Al López facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Al López
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1908-08-20)August 20, 1908 Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Died: October 30, 2005(2005-10-30) (aged 97) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
September 27, 1928, for the Brooklyn Robins
Last appearance
September 16, 1947, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average	.261
Home runs	51
Runs batted in	652
Managerial record	1,410–1,004
Winning %	.584
Teams
As player Brooklyn Robins / Dodgers (1928, 1930–1935) Boston Bees (1936–1940) Pittsburgh Pirates (1940–1946) Cleveland Indians (1947) As manager Cleveland Indians (1951–1956) Chicago White Sox (1957–1965, 1968–1969)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (1934, 1941) Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1977
Election Method	Veterans Committee

Alfonso Ramón López (August 20, 1908 – October 30, 2005) was an American professional baseball catcher and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams between 1928 and 1947. Later, he managed the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox from 1951 to 1965, and again in parts of 1968 and 1969. People called him "El Señor" (The Gentleman) because of his Spanish background and polite manner.

As a player, López was a two-time All-Star. He was known for his great defense, leadership, and how long he could play. He set an MLB record for playing the most games as a catcher (1,918), a record that lasted for many years. As a manager, his teams won 58.4% of their games, which is one of the best records in baseball history.

His 1954 Cleveland Indians and 1959 Chicago White Sox teams were special. They were the only teams to win the American League championship between 1949 and 1964, breaking the New York Yankees' long winning streak. In all his 18 full seasons as a manager, his teams never had a losing record. He was honored by being put into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.

Al López's parents came to the United States from Spain before he was born. He grew up in Ybor City in Tampa, Florida, which was a community of immigrants. After his baseball career, he moved back to Tampa with his family. His hometown honored him by naming a baseball stadium (Al López Field) and a public park after him. There is also a statue of him in the park. His childhood home was moved and is now the site of the Tampa Baseball Museum.

Early Life and Baseball Dreams

Al López was born on August 20, 1908, in Tampa, Florida. He was the seventh of nine children. His parents, Modesto and Faustina López, moved from Spain to Cuba, and then to Ybor City in Tampa. Modesto worked as a tabaquero, or cigar maker, in Havana and later in Tampa.

Ybor City was a busy place with many immigrants when Al was a child. Most people worked in cigar factories. Al often visited his father's workplace. He later said he "hated" the smell of tobacco. He promised himself he would never work in a cigar factory.

As a teenager, Al delivered Cuban bread for a bakery. His older brother, Emilio, introduced him to baseball during the 1920 World Series. Al quickly loved the game. He felt more driven to be great at baseball than his brother.

Playing Baseball

Al López started his professional baseball career in 1924. He was only 16 years old. He signed as a catcher with the Tampa Smokers in the Florida State League. He quit his bakery job and left high school to play baseball. His first salary was $150 a month. This money was important for his family because his father's health was getting worse.

Soon after, Al impressed famous pitcher Walter Johnson with his catching skills. Johnson suggested Al become a practice catcher for the Washington Senators in 1925. This was a great chance for Al to learn and improve. The Senators tried to buy his contract, but his minor league team asked for too much money.

López kept playing in the minor leagues and moved up steadily. He made his major league debut in 1928 with Brooklyn. By 1930, at age 21, he became the Dodgers' main catcher. He played regularly in the major leagues for the next 17 seasons.

His best year for hitting was 1933, when he hit for a .301 average. He was more famous for his defense and leadership. He was also good at working with different pitchers. These skills earned him two trips to the All-Star game.

Al López played for the Brooklyn Robins / Dodgers (1928, 1930-1935), Boston Bees (1936-1940), Pittsburgh Pirates (1940-1946), and Cleveland Indians (1947). In 1945, he broke the record for most career games played as a catcher. When he retired in 1947, he had caught 1,918 games. This record stood until 1987.

He was also the last player to hit a home run that bounced over the fence. This happened on September 12, 1930. The rule changed the next year, making such a hit a ground-rule double instead of a home run.

Managing Baseball Teams

Minor League Manager

After retiring as a player in 1947, López wanted to become a coach or manager. The owner of the Cleveland Indians, Bill Veeck, offered him the manager job. But López said no. He wanted to get experience with another team first. This turned out well for the Indians, who won the 1948 World Series that year.

López started his managing career in 1948 with the Indianapolis Indians. This was a minor league team for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He managed them for three years. His teams finished first once and second twice in their league.

Major League Manager

Cleveland Indians

López finally accepted the offer to manage the Cleveland Indians in 1951. Under his leadership, the Indians won over 90 games every year from 1951 to 1953. However, they finished second to the New York Yankees each time.

