Conrado marrero ramos biography examples images
An era closed for both the Cuban and North American versions of a shared national pastime on April 23, , when the oldest surviving former big-leaguer, Conrado Marrero, passed away quietly in his beloved native homeland. The last living Cuban big leaguer from pre-revolution days had been quietly residing at the modest Havana apartment of his grandson Rogelio for most of the past two decades.
Connie Marrero ; Full Name.
While well into his late eighties, the indefatigable island legend was still serving as a part-time pitching coach for the Cuban League team in Granma Province. Cup-of-coffee Brooklyn Dodgers infielder Malinosky who had reached the century mark on October 5, was senior to the colorful Cuban icon by less than 18 months. To aging North American fans, Marrero is remembered exclusively for his five brief seasons with the American League also-ran Washington Senators, the team he joined in as a grizzled year-old rookie.
It has often been reported that Washington owner-manager Clark Griffith erroneously believed Marrero was born in instead of when he signed him on, but that part of the legend is probably only apocryphal. The stogie, the thick Spanish accent and the elaborate windmill windup were trademark realities that merged rapidly into all-too-familiar stereotypes.
A truly representative image of Connie Marrero would more justly have him adorned with a patriotic Cuban national team uniform (this is.
But from yet another perspective, the American League Washington Senators and the whole enterprise of big league baseball were themselves, in turn, but a mere blip in the baseball-playing career of the seemingly ageless and remarkably durable Conrado Marrero. He pitched for only five seasons in the big time and lost more games forty than he won thirty-nine.
His reputation was that of a mystifying craftsman who tantalized hitters with off-speed deliveries and was always far more successful against the less-talented junior circuit clubs. Marrero outright owned Mr. Louis and dysfunctional Tigers of Detroit. And he bore the further reputation of a spunky artisan who proved most unhittable in early-season outings, when he was coming fresh off a full winter league season back home in Havana and was thus seemingly several weeks if not months ahead of most still-rusty springtime hitters.
Whatever the designation at the time, Marrero is today hardly a household name anywhere north of Miami. Yet for Cuban fans Marrero still remains the closest thing there is to a native big league legend. Negro leagues sufficient to merit a permanent home in Cooperstown. On-field he was a sneaky-fast curveballer known for his exceptional control and infallible mastery of the strike zone.