Luis García Beltrán (September 11, 1929 – January 9, 2014) was a
Venezuela
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 th ...
n professional baseball player and manager. Listed at 5' 11" (1.80 m), 189 lb (86 kg), he batted and threw right handed.
At an early age García was dubbed Camaleón by his family, and he carried this nickname throughout his professional career, which spanned 22 years.
He was born in
Carúpano
Carúpano is a city in the eastern Venezuelan state of Sucre. It is located on the Venezuelan Caribbean coast at the opening of two valleys, some 120 km east of the capital of Sucre, Cumaná.Sucre state in Venezuela. Despite his short, stocky build, he was a gifted athlete and knew more about baseball than his playmates, so he became the natural leader in pickup games and later in school. He was also a fine, dependable
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
and, from the start, he had the ability to hit the ball to all fields, regardless of size or capacity. Owner of a strong throwing arm, he had good range, being able to catch fly balls from his left field and infield teammates, making everything look easy.
García played in 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 ...
St. Louis Browns
The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...
and Washington SenatorsMinor League systems, but never appeared in a major league game for either club. His career was largely associated with the
Navegantes del Magallanes
The Navegantes del Magallanes ( Magellan Navigators), commonly known as Magallanes, are a baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Based in Valencia, Magallanes has won 13 LVBP championships and two (2) Caribbean Series. It w ...
club of the
Venezuelan Professional Baseball 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 ...
, but he also had a distinguished career in the
Mexican League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
in a span of ten seasons.
A member of four Hall of Fame organizations, García amassed more than 3000 hits, appeared in eight
Caribbean Series
The Caribbean Series (''Spanish'': ''Serie del Caribe''), also called Caribbean World Series, is the highest tournament for professional baseball teams in Latin America. The tournament location is rotated annually among the countries and is norma ...
, was the first player to reach 1,000 hits in Venezuelan baseball, and also set several records in the VPBL that still remain intact.
Professional career
Minor Leagues
García became a professional as a 19-year-old in 1949, while playing for the Senators Class D team in
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is the county seat and largest city in Cabarrus County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 105,186, with an estimated population in 2021 of 107,697. In terms of population, the cit ...
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 109 games, including 12 doubles, four triples, and one
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
. At the end of the season he began a long career in his native Venezuela, but also kept playing in the minor leagues for the next six years.
From 1950 to 1951, García played with the Potros de Tijuana of the independent Sunset League, compiling for them batting averages of .265 and .273 respectively.
In 1952, García joined the
Aberdeen Pheasants
The Aberdeen Pheasants was the primary moniker minor league baseball teams located in Aberdeen, South Dakota between 1920 and 1997. The Pheasants played in the Northern League from 1946 until the league folded in 1971. Aberdeen was the Class C ...
St. Louis Browns
The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...
organization. He appeared in 126 games for Aberdeen, batting .288 (125–for-469) with 219
total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases is the number of bases a player gains with hits. It is a weighted sum with values of 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. For example, three singles is three total bases, whil ...
for a .467 slugging percentage, to finish sixth in total bases and eight both in hits and
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s (15).
This season also marked the professional debut of
Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
, who hit .336 (116-for-345) with nine homers and amassed 170 total bases in 87 games for the
Eau Claire Bears
The Eau Claire Bears was the primary nickname of the minor league baseball teams from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Eau Claire was a member of the Class C Northern League (1933-1942, 1946–62) and were affiliates of the Boston Red Sox (1936), Chicago ...
.
García opened 1953 with the
Tampa Smokers
The Tampa Smokers was a name used between 1919 and 1954 by a series of minor league baseball teams based in Tampa, Florida. The nickname was a nod to the local cigar industry, which was the most important industry in Tampa during the years in wh ...
of the
Florida International League
The Florida International League was a lower- to mid-level circuit in American and Cuban minor league baseball that existed from 1946 through July 27, 1954. It was designated Class C for its first three seasons, then upgraded to Class B in 1949 fo ...
, appearing for them in 81 games before being traded to 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 ...
. He was promoted to the
Charleston Senators
The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playi ...
of the
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
, the Triple A team in the White Sox minors system. García hit .279 and 13 home runs in 155 games for both teams, but his road to the Major Leagues was long and winding.
Discouraged for a time, García persevered, playing two solid but unspectacular seasons for the
Havana Sugar Kings
The Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played from 1946 to 1960. From 1954 until 1960, they belonged in the Class AAA International League, affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. Their home ...
