César Gutiérrez facts for kids

César Dario Gutiérrez [goo-te-er'-rez] (born January 26, 1943 – died January 22, 2005) was a professional baseball player from Venezuela. People also called him "Cocoa." He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the San Francisco Giants in 1967 and 1969. Later, he joined the Detroit Tigers from 1969 to 1971.

César was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed about 155 pounds. He batted and threw with his right hand. He is famous for being one of only two players in MLB history to get seven hits in one game without making any outs. This was a very rare and exciting achievement!

About César Gutiérrez's Baseball Career

César Gutiérrez was born in Coro, Falcón, Venezuela. He started his baseball journey when the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him in 1960. This was when he was still an amateur player.

Early Days in MLB

After being released by the Pirates, the San Francisco Giants signed César in 1963. He played a few games for the Giants in 1967 and 1969. During this time, his batting average was .182. In the middle of the 1969 season, the Giants traded him to the Detroit Tigers.

His Best Season with the Tigers

César had his most successful season in 1970 with the Detroit Tigers. He became the team's everyday shortstop. This means he played in most of their games.

In 1970, he achieved his personal bests in many areas:

• He had a batting average of .243.
• He got 22 RBIs (runs batted in).
• He scored 40 runs himself.
• He made 101 hits.
• He hit 11 doubles and 6 triples.
• He stole 4 bases.
• He played in 135 games, which was his career high.

Even though he had a great season, he also made 23 errors. This was the third highest number of errors in the league that year.

The Amazing 7-Hit Game

On June 21, 1970, César Gutiérrez made history! It was the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians. He got seven hits in seven at bats. One of his hits was a double.

This incredible performance made him only the second player in Major League history to get seven hits in a game without making an out. The first player to do this was Wilbert Robinson. The Tigers won that game 9–8 in twelve innings. After this game, César's batting average jumped from .218 to .249!

Later Career and Retirement

In 1971, César lost his regular shortstop spot to another player named Ed Brinkman. Brinkman joined the Tigers in a big trade. César then played in 40 games as a utility infielder. This means he could play different positions in the infield. His batting average that year was .189.

Before the next season, the Tigers sold César to the Montreal Expos. He played a few games for their minor league team, the Peninsula Whips. Then he was released and joined the San Diego Padres' minor league team, the Hawaii Islanders. César played the rest of 1972 in Hawaii. He retired from baseball at the end of that year.

Career Totals

Over his four years in Major League Baseball, César Gutiérrez played in 223 games. He had 128 hits in 545 at bats. His career batting average was .235. He had 26 runs batted in but no home runs. He finished his career with a .953 fielding percentage. This shows how well he played defense.

After his MLB career, César played winter baseball in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League from 1961 to 1976. He also became a manager in the Mexican League. Later, he worked as a coach and a scout for different teams.

César Gutiérrez passed away in Cabimas, Zulia State, Venezuela, just four days before his 62nd birthday.

See Also

• List of Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
• List of Major League Baseball hit records
• List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders