Vidal Lopez

[jalbright]

Mtortolero posted this in my musings thread. I hadn't heard of Lopez, despite reading Bill McNeil's stuff, which does cover Venezuela.

Has you ever heard about Vidal Lopez? He was a giant black venezuelan who is a legend in our country because his power at bat and his mastery as pitcher.

In 1931, 14 years old , started playing for Valdespino, his first semi-pro organized team where won his first award (as the best pitcher) in a season with 122 K in 7 GS, winning 4 of them, playing as catcher or OF when he was not playing as pitcher in the others games.

In 1934, 17 years old, was hired by "Concordia", owned by Gonzalo Gómez (who was relative of dictator Juan Vicente Gomez), with a monthly salary of 300 bolívares plus travel expenses (a huge salary in venezuela for those times, most when you are a teenager) . In this team was playing other venezuelan legend, Alejandro " Paton "Carrasquel, the first venezuelan player at mlb; and one of those "urban legends" of caribean winter baseball, pitcher Marcelino Blondet from Puerto Rico ( knicknamed Moncho El Brujo ).
In 1938 makes his debut in Puerto Rico league with Caguas shooting 2 Hrs ans a double in his first three AB. He played in others teams in Venezuela by five years but those years our leagues were not a good bussines and teams remains short in competition.
Between 1942 and 1956 he played in Venezuela and around of all the caribean circuit.
In 1942, in Mexico with Monterrey finnished with the best ERA (2.08) as pitcher, .304 avg, 6 Hrs and 54 RBI (tied as leader with Roy Campanella)
In Venezuela left a .307 carrer average in ten seasons with Magallanes. In 1947 hit for .374 with 32 rbi, 11 dobles and 4 Hrs, being MVP of the league, price he pepeat in 1948. In Mexico has record of 17-1 and hit for .345 avg. In 1951 in Dominican Republic he finnished with .359 of avg.
He retires as active player in 1956. His legend as the most prominent black venezuelan player remains still.

[jjpm74]

This is the first I'm hearing of him, but I would like to hear more as he sounds like he was a great ball player in his day.

[jjpm74]

There's some mention of his stardom here.

He also comes up here.