...
By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
José Valdivielso, a Cuban-born infielder who played for the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins before turning his talents to the Yankees' broadcast booth, died Tuesday. He was 90.
The Matanzas native played parts of five seasons for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise from 1955-61, making the move west with the team prior to his final big league season.
Read More on MLB
A career .219 hitter, Valdivielso was famous for being part of the only triple play in MLB history featuring entirely Cuban-born players, on July 23, 1960, along with Senators teammates Julio Becquer and Pedro Ramos.
More news: Longtime MLB Team Owner Dies at 94
As he recalled in an interview for Baseball Players of the 1950s, "It was at Kansas City. Whitey Herzog was hitting with runners on first and second and Camilo Pascual was pitching. Herzog hit a line drive to Camilo (one out). Pascual threw to Julio Becquer at first base (two outs). Julio then threw to me at second base (three outs). A 1-3-6 triple play."
...
Facile with the glove, Valdivielso collected a single MVP vote in 1955 on the strength of his shortstop play for the Senators. That year, he hit .221 with two home runs and 28 RBIs in a career-high 325 plate appearances. Sports Illustrated wrote of Valdivielso in 1954, that he can "stop a ball but not hit one."
More news: Former Phillies Infielder, Member of World Series Champion Braves, Dies
Valdivielso was cited by longtime Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard among his favorite names to pronounce. Coincidentally, Valdivielso would settle down in New York and become a Yankees and Mets broadcaster himself.
After working as an analyst on the Yankees' Spanish-language radio broadcasts with play-by-play man Buck Canel on WADO, he joined the Mets' Spanish-language radio broadcast team in 1974.
More news: Former Red Sox, Guardians, Pirates, A's Pitcher Dies at 53
Valdivielso was so prominent among the Cuban baseball fraternity that he accepted a plaque on behalf of famed Negro Leaguer Martin Dihigo, a Cuba native, upon induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
Valdivielso joined the MLB Players Alumni Association's Board of Directors in 1999 and served on the Board for decades. He was granted the lifetime title of MLBPAA Board Member Emeritus status in Jan. 2020.
More news: Former Red Sox, Mets Outfielder Dies; Sought Privacy in Post-Baseball Life
Valdivielso was preceded in death by his wife, Rosa, and daughter, Rachel. He is survived by two daughters, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines