LATIN HALL OF FAME MEMBERS
The Ban on African-American Players
Jackie Robinson is a legendary figure in sports history for becoming the first African-American to play Major League Baseball after Cap Anson and others placed a ban on black players in the 1890's. Three black players prior to the ban played in the Major Leagues; Bill White in 1879, and brothers Fleet & Welday Walker in 1884. A number of black players played in the minor leagues prior to the ban including Hall of Fame member Frank Grant. For nearly 50 years black players could only play in the Negro Leagues, until Jackie Robinson and four others, including Hall of Fame members Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe, broke the ban and played in the International League in 1946. Robinson was the first black player to make it to the Major Leagues in 1947, and the first inducted to the Hall of fame in 1962.
While black players were banned from professional baseball other minority groups including Cubans and Native Americans were allowed to play on white teams. Legend has it that some black players falsely claimed Cuban heritage in order to play baseball professionally. At least seven men who claimed Cuban heritage played in both the Negro Leagues and the Major Leagues during the ban. At least 25 players born in Cuba were in the Major Leagues during the ban, as well as men born in Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Another half-dozen men of Latin heritage who were born in the USA played during the ban as well, including Hall of Fame member Al Lopez.
The First Latin Players
The first Latin to play in the Major Leagues was Estaban Bellan, born in Cuba, who was the starting third baseman for Troy in the National Association in 1871. Luis Castro was the first Latin in the American League in 1902. Castro was born in Colombia and played second base for the Philadelphia Athletics. The Cincinnatti Reds became the first team in the National League to have Latin players when in 1911 they had Cubans Rafael Almeida and Armando Marsans on the team.
First player from Cuba: Esteban Bellan 1871
First players from Cuba in NL or AL: Rafael Almeida and Armando Marsans 1911
First player from Colombia: Luis Castro 1902
First player from Spain: Alfredo Cabrera 1913
First player from Mexico: Mel Almada 1933
First player from Venezuela: Alex Carrasquel 1939
First player from Puerto Rico: Hi Bithorn 1942
First players from Panama: Hector Lopez and Humberto Robinson 1955
First player from the Dominican Republic: Ozzie Virgil 1956
First player from Nicaragua: Dennis Martinez 1976
First player from Jamaica: Chili Davis 1981
First player from Honduras: Gerald Young 1987
First player from Curacao: Hensley Meulens 1989
First player from British Honduras: Chito Martinez 1991
Latin Members of the Hall of Fame
Latin-born Members of the Hall of Fame
1973 Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rico: Right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates
1977 Martin DiHigo, Cuba: Pitcher for the Cuban Stars East
1983 Juan Marichal, Dominican Republic: Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
1984 Luis Aparicio, Venezuela: Shortstop for the Chicago White Sox
1991 Rod Carew, Panama: Second baseman for the Minnesota Twins
1999 Orlando Cepeda, Puerto Rico: First baseman for the San Francisco Giants
2000 Tony Perez, Cuba: First Baseman for the Cincinnatti Reds
2006 Cristobal Torriente, Cuba: Center fielder for the Cuban Stars West
2006 Jose Mendez, Cuba: Pitcher for the Cuban Stars
Latin-American Members of the Hall of Fame
1972 Lefty Gomez, Portuguese-American: Pitcher for the New York Yankees
1977 Al Lopez, parents Spanish immigrants: Catcher and Manager for the Cleveland Indians
1993 Reggie Jackson, Afro-Puerto Rican: Right fielder for the New York Yankees
2006 Alex Pompez, parents Cuban immigrants: Owner/Pioneer for the Negro Leagues