In 1954, López's team had an amazing season. They won 111 games, which was an American League record at the time. They won the AL championship, but then lost to the New York Giants in the 1954 World Series. This was a big upset.

The Indians finished second to the Yankees again in 1955 and 1956. López became upset with the fans and team management in 1956. He felt they didn't support his injured star player, Al Rosen. Because of this, López resigned from the team on the last day of the season. He left the Indians with a record of 570 wins and 354 losses. His winning percentage of .617 is still the best in the team's history.

Chicago White Sox

López in 1965

About a month after leaving Cleveland, López became the new manager of the Chicago White Sox. His White Sox teams didn't have many powerful hitters. But they had very fast players like Nellie Fox, Minnie Miñoso, and Luis Aparicio. So, López changed his strategy to fit his team.

The White Sox stole over 100 bases every season from 1957 to 1961. They often led the American League in stolen bases. This earned them the nickname "Go-Go Sox".

In 1957, his first year in Chicago, López's White Sox won 90 games and finished second. They finally won the American League championship in 1959. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1959 World Series. López stayed with Chicago until 1965. His teams finished second five times and always won at least 82 games.

López retired from managing after the 1965 season due to a stomach problem. He became a team vice president. He returned to manage the White Sox briefly in July 1968. But he had to have surgery and missed most of the season. He agreed to manage again in 1969, but health issues forced him to resign early in May.

Managing Style

López, circa 1966

López was known for being calm and never yelling at his players. He preferred to give helpful advice instead of angry speeches. The Indians' owner, Bill Veeck, once said López's only fault was that he was "too decent." López took this as a compliment. Veeck also said López's calm leadership helped his teams play their very best.

A 1957 Sports Illustrated article described López as a "gentleman." It said he was "decent, thoughtful, exceptionally courteous." He rarely showed anger. His son later said that even though his father didn't show it, he hated to lose. He often had trouble sleeping and stomach problems during the baseball season.

Tommy John, a famous baseball player, said López understood all parts of the game better than any manager he played for. He knew about hitting, defense, pitching, and strategy. John said López was smart enough not to "overmanage." He let his players play.

Because of his Spanish background and polite nature, López was given the nickname "El Señor."

Managerial Record

Al López's .584 winning percentage is one of the best in Major League Baseball history. When he retired, his 1,410 MLB wins were the 11th most all-time. In his 18 full seasons as a manager, his teams never had a losing record. His 1954 Indians and 1959 White Sox teams were the only non-Yankee teams to win the AL championship between 1949 and 1964. His 840 wins with the White Sox are the second most in that team's history.

Al López's plaque at the Baseball Hall of Fame

Personal Life and Legacy

Al López (at left) with Ronald Reagan and Walter Alston, 1982

Al López met Evelyn "Connie" Kearney, a dancer, in the early 1930s. They got married on October 7, 1939, and had a son, Al Jr., in 1940.

Honors and Recognition

Al and Connie López moved back to his hometown of Tampa in 1970. Al López was very special to Tampa. He was the first person from Tampa to play in the major leagues. He was also the first to manage a major league team, and the first to lead his team to a World Series. Plus, he was the first Tampa native to be put into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

When Tampa built a new baseball park in 1954, they named it Al López Field. The day it opened, October 6, 1954, was called "Al López Day" in Tampa. When López became the White Sox manager in 1957, he had the unique experience of managing home games in a stadium named after himself! He once joked that an umpire tried to throw him out of a game there. López protested, "You can't throw me out of this ballpark! This is my ballpark – Al López Field!" But the umpire still ejected him.

López was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. He was also an honorary team captain for the American League in the 1990 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Al López Field was torn down in 1989. López lived nearby and was sad when a new, bigger stadium wasn't built in its place. Soon after, the city of Tampa renamed a large park near the old stadium site to Al López Park. They also put up a big statue of López in his catching gear. This statue was dedicated on October 3, 1992, which was declared a second "Al López Day." His old high school, Jesuit High School, also named its new athletic center after him.

When the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team started playing in 1998, López threw one of the first pitches. The Rays now give an "Al López Award" each year to their best rookie player during spring training.

In 2013, López's childhood home was moved. It is now being fixed up to become the "Tampa Baseball Museum at the Al López House."

Death

Al López passed away on October 30, 2005, at age 97. He had a heart attack at his son's home. His death happened just four days after the White Sox won the 2005 World Series. This was their first championship in 88 years, and their first American League title since López led them in 1959. López was the last living person who had played major league baseball in the 1920s.

Connie López, his wife, had passed away in September 1983. Al López was survived by his son, three grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

See Also

• List of Major League Baseball managers by wins