Alejandro Carrasquel First Venezuelan To Play In MLB
On April 23, 1939, right-hand pitcher Alejandro Eloy Carrasquel becomes the first Venezuelan to play in Major League Baseball game. He come out of the Washington Senators bullpen to face the New York Yankees. He strikes out Joe DiMaggio, gets Lou Gehrig to ground out, and Bill Dickey to pop out to retire the side in order. He came to the attention of the Senators pitching in Cuba the previous winter.
He was an accomplished veteran pitcher when he made his debut at 27. Carrasquel had a won loss record of 50-39 with an ERA of 3.73 and 16 saves. He played most of his Major League Baseball Career with the Washington Senators. In 1946, his contract was sold to the Chicago White Sox. Carrasquel rejected the deal, and signed with the newly formed Mexican League, and returned to Major League Baseball for a brief appearance with the Chicago White Sox in 1949, and was traded to the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers would option the pitcher to the Buffalo Bisons of the International League. He would return to Venezuela play before calling it a career.
He died on August 19, 1969 in Caracas, Venezuela from complications from diabetes, he was only 57. He was inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