Johnny Lipon
John Joseph Lipon (November 10, 1922 – August 17, 1998) was an American Major League Baseball shortstop for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns and Cincinnati Redlegs over the course of nine seasons (1942; 1946; 1948–1954). T ...
, all of them with major league experience. García posted a slash line ( BA/ OBP/ SLG) of .222/.281/.572 with four home runs and 47 RBI in his first season, and hit .253/.365/.380 with 12 homers and 53 RBI the next year.
After that, García accepted a more attractive offer to play in the Mexican League in 1956. During the winter, he continued to play regularly in the Venezuelan League.
Mexican baseball
The 1956 summer season brought García to the Mexican League, where he played through 1965 for the
Leones de Yucatán
The Leones de Yucatán (English: Yucatán Lions) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The team play its home games at Parque Kukulcán Alamo in Mérida, Yucatán. The Leones have won the Mexican League title five times in , , , ...
,
Petroleros de Poza Rica
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
and Aguilas de Veracruz.
In a 10-season career he posted a .322 average with 171 home runs and 759 RBI in 1,124 games, while collecting 1,346 hits and a .507 slugging percentage, establishing himself as one of the most prolific hitters in Mexican baseball history.
García batted over .300 in seven consecutive years from 1957 to 1963, averaging .334 in this period with a career-high .364 in 1958. His most fruitful season came in the 1964 campaign with Veracruz, when he hit a solid .299 and registered career numbers in home runs (29), RBI (108), runs (81) and total bases (251).
As third baseman/manager for Poza Rica, García led all players at his position in fielding percentage in 1958 and 1961, and managed the team to an 84–62 record in 1959 to win the Mexican League pennant. (Spanish) In addition, he twice hit three home runs in a single game and was a seven-time All-Star.The Mexican League
García played later for the Porteños de Nuevo México of the Mexican Southeast League in 1966. It was his last season held outside of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
Navegantes del Magallanes (1st stage)
Following his minor league debut with the
Concord Nationals
Concord may refer to:
Meaning "agreement"
* Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony)
* Harmony, in music
* Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...
, the 19-year-old Camaleón García would play in 12 of his 22 professional seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes.
García joined Magallanes during the 1949–1950 VPBL season in a game against the Cervecería Caracas club. Nervous in his first appearance, due to the historic rivalry between the two teams, he had to face Alejandro Carrasquel; a 37-year-old veteran and former Washington Senators pitcher, as well as the first Venezuelan player to wear a major league uniform. The young García went 2-for-4 against Carrasquel and recorded an RBI in the 5–2 victory over Caracas, quickly gaining the trust of Magallanes manager Lázaro Salazar, who gave him a place in the starting lineup as everyday third baseman. Then, on November 29, 1949, Camaleón began a long string of consecutive games played that would extend over the next four years.Records de la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional
Even though he batted just .247 in 41 games as a rookie, García collected 39 hits in 138 at-bat appearances, including 10 doubles and two home runs, while driving in 22 runs and scoring 28 more. He earned VPBL Rookie of the Year honors in his first season, while Magallanes won its first pennant in the league and represented Venezuela in the
1950 Caribbean Series
The second edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was held from February 21 through February 27, in 1950. It featured the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Alacranes del Almendares; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, Criol ...
. García batted .211 in the Series, being the only Magallanes player to either hit a home run or steal a base in the tournament.Serie del Caribe
In 1950–1951 García enjoyed a good season at the plate, hitting .292 with nine doubles, three triples and five homers in 53 games. He also had 27 RBI and scored 32 runs, while slugging .491 and leading Magallanes to its second straight pennant.La Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela He went 5-for-20 in the 1951 Caribbean Series, including five runs and four RBI, and hit a solo home run to prevent a
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
by Cuban pitcher Bill Ayers in Game 6 of the series.
Notably, García faced though pitching in the early going with the likes of
Babe Birrer
Werner Joseph Birrer (July 4, 1928 – November 19, 2013) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 0", 195 lb., Birrer batted and threw right handed. He was born in Buffalo, New York. Graduated from Kensington High S ...
Dick Starr
Richard Eugene Starr (March 2, 1921 – January 18, 2017) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Listed at , , he batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
New York Yankees
Starr signed with the New York Yankees in 19 ...
