Alfonso Ramón López (August 20, 1908 – October 30, 2005) was a
Spanish-American
Spanish Americans (, ''hispanoestadounidenses'', or ''hispanonorteamericanos'') are Americans whose Spaniards, ancestry originates wholly or partly from Spain. They are the longest-established European Americans, European American group in t ...
professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...
and
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) for the
Brooklyn Robins / Dodgers,
Boston Bees,
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
, and
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) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
between 1928 and 1947, and was the manager 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) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
and 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) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
from 1951 to 1965 and during portions of the 1968 and 1969 seasons.
["Al López Statistics and History"](_blank)
"baseball-reference.com. Retrieved on 2017-05-12. Due to his Spanish ancestry and "gentlemanly" nature, he was nicknamed "''El Señor''".
As a player, López was a two-time
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
known for his defensive skills, leadership, and durability, as he established a major league record for career games played at catcher (1,918) that stood for decades. As a manager, his .584 career winning percentage ranks fourth best in major league history among managers of at least 2,000 games. His
1954 Cleveland Indians and
1959 Chicago White Sox teams were the only squads to interrupt the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
' string of
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
pennants from to , inclusive. Over the course of 18 full seasons as a baseball manager (15 in the major leagues and 3 in the minor leagues), López's teams never finished with a losing record. He was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
in 1977.
Al López's parents immigrated to the United States from
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
shortly before his birth, and he grew up in the immigrant community of
Ybor City
Ybor City ( ) is a historic neighborhood just northeast of downtown Tampa, downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It was founded in the 1880s by Vicente Martinez Ybor and other cigar manufacturers and populated by thousands of immigrants, mai ...
in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
. He retired with his family to his hometown after his baseball career, and his accomplishments were commemorated in Tampa in the name of a baseball stadium (
Al López Field) and a public park which bears his name and features his statue. His childhood home was moved next door to the
Ybor City State Museum and is the site of the
Tampa Baseball Museum.
Early life
Al López was the son of Modesto and Faustina (née Vásquez) López, who were married in Spain before immigrating to
Havana, Cuba
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.[Ybor City
Ybor City ( ) is a historic neighborhood just northeast of downtown Tampa, downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It was founded in the 1880s by Vicente Martinez Ybor and other cigar manufacturers and populated by thousands of immigrants, mai ...](_bl ...<br></span></div> in the mid-1890s. They had several children in Cuba as Modesto worked as a ''tabaquero'' (cigar maker) in one of Havana's many cigar factories. In 1906, Modesto went to the Cuban-Spanish-Italian immigrant community of <div class=)
in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
, to seek better wages and living conditions, temporarily leaving his family behind until he had established a home in their new country.
[George, Justin]
He was 'pride of Tampa Latinos'
. ''Tampa Bay Times''. November 1, 2005. Accessed August 22, 2013. Faustina and their six children joined him in Ybor City several months later, and the family made Tampa their permanent home. Alfonso Ramón López, the seventh of nine children, was born there on August 20, 1908.
Ybor City was a thriving immigrant neighborhood during Al López's childhood with a population of over 10,000. The cigar industry was the most important in town, and most residents were employed either by one of the dozens of large cigar factories or by businesses catering to the cigar industry and its employees. Modesto Lopez found work as a skilled selector in a cigar factory, which involved sorting raw tobacco leaves for use in different grades of cigars. Al often visited his father's workplace as a child and later said that he "hated" the smell of tobacco leaves that permeated the building and clung to his father's clothing when he came home from the factory. "I vowed never to work in one."
''The New York Times''. Octobrt 31, 2005. Accessed August 22, 2013.
As a teenager, López took a job delivering
Cuban bread door to door for La Joven Francesca Bakery, which was located in a building which later became the
Ybor City State Museum.
[ He began to follow baseball when his elder brother Emilio introduced him to the game during the ]1920 World Series
The 1920 World Series was the championship series for Major League Baseball's 1920 season. The series was a best-of-nine format played between the American League (AL) champion Cleveland Indians and the National League (NL) champion Brookly ...
, which coincidentally involved two teams that Lopez would later play for - Cleveland and Brooklyn. According to Al López, his brother Emilio also had excellent baseball talent, but he himself was more driven to excel at the game.
