Who Was The First Puerto Rican Baseball Player?
Who was the first Puerto Rican baseball player? That would be Hiram Bithorn, who played for the Chicago Cubs in 1942. Bithorn was a pioneer in Puerto Rican baseball, and his story is an inspiring one.
Hiram Bithorn
Hiram Bithorn was the first Puerto Rican to play Major League Baseball. He was born on February 9, 1916, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He became a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in 1942.
Early life
Hiram Bithorn was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 9, 1916. His father, Hiram Bithorn Sr., was a police officer. His mother’s name was Carmen Seda. Bithorn had two sisters and one brother. He grew up in the Santurce section of San Juan. Bithorn played baseball and basketball in high school. He also played semiprofessional baseball in Puerto Rico.
Professional career
Hiram Bithorn made his professional debut in 1938 with the Criollos de Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League. In 1939, he first played in the United States for the Class-C Albany Senators of the Eastern League. In 1940, he was promoted to the Class-A Elmira Pioneers of the same league, where he posted a record of 18-9 with a 3.00 earned run average (ERA) and helped his team win the league championship.
Bithorn’s contract was then sold to the Chicago Cubs for $5,000. He made his Major League debut on April 18, 1942, becoming both the first Puerto Rican player and first Hispanic player in Cubs history. He pitched a complete game victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving up only four hits and one run. Bithorn went on to have a successful rookie season with Chicago, finishing 14-10 with a 2.95 ERA in 32 games (23 starts).
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente was the first Puerto Rican baseball player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was a right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1972. Clemente was a World Series champion in 1971 and was named the National League MVP in 1966. He died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972, while attempting to deliver aid to victims of the 1972 Nicaragua earthquake.
Early life
Roberto Clemente was born on August 18, 1934, in Barrio Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. One of seven children, Clemente was raised in a two-room house built by his father. His father worked as a foreman in a sugarcane plantation. Roberto Clemente had to drop out of school after the eighth grade to help support his family. In 1950, at the age of 16, he began playing baseball semiprofessionally in Puerto Rico.
Professional career
In 1954, Clemente was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers, but the team was unable to agree on a contract with him. He instead signed with the Santurce Crabbers of Puerto Rico’s Winter League. Playing for Santurce, Clemente was spotted by Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager Branch Rickey, who signed the 18-year-old rookie in 1955. Clemente made his Major League debut with the Pirates on April 17, 1955, which was Opening Day. In his first season he batted .255 with five home runs and 47 RBIs. Baseball writer Roger Angell describes Clemente as “arriving in the majors like a packed suitcase”, due to his ability to play multiple positions and hit from either side of the plate.
