Héctor López facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Héctor López |
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López in 1955.
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| Outfielder / Third baseman | |||
| Born: July 8, 1929 Colón, Panama |
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| Died: September 29, 2022 (aged 93) Hudson, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 12, 1955, for the Kansas City Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 1966, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .269 | ||
| Home runs | 136 | ||
| Runs batted in | 591 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Héctor Headley López Swainson (born July 8, 1929 – died September 29, 2022) was a professional baseball player from Panama. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left fielder and third baseman. López played for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees from 1955 to 1966.
He helped the Yankees win two World Series championships in 1961 and 1962. After his playing career, he made history as the first black manager at the Triple-A level in baseball.
Héctor López was the second player born in Panama to reach the major leagues. He had a long and successful career, becoming one of Panama's most famous athletes. He was known as a strong hitter. He played many different positions, including both infield and outfield.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Héctor López was born in Colón, Panama, on July 8, 1929. He grew up near the Panama Canal Zone. His father was a pitcher for the Panama national baseball team.
As a teenager, López worked part-time at a bowling alley on an American military base. He was also a track star in high school. He started playing semi-professional baseball in Colón, earning $100 a month. After high school, he signed to play in the minor leagues with the St. Hyacinthe Saints.
Playing for the Kansas City Athletics (1955–1959)
Before the 1952 season, López joined the Philadelphia Athletics organization. He was bought from a minor league team for $1,500. In 1954, he won the "Triple Crown" in the Panama Winter League. This means he led the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBIs).
When the Athletics team moved to Kansas City in 1955, López was called up to the major league team. He made his MLB debut that year. He finished second among rookies in batting average. He often played second or third base for the Athletics. In his first season, he was third on the team in home runs and RBIs.
In 1956, López had a career-high 153 hits. He also hit 18 home runs and had 69 RBIs. In 1957, he had a 22-game hitting streak. This is still the team record for the Kansas City Athletics.
López was a good hitter, but the Athletics team struggled. On June 26, 1958, he hit three home runs in one game. In May 1959, he was traded to the New York Yankees.
Playing for the New York Yankees (1959–1966)
When López joined the Yankees, he started playing more in the outfield. He played 35 games in the outfield in his first year with the team. From 1960 to 1964, he was part of five straight Yankees teams that won the pennant.
He often played as the third outfielder alongside famous players Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. These Yankees teams won two World Series titles in a row, in 1961 and 1962. López was one of only seven Yankees players to be part of the entire Maris/Mantle era.
In the 1961 World Series, López played a key role. In Game 4, he hit a 2-run single. In Game 5, which won the Series for the Yankees, he hit a home run and a triple. He drove in five runs and caught the final out of the Series. His performance in that Series is still remembered by Yankees fans.
Career Highlights
Over 12 seasons and 1,450 games, Héctor López had a career batting average of .269. He hit 136 home runs and had 591 RBIs. He was a versatile player, meaning he could play many different positions well. He played mostly in left field, right field, second base, and third base.
In 15 World Series games, he hit .286 with one home run and seven RBIs.
Becoming a Manager
After his playing career, López continued his involvement in baseball. In 1969, he became the manager for the Buffalo Bisons team in the International League. This was a very important moment because it made him the first black manager at the Triple-A level. This happened six years before Frank Robinson became the first black manager in the major leagues.
López was one of only three black men to manage in the minor leagues in the 25 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. He also coached a high school baseball team in New York. He managed baseball teams in Venezuela and Panama as well.
In 1994 and 1995, López managed the Gulf Coast League Yankees, a rookie-level team. He also managed the Panama national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Life After Baseball
Héctor López often took part in the Yankees' "Old Timers Day" for about 50 years. He and his wife, Claudette Joyce, were married in 1960 and had two sons.
Héctor López passed away on September 29, 2022, in Hudson, Florida, at the age of 93.