,
Sandy Ullrich
Carlos Santiago Ullrich (July 25, 1921 – April 21, 2001) was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher, born in Havana, Cuba. Ullrich signed on to play Major League Baseball in the Washington Senators organization. He batted and threw right ...
,
Roy Welmaker
Roy Horace Welmaker (December 6, 1913 – February 3, 1998), nicknamed "Snookie", was an American professional baseball pitcher in the Negro leagues. He played from 1932 to 1953.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Welmaker served in the US Army du ...
and
Lenny Yochim
Leonard Joseph Yochim (October 16, 1928 – May 11, 2013) was a professional baseball pitcher. He played in parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1951 and 1954, and later served in the organization for al ...
, for name a few. Nevertheless, he delivered rewarding results in the years to come, earning respect as a dangerous hitter with runners in scoring position, particularly during the late innings.
García improved further in 1951–1952, when he batted .336 with three homers, 20 doubles and 40 RBI, while topping the league with 87 hits and 120 total bases, being surpassed only by Caracas'
Wilmer Fields
Wilmer Leon Fields (August 2, 1922 – June 4, 2004) was an American baseball player who was a household name in the Negro leagues and other baseball circuits between the 1940s and 1950s.
Born in Manassas, Virginia, Fields was a versatile two-w ...
in average (.348), RBI (45) and doubles (22). Nearly the end of the season, he set a league's all-time record for the most at bats in an extra-inning game with nine at-bat appearances. This record would be matched by
Eric Anthony
Eric Todd Anthony (born November 8, 1967) is a former professional baseball outfielder.
Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 34th round of the 1986 MLB amateur draft, Anthony would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Houston Astros on ...
in 1992 and Oscar Salazar in 1999. He later played as a reinforcement for the Cervecería Caracas champion team in the
1952 Caribbean Series
The fourth edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was played in 1952. It was held from February 20 through February 26, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones del Habana; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puerto Rico, ...
, but Camaleón had a disappointing performance that time, going hitless in 13 at bats in six Series games.
García enjoyed another solid season in 1952–1953, batting .327 and leading the league with eight home runs, 47 RBI and 45 runs scored. He also amassed 80 hits, 16 doubles, four triples, and a career-high eight stolen bases, while collecting a best 128 total bases in 245 at-bats for a league's second-best .522 slugging percentage.Frank Baldwin of the
Sabios de Vargas The Sabios de Vargas baseball club became a founding member of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in its inaugural season of 1946. The team represented the city of La Guaira, Vargas and played its home games at the now-extinct Estadio Cer ...
collected 112 TB in 205 AB for a best .546 SLG.
On February 14, 1953 García ended his streak of 195 consecutive game appearances at third base, ending the string that began on November 29, 1949. Nevertheless, he pinch-hit a RBI-single in this game, to preserve his string of consecutive games played. Even so, he missed the
1953 Caribbean Series
The fifth edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was played in 1953. It was held from February 20 through February 25, featuring the champion baseball teams of Cuba, Leones de la Habana; Panama, Chesterfield Smokers; Puerto Rico, ...
, ending a stretch of three straight years in the event.
A skilled and natural hitter, García endured a good season in 1953–1954. He posted career-highs with 11 home runs and 52 RBI, hit .303 and slugged .479, but did not rank high in any of the offensive categories. That season was dominated by strong pitching, headed by four men in search of the Pitcher of the Year Award: Magallanes' Ramón Monzant (14-6, 132 strikeouts, 2.88
ERA
An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth.
Comp ...
Thornton Kipper
Thornton John Kipper (September 27, 1928 – March 29, 2006) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1953 through 1955 for the Philadelphia Phillies. Listed at , , Kipper batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Bagley, Wiscons ...
(14-5, 72 SO, 2.96 ERA) and Howie Fox (11-8, 75 SO, 3.34 ERA). García later played with the Pastora champion club in the
1954 Caribbean Series
The sixth edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was played in 1954. It was held from February 18 through February 23, featuring the champion baseball teams from Cuba ( Alacranes del Almendares), Panama ( Carta Vieja Yankees), Pue ...
, topping the team with a .348 average, a .567 slugging, two doubles and a homer, while leading all Series hitters with nine RBI.
Magallanes won the 1954–1955 pennant, four games ahead, en route to the
1955 Caribbean Series
The seventh edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was played in 1955. It was held from February 10 through February 15, featuring the champion baseball teams from Cuba, Alacranes de Almendares; Panama, Carta Vieja Yankees; Puer ...
