Pedro Ramos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pedro Ramos |
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Ramos, around 1964–1966
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: April 28, 1935 Pinar del Río, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| April 11, 1955, for the Washington Senators | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 25, 1970, for the Washington Senators | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 117–160 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.08 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,305 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Pedro Ramos Guerra (born April 28, 1935), also known as "Pete," is a former professional baseball pitcher from Cuba. He played for 15 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1955 to 1970. During his career, he played for several teams in both the American League (AL) and the National League (NL).
Ramos was chosen for the AL All-Star team in 1959. He was known for his powerful pitching, but he often played for teams that didn't win many games. Because of this, he led the league in losses four times. A special moment in his career was on April 11, 1961. He was the winning pitcher in the first-ever game for the Minnesota Twins, helping them beat the famous New York Yankees.
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Early Life and Start in Baseball
Pedro Ramos was born in Pinar del Río, Cuba, on April 28, 1935. As a boy, he helped his father on their family's tobacco farm. He loved baseball and played in amateur leagues in Cuba.
When he was just 17, a famous baseball scout named Joe Cambria saw his talent. Cambria signed him to a contract with the Washington Senators. This was the beginning of his journey to the major leagues.
Professional Baseball Career
Journey Through the Minor Leagues
In 1953, at age 18, Ramos began playing in the minor leagues. He played for the Morristown team in the Mountain States League. He pitched in 33 games that year. After just one more year in the minors, he was ready for the big leagues. In 1955, he was called up to join the Washington Senators.
Playing in the Major Leagues
When Ramos joined the Senators in 1955, he didn't know any English. He learned the language by watching American cowboy movies. He played for the Senators from 1955 to 1960. The team wasn't very successful, often finishing in last place.
In 1961, the team moved to a new city and became the Minnesota Twins. Ramos moved with them. He made history by pitching and winning the Twins' very first game. He pitched a shutout, which means the other team (the New York Yankees) didn't score any runs.
Years with the Senators and Twins
Even though Ramos was a good pitcher, his teams often struggled. In his first seven years, he only had one season where he won more games than he lost. He led the American League in losses for four straight years (1958-1961). This was mostly because his teams didn't score enough runs to support his pitching.
Despite the losses, his skill was clear. In 1960, his ERA (a measure of how well a pitcher performs) was one of the best in baseball. Still, he ended the season with 18 losses.
A Famous Home Run
During a game in 1956, Ramos pitched to the legendary Yankees player Mickey Mantle. Mantle hit the ball so hard that it almost flew out of Yankee Stadium. It was one of the longest home runs of Mantle's career. Both Ramos and Mantle were known for being very fast runners.
Time with Cleveland and New York
In 1962, the Twins traded Ramos to the Cleveland Indians. He had a better record with Cleveland. In 1963, he had a winning record for the first time since 1956. His ERA was the best of his career as a starting pitcher.
Near the end of the 1964 season, the New York Yankees were in a close race to win the league championship, called a pennant race. They traded for Ramos to make their pitching stronger. He became a relief pitcher, coming in at the end of games. He was amazing for the Yankees, saving eight games and helping them win the pennant.
Because he was traded late in the season, rules said he couldn't play in the World Series. The Yankees lost the series, but his teammates voted to give him part of their World Series earnings to thank him for his help.
Hitting and Fielding Skills
For a pitcher, Ramos was a surprisingly good hitter. He hit 15 home runs during his career. He was also an excellent fielder, making very few errors. His fielding percentage was much higher than the average for pitchers.
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing, Ramos worked as a baseball coach in Central and South America. He also started a business making his own brand of cigars.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
