Alfonso Carrasquel Colon, better known as Chico Carrasquel, was a Venezuelan professional baseball player, coach, scout and manager.
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29 Facts About Chico Carrasquel
2.
Chico Carrasquel played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from 1950 to 1959, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox where he became the first Latin American in MLB history to start in an All-Star Game in 1951.
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3.
Chico Carrasquel played for the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles.
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4.
Chico Carrasquel later worked as a color commentator on the White Sox' Spanish language game broadcasts and, as the team's Community Relations Representative.
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5.
Chico Carrasquel was signed in 1949 by the Brooklyn Dodgers, and was immediately promoted to the Double-A Fort Worth Cats.
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6.
Chico Carrasquel joined the White Sox in 1950, becoming the third Venezuelan to play in Major League Baseball after his uncle, Alex Chico Carrasquel and Chucho Ramos.
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7.
Chico Carrasquel became the White Sox's starting shortstop, replacing the 41-year-old Luke Appling, who had held the position since 1930.
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8.
Chico Carrasquel soon established himself as an excellent defensive player, combining with second baseman Nellie Fox to make one of the best double play combinations in the league.
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9.
Chico Carrasquel finished the season ranked third in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, behind Walt Dropo and Whitey Ford, and finished 12th in the 1950 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot.
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10.
In 1951, Chico Carrasquel beat out the reigning American League Most Valuable Player, Phil Rizzuto, in voting for the shortstop of the American League in the 1951 All-Star Game.
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11.
Chico Carrasquel became the first Latin American player to be selected to start in an All-Star Game.
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12.
On July 19,1951, Chico Carrasquel broke Rizzuto's Major League record by handling 297 consecutive chances in 53 games without committing an error.
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13.
Chico Carrasquel ended the year leading the league's shortstops in assists and in fielding percentage.
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14.
Chico Carrasquel had an off year in 1952 as a broken finger and then weight problems saw his batting average drop to.
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15.
In 1953, Chico Carrasquel was voted as the starting shortstop for the American League in the 1953 All-Star Game and ended the season first among the league's shortstops in fielding percentage.
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16.
Chico Carrasquel responded with his most productive season in 1954, when he was voted to make his third start as the American League shortstop in the 1954 All-Star Game and, posted career-highs in home runs, RBI, hits, runs, extra-base hits, walks.
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17.
Nellie Fox hit a bunt down the third base line and, when Orioles third baseman, Gus Triandos, left his base to field the ball, Chico Carrasquel rounded second base and continued to third, where he was called safe on a close play.
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18.
Chico Carrasquel had been instrumental in helping the White Sox sign another young, Venezuelan shortstop named Luis Aparicio, who went on to become a perennial All-Star player and was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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19.
On May 10,1959, Chico Carrasquel was hit above his left eye by a thrown baseball as he was running the base paths and had to be carried off the field.
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20.
Chico Carrasquel became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Chicago White Sox in January 1960 but was released at the beginning of the season.
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21.
Chico Carrasquel was a disciplined hitter, posting a solid 1.
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22.
Chico Carrasquel had 5 hits and scored 5 runs in a game against the Kansas City Athletics on April 23,1955.
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23.
Chico Carrasquel had a career-high 7 runs batted in during a game against the Athletics on April 26,1956.
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24.
Chico Carrasquel returned to his native Venezuela where continued to play in the Venezuelan Winter League until 1967 when, he retired as an active player at the age of 41.
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26.
Chico Carrasquel spent time as a scout for the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets.
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27.
Chico Carrasquel later worked as a color commentator on the White Sox' Spanish language broadcasts from 1990 to 1996 and, as the team's Community Relations Representative until 2002.
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28.
In 2004, Chico Carrasquel helped start a nonprofit foundation to help underprivileged children in Venezuela and the United States.
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29.
In 2003, Chico Carrasquel was selected in the inaugural class of the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
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