José Cardenal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids José Cardenal |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: October 7, 1943 Matanzas, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| April 14, 1963, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1980, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .275 | ||
| Home runs | 138 | ||
| Runs batted in | 775 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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José Rosario Domec Cardenal (born October 7, 1943) is a Cuban American who used to play and coach baseball professionally. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1963 to 1980. He was especially well-known as a player for the Chicago Cubs. Fans loved him for his strong hitting and powerful throwing arm. He had some of his best seasons while playing for the Cubs, hitting more home runs and having a higher batting average than ever before.
After his playing days, Cardenal became a coach for several MLB teams. He was part of three World Series championships as the first base coach for the New York Yankees. In 2022, José Cardenal was honored by being added to the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame.
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Playing Baseball: José Cardenal's Career
José Cardenal was born in Matanzas, Cuba. He grew up playing baseball with his second cousin, Bert Campaneris, who also became a major league player. Cardenal started his MLB career with the San Francisco Giants in 1963.
Early Years and Team Changes
Before the 1965 season, Cardenal joined the California Angels. He was second in the American League with 37 stolen bases that year. In 1967, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He led the Indians in stolen bases twice, with a career-high 40 in 1968. That same year, he made a major league record by completing two unassisted double plays as an outfielder.
In 1970, Cardenal was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit for a .293 batting average and had 74 RBI. In 1971, he played for both the Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, getting a career-high 80 RBI. On December 3, 1971, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs.
Time with the Chicago Cubs
In 1973, playing as a right fielder for the Cubs, Cardenal was a top player. He led the team in batting average (.303), doubles (33), and stolen bases (19). The Chicago baseball writers even named him the Cubs Player of the Year.
Cardenal had a great season in 1975, achieving career-highs with a .317 batting average and 182 hits. He continued to play well in 1976, batting .299 with 8 home runs and 47 RBI. On May 2, he had an amazing game, getting 6 hits in 7 tries during a 14-inning win against San Francisco. In 1977, his performance dropped, as he batted .239 with only 3 home runs and 18 RBI in 100 games.
Later Career and Retirement
Cardenal played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1978 and 1979. He was the last player to wear uniform number 1 for the Phillies before they retired the number to honor Richie Ashburn. On August 2, 1979, Cardenal was traded to the New York Mets between games of a doubleheader. He played for the Mets until August 1980. He then signed with the Kansas City Royals, ending his playing career with them during the 1980 World Series.
Over his 18-season career, Cardenal had a .275 batting average. He hit 138 home runs and had 775 RBI in 2017 games played. He also collected 1913 hits, 936 runs, 333 doubles, 46 triples, 329 stolen bases, and 608 bases on balls. He was also a good fielder, with a .978 fielding percentage.
Coaching Baseball: After Playing
After his playing career, José Cardenal became a coach. He coached for the Reds, Cardinals, Yankees, and Devil Rays. He was the first base coach for the New York Yankees when they won the World Series in 1996, 1998, and 1999.
In 2005, Cardenal became a senior advisor to the general manager for the Washington Nationals. He left this position after the 2009 season.
Cultural Impact
In January 2017, First Lady Michelle Obama hugged José Cardenal during the Chicago Cubs' visit to the White House. The team was there to celebrate their 2016 World Series victory. Michelle Obama, who grew up in Chicago, mentioned that she used to wear her Cubs hat over her hair just like Cardenal did during his playing career.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
- List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches
- List of Cuban Americans