. With Lázaro Salazar at the helm, the team received strong pitching support from Ramón Monzant, who posted an 11-7 record and headed the league in ERA (2.00), strikeouts (98) and innings pitched (153⅓). Besides, Bob Lennon provided a consistent batting presence, leading the circuit with nine home runs and 37 RBI. For his part, Camaleón contributed with a .289 average and slugged .403, as he extended his string of consecutive games played to 341. He also batted eight doubles, five homers and 20 RBI, while his 32 runs tied him with Patriotas'
Dave Pope
David Pope (June 17, 1921 – August 28, 1999) was an American Negro league and Major League Baseball outfielder who played one inning for the Homestead Grays and for four seasons in MLB for the Cleveland Indians in 1952, and from 1954 to 1955. He ...
for the most in the league. In the Series, he went 6-for-21 (.286) with two doubles, two runs, two RBI, and one stolen base.Serie del Caribe
García had a modest season for Magallanes in 1955–1956, when he collected a .278 average and slugged .356 in a disappointing season for the club, which finished last in the four-team league. He connected 60 hits in 216 at bats, including nine doubles, one triple and two home runs, while scoring 24 runs with 27 RBI. Finally, on February 5, 1956, he took a day off and ended his string of consecutive games played at 378, setting a league's record that is still unbeaten.
Indios de Oriente
The Magallanes franchise was sold before the 1956–1957 season and was renamed the Indios de Oriente. Both García and Monzant continued with the new team. This time, Camaleón anchored the offensive for the last-place Indios, leading the team with 65 hits, 13 doubles, 33 RBI and 28 runs, while batting .302, a .463 slugging, three triples, and four home runs in 215 at bats.
García then finished the 1957–1958 season averaging a team-best .335 (53-for-158) for second-place Oriente and also posted a league-best 14 doubles. He scored 24 runs and hit two triples, two homers and 20 RBI, as well a .487 slugging, which was also a team-best and the second of the league behind Caracas'
John Roseboro
John Junior Roseboro (May 13, 1933 – August 16, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1957 until 1970, most prominently as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. A four ...
(.500).
Managed by
Kerby Farrell
Major Kerby Farrell (September 3, 1913 – December 17, 1975) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He was a longtime minor league manager who spent a single season — 1957 — managing in Major League Baseball for th ...
, Oriente clinched the 1958–1959 championship title and played in the
1959 Caribbean Series
The eleventh edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was played in 1959 in baseball, 1959. It was held from February 10 through February 15 with the champions teams from Cuba (Almendares (baseball club), Almendares), Panama (Panamani ...
. García helped his team with a .296 average (53-for-179), slugged .380, and collected six doubles, three triples and one homer, driving in 31 runs while scoring 22 times. He then hit .417 (10-for-24) in the Series, tying teammate Jesús Mora for the batting title, and also led the tournament with three doubles and six runs; slugged .625, and hit one triple with three RBI and one stolen base. Besides, teammate Norman Cash batted .360, and was the leader in RBI (11), home runs (2) and slugging (.680), being named Most Valuable Player of the Series. The top hurler was
Babe Birrer
Werner Joseph Birrer (July 4, 1928 – November 19, 2013) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 0", 195 lb., Birrer batted and threw right handed. He was born in Buffalo, New York. Graduated from Kensington High S ...
, who led all pitchers in wins (2-0), strikeouts (18) and ERA (1.25), including a 13-inning complete game victory. As a result, Birrer, Cash, García and Mora made the All-Star team. This was the first time in Caribbean Series history in which four Venezuelan players made the All-Star team in the same year. Notably, Farrell and the Indios, with a low-profile club, came in on an honourable second place.
The 1959–1960 VPBL season was suspended on December 24, 1959, because of a players' strike. In limited action, García hit .286 with 10 RBI, one double, eight runs and one stolen base, in just 28 games. Then, he moved temporarily to the Rapiños de Occidente of the neighbor Zulian League for the rest of the season, hitting a paltry .246 with three homers and six RBI in 15 games.
The Rapiños, who claimed the league's championship, were invited to participate in the
1960 Caribbean Series
The twelfth edition of the Caribbean Series (''Serie del Caribe'') was a baseball tournament held from February 10 through February 15, 1960 featuring the champion teams from Cuba (Cienfuegos), Panama ( Marlboro), Puerto Rico (Caguas) and Venezuel ...
to compensate for the absence of the VPBL representative team. Once more, Camaleón responded in the way his team expected, as he batted .333 (8-for-24) with four doubles and one home run; drove in five runs and scored five times, while slugging a solid .625 through the six games of the tournament. It was his last participation in the Caribbean Series. During his eight series he set all-time records in games (46), runs (23) and doubles (12), that have not yet been surpassed.
