Iván Calderón (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Iván Calderón |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: March 19, 1962 Fajardo, Puerto Rico |
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| Died: December 27, 2003 (aged 41) Loiza, Puerto Rico |
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| debut | |||
| August 10, 1984, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1993, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 104 | ||
| Runs batted in | 444 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Iván Calderón Pérez (March 19, 1962 – December 27, 2003) was a talented baseball player from Puerto Rico. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four different teams. His career in the big leagues lasted from 1984 to 1993.
In 1991, he was chosen to be an All-Star, which is a big honor in baseball. Iván was 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed about 220 pounds. He batted and threw with his right hand. People sometimes called him "Ivan the Terrible." Sadly, Iván Calderón passed away in December 2003.
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Iván Calderón's Baseball Journey
Iván Calderón started his baseball journey when he was signed by the Seattle Mariners on July 30, 1979. He began playing in the minor leagues in 1980. Minor leagues are where players develop their skills before reaching the big leagues.
He played for teams like the Bellingham Mariners. By 1984, he had reached the Triple-A level, which is just one step below Major League Baseball.
Playing for the Seattle Mariners
Iván Calderón made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on August 10, 1984. That season, he played 11 games for the Mariners. He had a batting average of .208, hit one home run, and had one run batted in (RBI).
He continued to play for Seattle in 1985 (67 games) and 1986 (37 games). During his time with the Mariners, he played in 115 games. He had a batting average of .263, hit 11 home runs, and brought in 42 runs.
Time with the Chicago White Sox
In the middle of the 1986 season, Calderón moved to the Chicago White Sox. He became a regular player for the White Sox for three full seasons: 1987, 1989, and 1990. In each of these years, he played in at least 144 games.
In 1987, he hit a career-high 28 home runs. Then, in 1989, he had his best year for RBIs, with 87.
Playing for the Montreal Expos
After the 1990 season, Iván Calderón was traded to the Montreal Expos. This was a big move that also involved another famous player, Tim Raines. The Expos recognized Calderón's talent and increased his salary.
In 1991, he earned a special spot on the National League's team for the MLB All-Star Game. During the All-Star Game, he got one hit in two tries and even stole a base. That same year, 1991, was his best for batting average, as he hit .300. In 1992, injuries limited him to only 48 games with Montreal. Overall, with the Expos, he played 182 games. He batted .291, hit 22 home runs, and had 99 RBIs.
Short Time with the Boston Red Sox
After the 1992 season, Calderón was traded again, this time to the Boston Red Sox. He played 73 games for the Red Sox in 1993. During this time, he batted .221, hit one home run, and had 19 RBIs. The Red Sox released him from their team in August 1993.
Second Time with the Chicago White Sox
Iván Calderón returned to the White Sox later in 1993. He played nine more games with them at the end of that season. These were his final games as a professional baseball player. In these games, he had 3 hits in 26 tries, with three RBIs.
Across all his time with the White Sox (1986–1990 and 1993), he played 554 games. He batted .273, hit 70 home runs, and had 284 RBIs.
Iván Calderón's Career Highlights
Throughout his entire Major League Baseball career, Iván Calderón played in 924 games. He had a career batting average of .272. He hit a total of 104 home runs and brought in 444 runs for his teams.
He mostly played as an outfielder, appearing in 755 games in that position. He played almost equally in right field (382 games) and left field (377 games). He also played a few games in center field. Sometimes, he played as a first baseman or a designated hitter. As an outfielder, he was a good fielder, with a .976 fielding average.
Remembering Iván Calderón
Iván Calderón passed away on December 27, 2003, in Loíza, Puerto Rico. He was 41 years old. At the time of his passing, he had children. He was buried in the Municipal Cemetery of Loíza.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
