy Carrasquel Aparicio (July 24, 1912 – August 19, 1969) was a Venezuelan pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators and the Chicago White Sox in a span of eight seasons from 1939–1949. Listed at 6' 1 ...
(
Washington Senators,
1939
This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Third Reich
*** Jews are forbidden to ...
) and
Chucho Ramos
Jesús Manuel Ramos García (April 12, 1918 – September 2, 1977) was an outfielder/first baseman in Major League Baseball who played briefly during the season. Listed at 5' 10.5", 167 lb., Ramos batted right-handed and threw left-handed. ...
(
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
, in
1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in ...
).
He became the White Sox's starting shortstop, replacing the 41-year-old
Luke Appling
Lucius Benjamin "Luke" Appling (April 2, 1907 – January 3, 1991), nicknamed "Old Aches and Pains" was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Chicago White Sox (1930–1950). He was elected to the Base ...
, who had held the position since
1930
Events
January
* January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be ...
. Carrasquel soon established himself as an excellent defensive player, combining with
second baseman Nellie Fox
Jacob Nelson “Nellie” Fox (December 25, 1927 – December 1, 1975) was an American professional baseball player. Fox was one of the best second basemen of all time, and the third-most difficult hitter to strike out in Major League Baseball (M ...
to make one of the best
double play
In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.
In Major Leag ...
combinations in the league.
His cheerful disposition and apparent love for playing baseball, made him extremely popular with Chicago fans.
As a
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
, Carrasquel hit for a career-high .282
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
in 141 games and, amassed a 24-game
hitting streak until
Red Sox pitcher
Ellis Kinder
Ellis is a surname of Welsh and English origin. Retrieved 21 January 2014 An independent French origin of the surname is said to derive from the phrase fleur-de-lis.
Surname
A
* Abe Ellis (Stargate), a fictional character in the TV series '' ...
stopped the streak. In September, he suffered a torn cartilage in his right knee and had to sit out the remainder of the season. Carrasquel finished the season ranked third in voting for the American League
Rookie of the Year Award
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
, behind
Walt Dropo
Walt is a masculine given name, generally a short form of Walter, and occasionally a surname. Notable people with the name include:
People Given name
* Walt Arfons (1916-2013), American drag racer and competition land speed record racer
* Walt B ...
and
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (October 21, 1928 – October 8, 2020), nicknamed "the Chairman of the Board", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played his entire 16-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
, and finished 12th in the American League
Most Valuable Player Award
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
ballot.
In , Carrasquel beat out the reigning
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
Most Valuable Player,
Phil Rizzuto, in voting for the shortstop of the American League in the
1951 All-Star Game. He became the first Latin American player to be selected to start in an
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
.
On July 19,
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the United K ...
, Carrasquel broke Rizzuto's Major League record by handling 297 consecutive
chances
Chances may refer to:
* ''Chances'' (TV series), an Australian soap opera
* ''Chances'' (Philippine TV series), a prime-time soap opera
* '' Chances: The Women of Magdalene'', a 2006 documentary film
* ''Chances'' (novel), a 1981 novel by Jac ...
in 53 games without committing an
error
An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'.
In statistics ...
. The record would stand for 18 years until , when
Don Kessinger
Donald Eulon Kessinger (born July 17, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from to , most prominently as a member of the Chicago Cubs where, he was a six-time ...
of the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
set a new record by playing in 54 games without committing an error. He ended the year leading the league's shortstops in
assists and in
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, divi ...
. In November 1951, it was reported that Boston Red Sox manager,
Lou Boudreau, wanted to trade
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...
for Carrasquel but Lane refused the offer.
Carrasquel had an off year in
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes ...
as a broken finger and then weight problems saw his batting average drop to .248 in 100 games. After the 1952 season, trade rumors reportedly had the Cleveland Indians offering the American League's runs batted in champion,
Al Rosen
Albert Leonard Rosen (February 29, 1924 – March 13, 2015), nicknamed "Flip" and "The Hebrew Hammer", was an American baseball third baseman and right-handed slugger for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball for ten seasons in the 1 ...
, in exchange for Carrasquel but, the trade never transpired. In
1953
Events
January
* January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma.
* January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo.
* January 14
** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugosl ...
, Carrasquel was once again voted as the starting shortstop for the American League in the
1953 All-Star Game and ended the season first among the league's shortstops in fielding percentage.
During
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives establ ...
in
1954
Events
January
* January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany.
* January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting.
* January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...
, it was reported that White Sox manager
Paul Richards was not pleased with Carrasquel's lack of effort on the field. It was a charge that would continue to pursue Carrasquel for the remainder of his tenure with the White Sox. Carrasquel responded with his most productive season in , when he was voted to make his third start as the American League shortstop in the
1954 All-Star Game and, posted career-highs in
home runs (12),
RBI (62),
hits (158),
runs (106),
extra-base hit
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...
s (43),
walks (85).
Batting as the White Sox
leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in any inning.
Strategy
Traditionally, the leadoff hitter has been utilized as a contact-oriented position. The leadoff hit ...
, he led the league in
games played and in
plate appearances while hitting for a .255 batting average.
Defensively, he led the league's shortstops in double plays and in fielding percentage.
In July
1955
Events January
* January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama.
* January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut.
* January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijiangs ...
, new White Sox manager,
Marty Marion
Martin Whiteford "Mr. Shortstop" Marion (December 1, 1917 – March 15, 2011) was an American Major League Baseball shortstop and manager. Marion played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Browns between 1940–1953. He was a defensive ...
, replaced Carrasquel in favor of shortstop
Jim Brideweser, citing Carrasquel's lackadaisical efforts and indifferent attitude towards playing. There was some speculation among major league managers that, playing in the
Venezuelan Winter League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional (LVBP) is the professional baseball league in Venezuela. The league's champion takes part in the Caribbean Series each year.
History Early years
Baseball exp ...
during the off-season might be wearing him down. Between spring training, the regular major league season, and then a season of winter baseball in Venezuela, Carrasquel was playing in more than 200 games a year.
Despite this setback, Carrasquel was still selected to his fourth All-Star game, this time as a reserve behind
Harvey Kuenn
Harvey Edward Kuenn (; December 4, 1930 – February 28, 1988) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a shortstop and outfielder, he played with the Detroit Tigers (1952–1959), Cle ...
. He still showed flashes of his former self as in a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 23 when, he scored from first base on a
bunt. Nellie Fox hit a bunt down the third base line and, when Orioles third baseman,
Gus Triandos
Gus Triandos (July 30, 1930 – March 28, 2013) was a Greek American professional baseball player and scout. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and the Detroit Tigers o ...
, left his base to field the ball, Carrasquel rounded second base and continued to third, where he was called safe on a close play. When the Orioles argued with the umpire without calling a time out, Carrasquel dashed to
home plate without drawing a throw. Although his dedication was being called into question by Marion and the sporting press, Carrasquel still finished among the league leaders in assists,
putouts and in fielding percentage.
Carrasquel had been instrumental in helping the White Sox sign another young, Venezuelan shortstop named
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams ...
, who went on to become a perennial All-Star player and was eventually inducted into the
Hall of Fame. By , Aparicio was deemed ready to play in the major leagues and, with Marion dissatisfied with Carrasquel's level of play, he was traded along with
Jim Busby
James Franklin Busby (January 8, 1927 – July 8, 1996) was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball who played with the Chicago White Sox (1950–52, 1955), Washington Senators (1952–55), Cleveland Indians (1956–57), B ...
to the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
for
Larry Doby
Lawrence Eugene Doby (December 13, 1923 – June 18, 2003) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB) who was the second black player to break baseball's color barrier and the first black pl ...
in October of that year.
After two and a half seasons with the Indians, Carrasquel was traded to the
Kansas City Athletics for
Billy Hunter in June
1958
Events
January
* January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being.
* January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
* January 4
** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...
. He played half a season for the Athletics before they traded him to the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight char ...
for
Dick Williams
Richard Hirschfeld Williams (May 7, 1929 – July 7, 2011) was an American left fielder, third baseman, manager, coach and front-office consultant in Major League Baseball. Known especially as a hard-driving, sharp-tongued manager from 1967 to ...
in October 1958.
On May 10,
1959
Events January
* January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of ...
, Carrasquel was hit above his left eye by a thrown baseball as he was running the base paths and had to be carried off the field. During a physical examination in September, it was discovered that Carrasquel only had fifty percent of his vision in his left eye, perhaps stemming from the May incident. He ended the year with a career-low .223 batting average and in December the Orioles released him. He became a
free agent and signed a contract to play for the Chicago White Sox in January
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Jan ...
but was released at the beginning of the season. Carrasquel then signed with the
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team in Montreal, Quebec, during 1897–1917 and 1928–1960. A member of the International League, the Royals were the top farm club (Class AAA) of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939; ...
of the
International League in April but was released after hitting for a .206 average in 35 games.
Career statistics
In a ten-year major league career, Carrasquel played in 1,325
games, accumulating 1,199
hits in 4,644
at bats for a .258 career batting average along with 55 home runs, 474 runs batted in and a .333
on-base percentage.
