Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

photo from baltimoresun.com file photo: Former Oakland A’s broadcaster Jon Miller is part of a feature of former A’s broadcasters in today’s That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

On That’s Amaury’s pod:

#1 Amaury talk about former Oakland A’s broadcaster Jon Miller although he called the Oakland A’s for only one season in 1974 it was a one season venture that showcased his talents before he went to work for the Baltimore Orioles.

#2 Another A’s broadcaster who called A’s games for just one season was the legendary Harry Cary in 1970. Harry called A’s home and away games before getting fired by owner Charlie O Finley just after one season.

#3 Oakland A’s broadcaster Red Rush did more than one season for the A’s he was on the Kansas City A’s broadcasts in 1965 he came back to the A’s when they were in Oakland in 1971 and finished off his time in Oakland between 1979-80.

#4 When Walter J Haas Sr. took over as A’s owner in 1979 he would later bring in broadcasters Bill King, Lon Simmons and Wayne Hagin in 1981 that broadcast crew turned out to be the best radio crew in A’s history.

#5 Amaury in the Spanish booth you had some great voices who called A’s games with you over the years Julio Gonzalez, Erwin Higueros , and the unforgettable Evelio Mendoza. Talk about what was it like to work with each one of them.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio play by play announcer and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Brooklyn Dodger left fielder Sandy Amoros makes a game saving catch near the left field fence in foul ground to prevent extra runs by the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series (photo from cubanbeisol.com)

Babe Ruth Outdone in Cuba

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

One year before he hit 59 home runs, Babe “El Bambino”Ruth was in Cuba,the one country outside the US,that payed the highest for Major League Players.This was decades before Cuban dictator Fidel Castro declared his government – a Communist government and banned all professional sports from the island. A Cuban developer and promoter by the name of Abel Linares payed Babe Ruth $20,000($2,000 per game) to join John McGraw’s New York Giants during a postseason series in Havana against Los Alacranes del Almendares(Scorpions of Almendares). It was a series in November of 1920.The $20,000 that Ruth received in 1920 is today the equivalent of $250,000.

On November 4,1920 Cristóbal Torriente started in center-field and hit fifth in the lineup. At that time he was considered one of the three best black players of all time.In five at bats Torriente got on base four times,with one double and three home runs and drove six of the 11 runs guiding the Almendares to an easy 11-4 victory of the New York Giants,with Babe Ruth as clean-up hitter, who started at first-base but later went to pitch in the fifth inning,and thereafter McGraw moved him back to first base.

Other great Cuban players during 1920 on that day against the New York Giants and Babe Ruth,that played with Almendares,were:Armando Marsans, Eusebio González and Mike Herrera (all three played in the major leagues) they were Cuban Caucasians.On that same team was Cristóbal Torriente,who was of light-skin never played in the major leagues because the scouts who looked at him conspired his hair too kinky.However it was Torriente,not Babe Ruth who really shined and outplayed The Bambino during that one historic series in Havana one November day.

The team that Ruth played against.The Almendares was one of the most heralded professional teams in pre-Castro’s Cuba,and one of the Cuban-born players from Almendares that made it to the major leagues (among others) was Edmundo (Sandy) Amorós, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1955 World Series, who made a series winning double-play playing left-field during the seventh game, that gave the Dodgers the title over the New York Yankees. Their first title in franchise history.I saw Amorós towards the end of his career in that old Cuban professional winter league at the Estadio de El Cerro in Marianao, he was still with Almendares, and was truly a fan favorite for Cubans. He was a hero after that series saving catch.

Cristóbal Torriente was an outfielder of great power in Negro league baseball with the Cuban Stars,All Nations,Chicago American Giants, Kansas City Monarchs and Detroit Stars.He played from 1912 to 1932. Of all the Cubans in the lineup that November 4,1920 Torriente was the only elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown,New York.

This quote from his countryman says it all.
“We have never given Torriente the credit he deserved. He did everything well,he fielded like a natural,threw in perfect form he covered as much field as could be covered; as for hitting,he left being good to being something extraordinary” -Martin Dihigo (National Baseball Hall of Fame)

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice

cbssports.com file photos: The late great Yogi Berra shown in his retirement days (left) and his active days (right), is quoted below by Talk Show host Amaury Pi Gonzalez in Baseball Funny Quotes