Once the VPBL resumed in 1960–1961, García was a key contributor for Oriente, hitting predominantly in the fourth spot in the line-up. He finished strongly, batting a .283 average with seven homers and 31 RBI in 52 games, including 53 runs, nine doubles, 27 runs, one steal, and a .444 slugging. He also led the league in RBI and finished second in home runs, being surpassed only by Licoreros de Pampero outfielder
Don Lock
Don Wilson Lock (July 27, 1936 – October 8, 2017) was an American professional baseball player and outfielder in the Major Leagues from 1962 to 1969 for the Washington Senators (1962–66), Philadelphia Phillies (1967–69), and Boston Red ...
(10), who in turn was a runner-up to García in RBI (28). The Indios advanced to the playoffs, but lost the semifinal round to the eventual champions
Industriales de Valencia The Industriales de Valencia was a baseball club who played from 1955 through 1968 in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. The Industriales joined the league as a replacement for the Santa Marta BBC.
The Industriales were based at Valencia ...
.
García had a subpar season in 1961–1962, when he hit .273 with eight doubles, three homers, 17 runs and 26 RBI in 52 games, even though he led his team in RBI and was third in doubles. This time Oriente finished in second place, but lost the championship series to 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 ...
. Nonetheless, the team declined considerably in 1962–1963, posting an 8–25 record before folding during the midseason. As a result, García was limited for the second time in his last four seasons, appearing in 32 games, and hitting .309 with seven doubles, one homer, 16 RBI and nine runs scored.
Indios Orientales
The Oriente franchise was renamed and restructured to become the Indios Orientales for the 1963–1964 season. The Estrellas hired George Genovese as their manager, and the roster included solid players as
Steve Bailey
Steve Bailey is an American bassist. He is the chair of the bass department at Berklee College of Music.
Career
Bailey began playing bass guitar at age 12 and started playing fretless bass after he ran over his fretted Stuart Spector with his ...
Eli Grba
Eli Grba (August 9, 1934 – January 14, 2019) was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He pitched for the New York Yankees in 1959 and 1960 and for the Los Angeles Angels from 1961 through 1963.
Grba began ...
,
Jack Hiatt
Jack E. Hiatt (born July 27, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1964 to 1972, most prominently as a member of the San Francisco Giants. After his ...
Dick Simpson
Richard Charles Simpson (born July 28, 1943) is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder and center fielder. He played from 1962-1969 for the Los Angeles / California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, N ...
. Meanwhile, García hit .263, slugged .350, and led the team with 21 RBI and nine doubles. He also scored 12 runs, smashed one home run, and stole one base. Nonetheless, his production and the changes did not create a more competitive team, as they finished in last place. At the end of the year, the franchise owners acquired the brand Magallanes and returned to the following season.
Navegantes del Magallanes (2nd stage)
In 1964–1965, the Navegantes de Magallanes returned as a new franchise with the old colors, records and a new ballpark. Magallanes retained the services of some Orientales players as Chico Carrasquel, José Bracho, Látigo Chávez, Oswaldo Blanco and, of course, Camaleón García.
The Navegantes hired
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson (February 22, 1934 – November 4, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player, coach, and manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third ...
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 ha ...
and Cincinnati Reds minor league systems, But Anderson did not get all the success he wanted. After a 2-1 start, the team lost 13 straight games and he was replaced by the veteran infielder Carrasquel, who also had managed the Indios and Orientales in the previous seasons. (Spanish)
Then, after being dismissed, the future Hall of Fame manager defended himself in a press conference, arguing that the club was badly organised, for having players that never played together before. Anderson added that to improve the team, the owners should strengthen the relationship between players and coaches, not make any difference. ''Also, they gave me a group of local veteran players almost gone from baseball, and rookies with little professional experience'', he explained earnestly.
