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"El Chico" was the third Venezuelan to play in the majors after right-handed pitcher Alex Carrasquel ( Washington Senators, in 1939) and first baseman/ outfielder Chucho Ramos ( Cincinnati Reds, in 1944). His major league career began with the White Sox, where he played shortstop from 1950See also 1949 in sports, other events of 1950, 1951 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'. Auto Racing NASCAR Championship Bill Rexford AAA Racing: Henry Banks won the series championship Johnnie Parsons won the Indianapolis 500 Formula One Champion to 19551955 is a common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January events January 2 Panama president Jose Antonio Remon is assassinated. January 19 The Scrabble board game debuts. February events February 8 Nikolai Bulganin ousts Georgi Mal.
In 1951See also 1950 in sports, other events of 1951, 1952 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'. Auto Racing NASCAR Championship Herb Thomas AAA Racing: Tony Bettenhausen won the series championship Lee Wallard won the Indianapolis 500 Formula One Champio Carrasquel became the first Latin AmericaLatin America consists of the countries of South America and North America (including Central America and the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken there. Most frequen player to be selected to participate in an All-Star gameThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game is an annual exhibition baseball game between the best players from the National League and the American League. The All-Star Game usually occurs in mid-July and marks the middle of the Major League Baseball season., beating out reigning MVP Phil RizzutoPhilip Francis Rizzuto (born September 25, 1917) was a Major League Baseball player and radio/ television sports announcer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a streetcar motorman. Rizzuto played his first major-league game on April 14, 1941. as the American LeagueThe American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. It developed from a minor league, the Western League, that aspired to's starting shortstop. Carrasquel would go on to be selected to the All-Star team a total of four times.
In 1946, as a six-foot, 193-pound 17-year-old Cervecería Caracas shortstop, Carrasquel hit the first home run batted in the Venezuelan Winter Baseball League's history. He was signed in 1949 by the Brooklyn Dodgers, but his inability to speak English may have caused Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey to sell him to the White Sox. The Sox' GM Frank Lane solved the language communication problem by trading journeyman pitcher Alex Carrasquel (Chico's uncle) for reliever Witto Aloma, who served as the interpreter between Chico and manager Paul Richards. Replacing Luke Appling in 1950, Carrasquel soon established himself as a top shortstop, and made an excellent double play combination with second baseman Nellie Fox. As a rookie, Carrasquel hit for a .282 batting average in 141 games and amassed a 24-game hitting streak. Boston Red Sox pitcher Ellis Kinder stopped the streak.Carrasquel broke an AL record by accepting 297 chances (in 53 games) without an error in 1951. At the end of the 1955 season, Chicago traded him with Jim Busby to the Cleveland Indians for Larry Doby. The trade was made to make room for future Hall of Famer, and fellow Venezuelan, Luis Aparicio, Jr.
Carrasquel then played for the Indians from 1956 to 1958, the Kansas City Athletics in 1958, and the Baltimore Orioles in 1959.
Chico Carrasquel is a living legend in his native Venezuela. He was the most important and influential figure for many countrymen that have played Major League Baseball, including shortstops Aparicio, Dave Concepción, Ozzie Guillén and Omar Vizquel; outfielders Vic Davalillo, Tony Armas, Magglio Ordóñez and Bobby Abreu; the versatile utility player César Tovar; second baseman Manny Trillo; catcher Bo Diaz; first baseman Andrés Galarraga, and many more.
The Venezuelan Baseball League belatedly honored its native son in 1991, when the Puerto La Cruz baseball park was renamed Chico Carrasquel Stadium.