Baseball player
López's professional career began in when, at the age of 16, he signed on as a catcher with the Class-D Tampa Smokers
The Tampa Smokers was a name used between 1919 and 1954 by a series of minor league baseball, minor league baseball teams based in Tampa, Florida. The nickname was a nod to the History of Ybor City, local cigar industry, which was the most impor ...
of the Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
, quitting his job at the bakery and dropping out of high school at Sacred Heart College (later known as Jesuit High School) to focus on baseball. His starting salary with the Smokers was $150 ($ today) per month, which was much needed by the large Lopez family since his father's health was deteriorating and he could not work regularly. (Modesto Lopez died of throat cancer in 1926.[Al López, A Legend]
. ''Tampa Tribune''.)
Soon after signing with the Smokers, Al López impressed Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson (November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946), nicknamed "Barney" and "the Big Train", was an American professional baseball player and Manager (baseball), manager. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in Major League Ba ...
with his catching skills during a winter barnstorming
Barnstorming was a form of entertainment in which stunt pilots performed tricks individually or in groups that were called flying circuses. Devised to "impress people with the skill of pilots and the sturdiness of planes," it became popular in t ...
exhibition game. At Johnson's recommendation, Al was hired as a practice catcher for the Washington Senators during spring training
Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
in 1925, a valuable learning opportunity that he later credited with making him a better ballplayer.[ The Senators offered the Smokers $1000 for López's contract, but the minor league club demanded $10,000, which the major league club thought too exorbitant for a young player with only one year of professional baseball experience. Instead, López moved steadily up the minor leagues ranks in subsequent seasons and made his major league debut in with ]Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
.
After splitting time between the major and minor leagues for two seasons, López became the Dodgers' primary catcher in at the age of 21, and he remained a regular starter in the major leagues over the next 17 seasons. His best offensive campaign came in , when he hit .301, stole 10 bases, and finished 10th in National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
MVP
MVP most commonly refers to:
* Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition
* Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering
MVP may also refer to:
...
voting. Overall, he compiled modest career batting numbers, including 613 runs, 51 home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
s, and 652 RBIs and a .261 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 ...
. He was better known for his defense, leadership, and his ability to work with various pitchers, which earned him two trips to the All-Star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases 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 division, bu ...
and respect around the league.[
Over a major league playing career which ran from 1928 until , López played for the Brooklyn Robins / Dodgers (1928, 1930-), Boston Bees (-), ]Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
(1940-) and 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) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
(1947).
In , López surpassed Gabby Hartnett's major league record for career games as a catcher, and when he retired after the 1947 season, his major league record for games caught stood at 1,918. This record was not broken until by Bob Boone, and the National League record was broken by Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter (April 8, 1954 – February 16, 2012) was an American professional baseball catcher whose 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. Nicknamed "Kid" for his youth ...
in . He caught 117 shutouts during his career, ranking him 13th all-time among major league catchers.
Lopez was also last player to hit a home run that bounced over the fence, which happened on September 12, 1930. The rule was changed the following year to make such a hit a ground-rule double.
Baseball manager
Minor leagues
López decided to seek a job as a baseball coach or manager upon retiring after the 1947 season, which he'd spent as the backup catcher for the Cleveland Indians. Bill Veeck, the new owner of the team, was unhappy with how Indians player-manager
A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...
Lou Boudreau had handled the club, and he asked López if he would be interested in taking the position. López declined, explaining that he did not want to appear to have undermined Boudreau to steal his job and preferred to gain managerial experience with another club. The decision was a positive one for both parties, as the Indians won the 1948 World Series and Boudreau was named the American League MVP
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. The award has been presented by the Baseball Writers' ...
.
Meanwhile, López began his managing career in 1948 with the Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory ...
, the Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
's Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...
minor league affiliate. He spent three years in Indianapolis, leading his squads to one first place and two second-place finishes in the American Association while also serving as the team's reserve catcher.[ Before the 1950 season, López re-signed with the Indianapolis Indians for the largest salary of any manager in American Association history, with a clause in his contract which allowed for him to leave if offered a managerial position with a major league club.]
Major Leagues
Cleveland Indians
After having declined an opportunity to become the club's manager in 1947, López accepted an offer to become 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) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
's new manager in . Under López, the Indians won over 90 games each season from 1951 to 1953, but came in second to the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
each year. In , Lopez's squad won a then-American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
record 111 games to capture the AL pennant, but were swept by Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays Jr. (May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of ...
and the New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
in the 1954 World Series in one of the biggest upsets in World Series history.
Lopez's Indians again finished in second place behind the Yankees in 1955 and 1956. During the latter season, López became "incensed" at Cleveland fans and management as the season progressed. Star third baseman Al Rosen slumped late in the year while playing injured, and López felt that the Indians' team management had not supported or defended his injured player from fans' booing and criticism. López was so disheartened over the situation that he resigned from the club on the last day of the season. Lopez finished his Indians career with a record of 570 wins and 354 losses, and his .617 winning percentage is still the best in franchise history.
