Connie Marrero facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Connie Marrero
Marrero in the 1950s
Pitcher
Born: (1911-04-25)April 25, 1911 Sagua la Grande, Cuba
Died: April 23, 2014(2014-04-23) (aged 102) Havana, Cuba
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 21, 1950, for the Washington Senators
Last appearance
September 7, 1954, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	39–40
Earned run average	3.67
Strikeouts	297
Teams
Washington Senators (1950–1954)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1951)
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2014
Medals Representing  Cuba Men's Baseball Baseball World Cup Gold 1939 Havana Team Gold 1940 Havana Team Silver 1941 Havana Team Gold 1942 Havana Team Bronze 1944 Caracas Team

Conrado Eugenio Marrero Ramos (April 25, 1911 – April 23, 2014), known as "Connie", was a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. He threw with his right hand. Connie played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1950 to 1954 for the Washington Senators.

Connie Marrero started his MLB career when he was 38 years old. This made him one of the oldest players in the league. He was a big star in his home country of Cuba. There, he had a long and successful career in amateur baseball. He pitched for the Cuban national team in many Amateur World Series games. He also played very well for the professional Cuban League and the minor league Havana Cubans.

In Cuba, people called him "El Guajiro de Laberinto" (The Peasant from Laberinto). This nickname showed he came from a rural area. Other nicknames were "El Premier" and "El Curvo." Connie Marrero was known for throwing "slow stuff." This included curves, sliders, and knuckleballs.

Connie Marrero was 102 years old when he passed away. At that time, he was the oldest living former Major League Baseball player.

Connie Marrero's Baseball Journey

Playing in Cuba as an Amateur

Connie Marrero was born on a farm in Sagua la Grande, Cuba. His family came from the Canary Islands. He played baseball for local teams in his rural area. In 1938, when he was about 26 or 27, he was asked to pitch for the Cienfuegos team. This team was part of the Cuban Amateur League. Games were played on Sundays from March to September. A department store sponsored the team and gave him a job during the week.

Marrero became one of the most popular and successful pitchers in the Cuban Amateur League. He won 123 games between 1938 and 1945. Many people thought he was a bigger star than any professional pitcher in Cuba.

From 1939 to 1943, Cuba hosted the Amateur World Series. These big tournaments were held at La Tropical Stadium in Havana.

• 1939 Amateur World Series: Connie Marrero pitched for the Cuba national baseball team. This was the first time Cuba played in the series. Only three teams competed, and Cuba won easily. Marrero helped by winning the only game he pitched.
• 1940 Amateur World Series: Marrero led Cuba to victory again. He won 3 games and had a low 1.15 earned run average (ERA). He was named the Most Valuable Player of the series.
• 1941 Amateur World Series: Marrero won three games. But the series ended in a tie between Cuba and Venezuela. In a special playoff game, Marrero faced Venezuela's star pitcher, Daniel Canónico. Venezuela won the game 3-1, taking their first Amateur World Series title.
• 1942 Amateur World Series: This was Marrero's best amateur season. He won 22 games and lost 5, with a 1.22 ERA. Fans voted for the Cuban national team, and Marrero got the most votes. Cuba won the Cup again, beating Venezuela 8-0 in a rematch.
• 1944 Amateur World Series: Marrero played again after a short break. The series was in Caracas, Venezuela. It ended with a three-way tie and some arguments about umpire calls. Cuba left the tournament in protest.

In 1945, Marrero was suspended from the Amateur League for a second time. This was because he accepted money for playing in a non-league game. After this, he decided to become a professional baseball player.

Cuban Professional League (Winter League)

In the winter of 1946-47, Connie Marrero joined the Oriente team in a professional league. He had a good season, winning 8 games and leading the league in victories. After that season, he moved to the Almendares team in the main Cuban League. He played a small part in their win that year.

In 1947, Marrero got to pitch against Major League Baseball teams. These teams were in Havana for spring training. He beat the New York Yankees in a short game, allowing only one run. A week later, he pitched a great game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, but lost 1-0.

The next season (1947-48), Marrero returned to Almendares. He had an amazing season, winning 12 games and losing only 2. He set Cuban League records for shutouts (eight) and ERA (1.12). He also won the Most Valuable Player award.

Marrero continued to play for Almendares.

• In 1948-49, Almendares won the pennant (league championship). They represented Cuba in the first Caribbean Series in 1949. Cuba won the series, and Marrero pitched a complete game victory.
• In 1949-50, Almendares won the pennant again. But at the second Caribbean Series, Cuba lost to Panamá.
• In 1953-54, Marrero helped Almendares win the pennant once more. He pitched a shutout in the Caribbean Series, but Puerto Rico won the overall series.

