Orlando McFarlane facts for kids

Orlando de Jesús McFarlane Quesada (born June 28, 1938 – died July 18, 2007) was a professional baseball player from Cuba. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Orlando played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and California Angels. His career in MLB lasted parts of five seasons, from 1962 to 1968. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 180 pounds. He batted and threw with his right hand.

Early Life and Baseball Start

Orlando McFarlane was born and grew up in Victoria de Las Tunas, Cuba. He loved baseball from a young age. In 1958, he signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. This was his first step toward becoming a professional player.

Orlando spent two seasons playing in the Pirates' minor league system. Minor league teams help young players get better before they play in the big leagues. After this, he played winter baseball in the Cuban League. He played for a team called the Alacranes de Almendares during the 1959-60 and 1960-61 seasons.

Around this time, the Cuban government changed how professional baseball worked. Because of this, many Cuban players, including Orlando, moved to the United States. They wanted to continue their baseball careers there.

Rising Through the Ranks

In 1961, Orlando joined the Asheville Tourists. This was a Class A minor league team. He had a fantastic year, hitting for a .301 batting average. He also hit 21 home runs and stole 27 stolen bases. Stealing bases is quite unusual for a catcher! He also had 74 runs batted in (RBIs). Because of his great performance, he was named the best young player in the South Atlantic League. This meant many people thought he would become a big star.

In 1962, McFarlane started the year with the Columbus Jets. This was a Triple A team, which is the highest level in the minor leagues. He continued to play well, hitting .308 with 11 home runs and 61 RBIs. Later that year, he made his big league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played in eight games. However, he didn't quite reach the huge success that many had predicted for him.

Later Career and Winter Ball

After his first taste of the big leagues, Orlando spent more time in Triple A. He returned to the Pirates briefly in 1964. For the next three years, he faced challenges with injuries and playing consistently. He played some games in the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers and California Angels. But he also spent time back in the minor leagues with their teams.

Orlando continued to play baseball in the minor leagues for several more seasons. His minor league career ended in 1971. He played for the Diablos Rojos del México in Mexico during his final minor league season. In his ten years in the minor leagues, he hit 129 home runs and had 544 RBIs.

Besides playing in the U.S. and Mexico, McFarlane also played "winter ball." This is baseball played during the off-season in other countries. He played for the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Republic. He was a top home run hitter there, leading the league in 1963-64 (10 home runs) and 1964-65 (8 home runs). He also played for the Tigres de Aragua in Venezuela and the Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico. He lived in Puerto Rico for the rest of his life.

A fun fact about Orlando is that he had his wedding ceremony at the Estadio Francisco Montaner. This was the home stadium of the Leones de Ponce team!

Death

Orlando McFarlane passed away in 2007 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was 69 years old.