Latinos In Beisbol

Although largely ignored by historians of both baseball in general and the Negro leagues in particular, Latinos have been a significant presence in organized baseball from the beginning. In this benchmark study on Latinos and professional baseball from the 1880s to the present, Adrian Burgos tells a compelling story of the men who negotiated the color line at every turn—passing as "Spanish" in the major leagues or seeking respect and acceptance in the Negro leagues. Burgos draws on archival materials from the U.S., Cuba, and Puerto Rico, as well as Spanish- and English-language publications and interviews with Negro league and major league players. He demonstrates how the manipulation of racial distinctions that allowed management to recruit and sign Latino players provided a template for Brooklyn Dodgers’ general manager Branch Rickey when he initiated the dismantling of the color line by signing Jackie Robinson in 1947. Burgos's extensive examination of Latino participation before and after Robinson's debut documents the ways in which inclusion did not signify equality and shows how notions of racialized difference have persisted for darker-skinned Latinos like Orestes ("Minnie") Miñoso, Roberto Clemente, and Sammy Sosa.

Details the history and contributions of Latin American players in major league baseball, describing the obstacles, including racism, that they have had to face.

Details the history and contributions of Latin American players in major league baseball, describing the obstacles, including racism, that they have had to face.

Profiles the Latino baseball legends from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, and provides each player's statistics, anecdotes, playing style, and contribution to the sport.

Profiles some of baseball's present and past superstars who are from Spanish-speaking countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico, including Roberto Clemente, the Alou brothers, and Miguel Tejada.

A biography of the Dominican-born pitcher who starred for the Los Angeles Dodgers before being signed by the Boston Red Sox in 1999.

Since Cuba's Esteban Bellan made his debut for the Troy Haymakers of the National Association in 1871, Latin Americans have played a large role in the major leagues. Nearly 15 percent of big league rosters are made up of Latinos, while the region's colorful and competitive winter leagues have been a proving ground for up-and-coming major league players and managers. Early Latin American stars were barred purely because of the color of their skin from playing in the major leagues. Players such as Jose Mendez and Martin Dihigo (the only player elected to the U.S., Cuban and Mexican halls of fame) made their marks on the Negro Leagues, turning the leagues' barnstorming tours into major attractions in many Caribbean countries. This history of the players and events that make up the rich tradition of Latin American baseball gives a unique insight to this long-neglected area of baseball.

Analyzing Latino baseball players, masculinity, and American nationalism, Rudolph sheds new light on the ambivalence of mainstream America towards Latin/o culture.