Cito Gaston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cito Gaston
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1944-03-17) March 17, 1944 (age 81) San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
September 14, 1967, for the Atlanta Braves
Last appearance
October 1, 1978, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
Batting average	.256
Home runs	91
Runs batted in	387
Managerial record	894–837
Winning %	.516
Teams
As player Atlanta Braves (1967) San Diego Padres (1969–1974) Atlanta Braves (1975–1978) Pittsburgh Pirates (1978) As manager Toronto Blue Jays (1989–1997, 2008–2010) As coach Toronto Blue Jays (1982–1989, 2000–2001)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1970) 2× World Series champion (1992, 1993) Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2002

Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston (born March 17, 1944) is an American former Major League Baseball player and manager. He played as an outfielder from 1967 to 1978. He is best known for his time with the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves.

Cito Gaston spent his entire managing career with the Toronto Blue Jays. He made history as the first African-American manager to win a World Series title. He led the Blue Jays to four division titles and two World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.

About Cito Gaston's Life

Cito Gaston grew up in San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas. His father was a semi-truck driver. Cito wanted to be a truck driver or a Major League baseball player.

He got his nickname 'Cito' from a friend. The friend thought Cito looked like a famous Mexican wrestler. When Cito played for the Atlanta Braves, he shared a room with baseball legend Hank Aaron. Gaston said Aaron taught him important life lessons.

Cito Gaston's Playing Career

Cito Gaston played baseball for ten years. He was mostly a center fielder. He started his career in 1967 with the Atlanta Braves.

Playing in the United States

In 1968, the San Diego Padres chose him in a special draft. He played for them starting in 1969. His best year was 1970. He had a great batting average of .318. He also hit 29 home runs and had 93 RBI.

Because of his amazing performance, he was chosen for the National League All-Star team. After 1970, his playing stats were not as high. He played for the Padres until 1974. Then he returned to the Braves from 1975 to 1978.

Playing in Venezuela

Cito Gaston also played baseball in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. He played for teams like the Cardenales de Lara and the Navegantes del Magallanes. He hit 31 home runs and had 207 RBI in 310 games there.

Cito Gaston's Managing Career

Cito Gaston is a member of the Toronto Blue Jays' Level of Excellence.

Cito Gaston became the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1982. The Blue Jays won their first division title in 1985 with Gaston as their hitting coach.

Becoming a Manager

In 1989, the Blue Jays were not playing well. Their manager was fired. Cito Gaston was offered the job. He first said no because he liked being a hitting coach. But his players encouraged him to take the job.

Under Gaston's leadership, the Blue Jays changed from a struggling team to division winners. They finished second in 1990. Then they won their division again in 1991, 1992, and 1993.

Winning the World Series

As a manager, Gaston was known for being calm and supportive. He worked well with his players. The Blue Jays had many talented players during these years. The team's stadium, the SkyDome, was often full of fans. This success helped the team sign great players like Jack Morris and Dave Winfield. They also kept stars like Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar.

Joe Carter said that Gaston knew how to work with each player. He said Gaston made them want to play hard for him. Gaston was also good at planning game strategies. He helped the Blue Jays win important games away from home.

The Blue Jays won the 1992 World Series. This was the first time a team outside the United States won the World Series. Cito Gaston also became the first African-American manager to win a World Series. The Blue Jays won again in the 1993 World Series. This was a big achievement, as they had lost many key players after 1992.

Managing All-Star Games

Because he led the American League champions, Gaston managed the American League team in the 1993 and 1994 All-Star Games. He chose six Blue Jays players for the 1993 All-Star team. He said they were World Champions and two would be future Hall of Famers. He was right, as Roberto Alomar and Paul Molitor later entered the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

After the World Series Wins

After the championship years, the Blue Jays team changed. Many players got older or left for other teams. The team's attendance also started to drop.

Gaston was fired as manager in 1997. Joe Carter wore Gaston's jersey number (43) for the rest of the season to show his support. Gaston's first time as manager ended with a strong record.

Cito Gaston's name is honored by the Toronto Blue Jays in Rogers Centre.

Gaston later returned to the Blue Jays as a hitting coach in 1999. He left after the 2001 season. In 2002, he became a special assistant to the team's president.

Returning to Manage Again

On June 20, 2008, Cito Gaston was hired again as the Blue Jays' manager. This was 11 years after he was last fired. The team's record was 35 wins and 39 losses when he took over. Under Gaston, the Blue Jays finished the rest of the season with 51 wins and 37 losses.

He signed a contract to manage until 2010. He announced he would retire after the 2010 season. The 2009 season started well, but the team's performance declined. The 2010 season saw the team play better, finishing with a winning record. Gaston retired after the 2010 season.

Cito Gaston's Managerial Record

Awards and Honors for Cito Gaston

"Thank You Cito Night" on September 29, 2010, in Toronto

Cito Gaston has received many awards and honors:

• In 1970, he was chosen for the 1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
• He also won the San Diego Padres team MVP award in 1970.
• In 1989, he was named "Baseball Man of the Year" in Canada.
• He was voted "Sportsman of the Year" in 1993.
• He managed the American League team in the 1993 and 1994 All-Star Games.
• The University of Toronto gave him an honorary degree in 1994.
• In 1999, his Blue Jays uniform number (43) was honored at the Rogers Centre.
• He was elected into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.
• In 2006, he was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame.
• He received a Negro League Hall of Fame Legacy Award in 2008.
• In 2011, he was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
• He was inducted into the Navegantes del Magallanes Hall of Fame in 2012.
• In 2023, he was considered for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Clarence Gaston para niños