He was a disciplined hitter, posting a solid 1.052
walk-to-strikeout ratio In baseball statistics, walk-to-strikeout ratio (BB/K) is a measure of a hitter's plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. Generally, a hitter with a good walk-to-strikeout ratio must exhibit enough patience at the plate to refrain from sw ...
(491-to-467).
A four-time All-Star, Carrasquel led the American League three times in fielding percentage, once in assists and finished his career with a .969 fielding percentage.
Carrasquel had 5 hits and scored 5 runs in a game against the Kansas City Athletics on April 23, 1955. He also had two other games in which he had 5 hits. Carrasquel had a career-high 7 runs batted in during a game against the Athletics on April 26,
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, are kille ...
.
Managing career and later life
Carrasquel returned to his native Venezuela where continued to play in the Venezuelan Winter League until when, he retired as an active player at the age of 41.
He later became the
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
of the
Leones del Caracas
The Caracas Base Ball Club C.A. or better known by its commercial name as the ''Leones del Caracas'', is a professional baseball team of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. In its creation, its headquarters are the University Stadium of C ...
, leading them to the
1982 Caribbean Series championship title.
Carrasquel also spent time as a
scout for the
Kansas City Royals and the
New York Mets.
He later worked as a
color commentator
A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main (play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and the ...
on the White Sox'
Spanish language broadcasts from to and, as the team's Community Relations Representative until .
In , Carrasquel helped start a nonprofit foundation to help underprivileged children in Venezuela and the United States.
The Chico Carrasquel Foundation transports barrio youngsters to YMCA centers, museums, baseball games, and historical places throughout Venezuela.
Honors
In , the
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League honored Carrasquel by renaming the
Puerto la Cruz baseball stadium as the
Estadio Alfonso Chico Carrasquel. The VPBL also honors annually the best manager in the league with the Chico Carrasquel Award.
In , Carrasquel was selected in the inaugural class of the
Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The Salón de la Fama y Museo del Béisbol Venezolano (in English, the ''Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum'') is a nonprofit institution operated by private interests, which was founded on April 18, 2002, thanks to the vision of Carlos ...
.
On the occasion of Ozzie Guillén's first home game as White Sox manager in the season, Carrasquel joined Guillén and fellow Venezuelans
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League (AL) teams ...
and
Dave Concepción
David Ismael Concepción Benitez (born June 17, 1948) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won four National Le ...
in throwing out the first ball at the home opener. Carrasquel called it his proudest moment.
Legacy
As the first Venezuelan to become a star player in Major League Baseball, Carrasquel became a national idol and was an influential figure in his native country.
His accomplishments as a player influenced the aspirations of future Latin players including Aparicio and, helped pave the way for their baseball careers.
Carrasquel's influence in Venezuela may have extended into the
geopolitical arena as well. At a time during the
cold war when communists threatened to destabilize the country, Walter Donnelly, the United States Ambassador to Venezuela, arranged for members of the Carrasquel family, Venezuelan sportswriters and ballplayers to come to
Yankee Stadium for an International Day honoring Carrasquel in July .
Donnelly told Collier's magazine that'' he honestly believed the event was a setback for communist propagandists in Venezuela. Under no circumstances could a similar trip have been made to Russia or any of the satellite countries.''
Carrasquel's uncle,
Alex Carrasquel
Alejandro Eloy Carrasquel Aparicio (July 24, 1912 – August 19, 1969) was a Venezuelan pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators and the Chicago White Sox in a span of eight seasons from 1939–1949. Listed at 6' 1 ...
, and his nephew
Cris Colón, also played in Major League Baseball.
Carrasquel died of cardiac/respiratory arrest in Caracas, Venezuela on May 26, at the age of 77.
See also
*
List of Venezuelan players in ''MLB''
Sources
External links
The Chico Carrasquel FoundationBaseball AlmanacChico CarrasquelBaseballbiography.com
The Baseball Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carrasquel, Chico
1926 births
2005 deaths
American League All-Stars
Baltimore Orioles players
Caribbean Series managers
Cervecería Caracas players
Chicago White Sox announcers
Chicago White Sox players
Cleveland Indians players
Estrellas Orientales (VPBL) players
Fort Worth Cats players
Indios de Oriente players
Kansas City Athletics players
Kansas City Royals scouts
Leones del Caracas players
Licoreros de Pampero players
Major League Baseball broadcasters
Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
Major League Baseball shortstops
Minor league baseball managers
Montreal Royals players
Navegantes del Magallanes players
New York Mets scouts
Baseball players from Caracas
Tigres de Aragua players
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Canada
Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States