Chicago White Sox
Lopez agreed to become the new manager 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) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
about a month after resigning in Cleveland. The White Sox did not have the power hitters of Lopez's Cleveland teams, but they had more speed with players such as Nellie Fox
Jacob Nelson 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 (MLB) history. ...
, Minnie Miñoso and Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel (born April 29, 1934), nicknamed "Little Louie", is a Venezuelans, Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop from 1956 to 1973 for three American League ...
. Consequently, López changed his offensive strategy to fit the roster. The White Sox stole over 100 bases every season from 1957 to 1961, consistently leading the American League in that category and often almost doubling the total of the next highest team, earning them the nickname "Go-Go Sox".
In , his first year in Chicago, López's White Sox won 90 games and finished in second place behind the Yankees while the Indians suffered through a losing season. Chicago again finished second in , but finally broke through and won the American League pennant in , losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
in the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
. By this time, Lopez was very well respected and in-demand manager, and in the middle of the 1960 season, a friend of New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
president Dan Topping told an Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
reporter that López would replace Yankees manager Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder and Manager (baseball), manager, best known as the manager of the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, t ...
. (Stengel had managed López years earlier when López was a catcher for Brooklyn and Boston.) Despite rumored and confirmed inquiries from other teams, López stayed with Chicago until 1965, finishing in second place five times and never posting fewer than 82 wins.
López retired to the White Sox front office after the 1965 season due to a chronic stomach condition and assumed the title of team vice president. He returned to managing in July 1968, when White Sox manager Eddie Stanky was fired. Lopez was able to get most of his former coaches to return to the team. However, he had to undergo an appendectomy shortly after taking over as manager and missed most of the rest of the season. He agreed to manage the White Sox again in , but continuing health issues forced him to resign in early May, less than a month into the season.
Managing style
López was known for never scolding or shouting at his players and avoiding pep talks in lieu of constructive criticism.[Singletary, p.118] Indians owner Bill Veeck commented that López's only fault as a manager was that he was "too decent", a description that López took as a compliment. Veeck also said that López's "completely relaxed" leadership "squeezed every drop of talent out of his teams".
Describing López and his managerial style, a 1957 ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' piece said, "For Lopez, managing is a constant worry, a nervous strain, a jittery agony. Some managers thus beset relieve the harrowing pressure by exploding in sudden rages at players and sportswriters, or else by maintaining an almost sphinx-like silence in an effort to remain calm. But Lopez is a gentleman — a decent, thoughtful, exceptionally courteous man. He seldom permits himself the luxury of a temper tantrum, and he talks to anyone who talks to him." Later, his son shared that, while he did not demonstratively show it, his father hated to lose, and suffered from chronic insomnia
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...
and stomach issues during the baseball season.
Tommy John, who spent 26 years in MLB, said "Lopez had a better handle on all the facets of the game than any manager I ever played for. He knew about hitting, offense, defense, pitching, catching, and strategy. The Senior, as he was dubbed, also understood player psychology, and knew how to communicate with his players. He was tough to play for in that he demanded so much out of you, but that just made you a better performer. Al was the type of manager who was smart enough, and secure enough, not to overmanage. He threw the bats and balls out on the field and simply let you play."
Because of his Spanish ancestry and his "gentlemanly" nature, López was given the nickname "El Señor".
Managerial record
López's .584 winning percentage is 9th all time in Major League Baseball history. At the time of his retirement, his 1,410 MLB managerial wins ranked 11th all-time, and were the 26th most wins as of the end of the 2016 season. In 18 full seasons as a minor league and major league manager, he never had a losing record. His 1954 Indians and 1959 White Sox teams were the only non-Yankee clubs to win the AL pennant between and inclusive, and his 840 wins with the White Sox still rank second in franchise history, behind Jimmy Dykes (899).
Personal life and legacy
Al López met Evelyn "Connie" Kearney, a dancer at the Hollywood Club in New York, while he was playing for Brooklyn in the early 1930s, and the couple often went on double dates with teammate Tony Cuccinello and his wife. When López was traded to Boston in 1935, he and Connie found it difficult to conduct a long-distance relationship, so she soon joined him. They married on October 7, 1939, and had a son, Al Jr., in 1940.[
]
Honors
Al and Connie López retired to his hometown in 1970 to live near family and friends. López was the first Tampa native to play in the major leagues, the first to manage a major league team, the first to manage his team to a World Series (Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella ( usually ; born August 28, 1943) is a former professional baseball player and manager. An outfielder, he played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals a ...