Nevertheless, this time Camaleón experimented one of his most productive seasons in the league while playing for the helpless Magallanes. The club finished with a 13–37 record, 18 games out of contention, being unable to overcome an awful start. In comparison, García claimed the batting crown with a fabulous .394 average in 49 of the 50 games of his team, hitting 65-for-165 with five doubles, four homers, 14 runs and 30 RBI, while collecting 82 total bases for a third-best .497 slugging, behind Caracas teammates
Ken Harrelson
Kenneth Smith Harrelson (born September 4, 1941), nicknamed "The Hawk" due to his distinctive profile, is an American former professional baseball All-Star first baseman and outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1963 to 197 ...
(.557) and
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose Sr. (born April 14, 1941), also known by his nickname "Charlie Hustle", is an American former professional baseball player and manager. Rose played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1963 to 1986, most prominently as a membe ...
(.503).
In 1965–1966, García played in all 60 regular season games and one tie-breaking contest in the now six-team league. The 36-year-old veteran hit .295 for Magallanes, including nine doubles, three home runs, 30 RBI and 18 runs. Magallanes advanced to the postseason, losing the first round to the eventual champions
Tiburones de La Guaira
The Tiburones de La Guaira ( en, La Guaira Sharks) are a baseball team in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Based in the city of La Guaira, they play their home games in Estadio Fórum La Guaira and have won seven national champions ...
. García batted .375 (9-for-24) with one run and four RBI in the five playoff games.
García showed once more his consistency in the 1966–1967 season, playing in all 60 regular season games and two tie-breaking games for Magallanes, even though his team did not advance this time. In the same way, García provided his usual hitting production, collecting a .286 average, 17 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, one home run, and led the league with 40 RBI, also a second career best.
But at 38, Camaleón had trouble keeping up with the workload required. In 1967–1968, he saw limited action after injuring the
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus ( ...
early in the season. Overall, he played in 11 games and went 4-for-19 (.211) with one RBI, being mostly used as a pinch-hitter. Continuing to decrease his playing role, due to his injury, he was 1-for-14 (.071) in 1968–1969. He appeared in just six games, and was released by Magallanes at the end of the season.
Leones del Caracas/Tiburones de La Guaira
García joined the Leones del Caracas in the 1969–1970 season, batting .242 (8-for-33) with one RBI and a run scored in 22 games. He then finished his career in 1970–1971, after going hitless in six at bats in six games for the Tiburones de La Guaira.
Batting statistics
Some statistics are incomplete because there are no records available at the time of the request. Nevertheless, Camaleón García collected more than 3,100 hits along the way in the many baseball circuits he played, not including VPBL postseason games and Caribbean Series appearances.
Regular season
Postseason
Late years
Following his retirement, García enjoyed spending time with his family and eventually going to the ballparks, where he shared countless anecdotes with broadcasters, journalists, and baseball people. He also collaborated with the '' Criollitos de Venezuela'', a local little league corporation that operates not only as a baseball academy but as a means of integral formation of children and adolescents through sport.
Three times, he has been considered on the Veterans Committee of the
Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame
The Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México (in English, Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame), commonly called the Salón de la Fama (Hall of Fame) is a baseball hall of fame and museum located in Monterrey, Nuevo León. ...
. García was on the ballot in 2005, 2007 and 2009, always garnering enough votes to remain on the ballot, but never coming close to election.
His first public recognition came in 2000, when he received the honor of induction into the
Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame
The Pabellón de la Fama del Caribe (In English, the ''Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame'') was established in 1996 by Juan Francisco Puello Herrera, commissioner of the Confederación de Béisbol del Caribe (''Caribbean Confederation of Profession ...
for his notable contribution in the Caribbean Series.
In 2003, he was honored by 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 ...
as part of their first class.
After that he was inducted into the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame through the Veterans Committee in 2011. In addition, a baseball park in the City of Caracas is named after him.
Then, in 2012 he became an inaugural inductee into the Navegantes del Magallanes Hall of Fame; while his
uniform number
In team sports, the number, often referred to as the uniform number, squad number, jersey number, shirt number, sweater number, or similar (with such naming differences varying by sport and region) is the number worn on a player's uniform, to ...
21 was retired by the franchise.
Besides this, in 2012 García and fellow and countryman
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, m ...
were honored prior to a Caracas–Magallanes game at Estadio José Bernardo Pérez. After the ceremony, both Venezuela legends threw out the ceremonial first ball.
García died in Caracas, Venezuela in 2014, at the age of 84, after suffering a
cerebrovascular disease
Cerebrovascular disease includes a variety of medical conditions that affect the blood vessels of the brain and the cerebral circulation. Arteries supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain are often damaged or deformed in these disorders. Th ...