| When you think of Baseball, you may naturally think of | | | | American-born player elected. |
| Latino professional players. We know that baseball is a | | | | The other players are Martin Dihigo (Cuba), Juan |
| major sport played in almost every Latin American | | | | Mariachal (Dominican Republic), Luis Aparicio |
| country next to futbol. Almost every Dominican kid | | | | (Venezuela), Rod Carew (Panama), Orlando Cepeda |
| wishes to be the next Pedro Martinez or Alex | | | | (Puerto Rico), and Tony Perez (Cuba). Ironically, Dihigo |
| Rodriguez. Same in Cuba where Baseball is also their | | | | never played in the majors (racism existed for |
| national past time. However, the truth is that Latino | | | | Hispanics too) but played in Mexico, Cuba, and the |
| players make up approximately 25% - 28% of the | | | | Negro Leagues during the 1920-1940 era. He excelled |
| MLB players. The Dominican Republic has the most | | | | at every position except catcher. Dihigo was voted in |
| players in the MLB with 79 while Venezuela is second | | | | 1977 by a vote of the veteran’s committee and |
| with 45 (as of April 2004). Puerto Rico is third with 36. | | | | became the only player inducted into the hall of fame |
| What most people may not know is how many Latino | | | | in Cuba, Mexico and U.S. Mariachal became the first |
| players are Hall of Famers. Do you? There are only | | | | Latino pitcher voted into the Hall of Fame. He played |
| seven Latin American-born players who are in the | | | | for the San Francisco Giants. Aparicio was a great |
| National Baseball Hall of Fame but with so many great | | | | shortstop who played for the Chicago White Sox. He |
| ballplayers currently playing this number is sure to | | | | had nine Gold Gloves and stole over 506 bases. |
| grow. So who are these magnificent seven? | | | | Carew had 3,053 career hits, which are the most by a |
| Of course, the great Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico) | | | | Latin American player. He has seven batting titles and |
| is the most known. He was a 12 time All-Star who | | | | has hit over .300 in 15 consecutive seasons. Carew |
| won four National League batting titles. In addition, he is | | | | played for the Minnesota Twins and Anaheim Angels. |
| only the 11th player to reach 3,000 career hits. | | | | Cepeda unanimously was voted National League |
| Tragically, Clemente’s life ended at the young | | | | Rookie of the Year in 1958. Also, he was a 10-time |
| age of 38 in a plane crash while flying relief supplies to | | | | All-Star. Finally, Perez played for the Cincinnati Reds in |
| Nicaraguan earthquake victims. The normal five year | | | | the 70’s and was a great clutch hitter. |
| waiting period to be considered for the Hall of Fame | | | | With so many talented Latino players, we will surely |
| was waived and Clemente became the first Latin | | | | see more in the Hall of Fame. |