, Tony La Russa
Anthony La Russa Jr. (; born October 4, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager (baseball), manager. His MLB career has spanned from 1963 to 2022, in several roles. He is the former manager of the St. Louis C ...
, and Kevin Cash
Kevin Forrest Cash (born December 6, 1977) is an American professional baseball Manager (baseball), manager and former player who is the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, Cash played catcher in MLB for th ...
did so later), and the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As such, he was the recipient of many honors in his hometown, both during and after his long baseball career.
Lopez was the manager of the Cleveland Indians and had just led them to the World Series when the city of Tampa built a new minor league and spring training ballpark. It was named Al López Field, and the date of the dedication ceremony (October 6, 1954) was declared "Al López Day" in the city of Tampa. The Chicago White Sox were the ballpark's first spring training tenants, and when Lopez became the new White Sox manager in 1957, he had the unusual honor for several seasons of managing home games in his hometown in a ballpark named after himself. Later in life, López would recall a spring training incident in which an umpire with whom he was arguing threatened to throw him out of a game there. "You can't throw me out of this ballpark", protested Lopez, "This is my ballpark – Al López Field!" The umpire ejected him anyway, causing Lopez to exclaim, "He threw me out of my own ballpark!"
López was selected for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
by the Veterans Committee as part of the Class of 1977. He served as the AL's honorary team captain in the 1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 61st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 10 ...
.
Al López Field was demolished in to make room for a potential major league facility that was never built. López lived a few miles from the ballpark that bore his name. In a 1992 interview, he said that the razing of the stadium "wasn't very disappointing. I saw a diagram of the new stadium, and I didn't feel bad because I thought they were going to build a bigger one and a better one. After that, something happened, and they never built the ballpark. Then it was a disappointment." Soon thereafter, the city of Tampa changed the name of Horizon Park, a large city park near the site of the razed stadium, to Al López Park, and installed a large statue of López in his catching gear. The statue was dedicated on October 3, 1992, a date which was officially proclaimed as a second "Al López Day" in the city. Soon thereafter, his high school, Jesuit High School, which is located across the street from Al López Park, named its new athletic center in Lopez's honor.[The Tiger Tradition]
. Jesuit High School. Accessed August 22, 2013.
When the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays began play in in nearby St. Petersburg, Lopez threw one of several ceremonial first pitches along with fellow Hall of Famers 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 ...
, Stan Musial
Stanley Frank Musial (; born Stanislaw Franciszek Musial; November 21, 1920 – January 19, 2013), nicknamed "Stan the Man", was an American baseball outfielder and first baseman. Widely considered to be one of the greatest and most consistent ...
, and Monte Irvin.[ The Rays annually award the "Al López Award" to the "most outstanding rookie" in the team's spring camp each year.][
In 2013, López's boyhood home was moved to a lot across the street from the Ybor City State Museum, where it is undergoing renovation to become the " Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al López House".][Morel, Laura C]
Al López house moves to Ybor City for new life as museum
''Tampa Bay Times''. May 16, 2013. Accessed August 22, 2013.
Death
Al López died on October 30, 2005, at the age of 97 after suffering a heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
at his son's home. His death came four days after the White Sox won the 2005 World Series, their first world championship in 88 years and their first AL pennant since Lopez had led them to the World Series in 1959. Lopez was the last living person who had played major league baseball during the 1920s, and was the longest-lived member of the Baseball Hall of Fame until Bobby Doerr
Robert Pershing Doerr (April 7, 1918 – November 13, 2017) was an American professional baseball second baseman and coach (baseball), coach. He played his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Boston Red Sox (1937–1951). ...
passed him in 2015.
Connie López had died in September 1983. Al López was survived by his son, three grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
See also
* List of Major League Baseball managers with most career ejections
* List of Major League Baseball managers with most career wins
References
*
External links
*
*
*
*
Al López chronology
from the ''Tampa Tribune''
Al Lopez Oral History Interview (1 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection
Al Lopez Oral History Interview (2 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Al
1908 births
2005 deaths
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baseball managers
Chicago White Sox managers
Cleveland Indians managers
Major League Baseball catchers
Brooklyn Dodgers players
Brooklyn Robins players
Boston Bees players
Cleveland Indians players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
National League All-Stars
Baseball players from Tampa, Florida
American people of Spanish descent
Tampa Smokers players
Jacksonville Tars players
Macon Peaches players
Atlanta Crackers players
Indianapolis Indians players
Indianapolis Indians managers
Jesuit High School (Tampa) alumni