In 1955-56, Marrero became the manager of Almendares. But the team did not do well. He later played for the Tigres de Marianao in 1956-57. Marianao won the pennant, and Marrero played in his last Caribbean Series. Cuba won their fourth title in nine series. The next season was his last as a player.

Connie Marrero's career record in the Cuban League was 69 wins and 43 losses. His winning percentage of .600 is one of the best in league history. Even though he didn't start in the Cuban League until he was 35, his 69 wins rank 10th all-time.

Minor League Baseball Career

From 1947 to 1949, Marrero pitched for the Havana Cubans. This team was in the Florida International League and was connected to the Washington Senators.

• 1947: Marrero had an incredible year. He won 25 games and lost 6. He led the league in wins, complete games (28), strikeouts (251), shutouts (seven), and ERA (1.66). On July 12, 1947, he pitched a no-hitter against the Tampa Smokers. The Cubans finished first and won the playoffs.
• 1948: He won 20 games and lost 11, with a 1.67 ERA. The Cubans finished first again and won the playoffs.
• 1949: Marrero won the league MVP award. He won 25 games and lost 8, with 11 shutouts and a 1.53 ERA. He even pitched 44 innings in a row without allowing a run. Havana finished first again, but lost in the playoffs.

After playing five years in Major League Baseball, Marrero returned to Havana. He played for the minor league team from 1955 to 1957. The team was now called the Havana Sugar Kings and played in the International League. He mostly pitched in home games. In 1955, he won 7 games and had a 2.69 ERA. In 1956, at 45 years old, he pitched less. His only loss was to an even older pitcher, Satchel Paige. Marrero's pitching career ended in 1957.

Major League Baseball Career

Marrero's 1954 Bowman Gum baseball card

From 1950 to 1954, Connie Marrero pitched for the American League Washington Senators. Many other Cuban players were on the team, like pitchers Sandy Consuegra and Camilo Pascual. The Senators were not a top team during these years.

Marrero's first Major League game was on April 21, 1950.

• 1950: He pitched 152 innings and finished with 6 wins and 10 losses.
• 1951: He led his team in wins and innings pitched. He had 11 wins and 9 losses with a 3.90 ERA. On April 26, 1951, he pitched a one-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics. He only allowed one hit, a home run.
• 1952: He had 11 wins and 8 losses with a low 2.88 ERA.
• 1953: He won 8 games and lost 7 with a 3.03 ERA.
• 1954: At 43 years old, he was the oldest player in the Major Leagues. He finished with 3 wins and 6 losses.

On January 24, 1955, the Senators released Marrero. He ended his Major League career with 39 wins and 40 losses. His ERA was 3.67. He pitched 51 complete games, including seven shutouts. He was chosen for the 1951 American League All-Star team. At 40 years old, he was the oldest player to be named an All-Star for the first time.

After Playing Baseball

After he stopped playing, Connie Marrero became a coach for the Havana Sugar Kings. He was also a scout for the Boston Red Sox in 1960.

After the Cuban Revolution, Marrero stayed in Cuba. He was an important link between the old professional Cuban League and the new amateur Cuban national baseball league. He worked as a pitching coach for the Havana Industriales team for many years. He also taught pitching to players all over Cuba.

Connie Marrero is a respected figure in Cuba. His picture is on a mural at Estadio Latinoamericano. He threw out the first pitch at the 1984 baseball World Championship. He also did this at a special game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cuban national team in 1999.

In 2006, Marrero was in a documentary about Cuban baseball called "The Bases Are Loaded." He lived a simple life in Havana. In 2013, on his 102nd birthday, he received a payment from Major League Baseball. This payment was for players who played between 1947 and 1979.

Connie Marrero passed away on April 23, 2014, in Havana. He was just two days shy of his 103rd birthday. He was the second oldest Major League Baseball player of all time.

Career Statistics

Cuban League

Source: Figueredo, pp. 279, 284–286, 293–295, 309, 324, 339–342, 356, 370, 381, 396, 412, 423, 435.

Caribbean Series

Source: Figueredo, pp. 315, 333, 389, 428.

Minor Leagues

Source: Figueredo, pp. 291, 305–306, 320, 406, 420, 432.

Major League Baseball

Source:

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference. Retrieved on March 16, 2007.

See also

• List of centenarians (Major League Baseball players)
• List of centenarians (sportspeople)