Emilio Navarro
Encyclopedia
Emilio "Millito" Navarro (September 26, 1905 April 30, 2011) was the first Puerto Rican
to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. At age 105, Navarro was also the oldest living professional baseball player to have played in the Negro Leagues.
to Botello and Pepa Navarro, and raised in Ponce
. His father was a well-known shoemaker in Patillas who died when Navarro was 6 years old. His widowed mother soon moved to Ponce where she had family and at a young age he helped his family economically by selling newspapers, peanuts and ice. In Ponce he attended Castillo Public School and worked after school shining shoes and delivering the foods which his mother prepared to sustain the family. His first contact with the game came about when he went to watch the school team play. Navarro developed a burning desire to play baseball
. On one occasion he didn't have enough money to pay for an entrance ticket to watch a game between the Castillo and Reina teams. He therefore, jumped a fence, which happened to be in the outfield. It so happened that one of the Castillo team members became sick and when the coach saw Navarro jump the fence he asked him to play. He did and ever since then he's been playing baseball.
After graduating from high school, Navarro was offered a grant to attend the University of Puerto Rico
in Mayagüez
, which he turned down. Instead, 23-year-old Navarro felt that he should help his family financially and believed that he was more than ready to play in the Major Leagues in the U.S.
.
". Two of those teams were the "Cuban Stars
", owned by Alex Pompez
, and the "Cuban Giants". Both of those teams consisted mainly of African-American or Afro-Latino players.
Navarro played for two years with the Cuban Stars and had a batting average
of .337. The experience was bittersweet for Navarro, especially when they played in the South. Not only did he feel discriminated because of the color of his skin, but also because he didn't speak English
. After playing with the Negro Leagues, Navarro traveled and played for teams in the Dominican Republic
and in Venezuela
.
By the time baseball had become integrated in the U.S., Navarro had returned to the island. The experience and knowledge that he gained served him well when he became one of the founders of the Puerto Rican baseball team, "Leones de Ponce
" (Ponce Lions). He played, coached and did a little bit of everything for the team. He dedicated 20 years to the team.
in Ponce, a position that he held for 20 years.
Navarro turned 105
on September 26, 2010. Many tributes to honor him have been planned in Puerto Rico and the United States. His life and experiences in baseball will be part of an American documentary called "Beisbol" which will be about the contributions and influence of Hispanic
s in America's national pastime. He was elected to the Puerto Rico Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. The Senate of Puerto Rico presented him with the resolution #1026 in recognition of his contributions to baseball on June 7, 2005. On December 29, 2006, Navarro was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
. Former Astros
great José (Cheo) Cruz
presented the Museum's, which is located in Ponce, the Pioneer plaque of induction to Navarro as the 39th inductee into The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum. Navarro, who considered to be the last surviving member of the American Negro League and the oldest baseball, softball player and trainer in the world, is also a member of the "Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame" and the "Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame".
On June 6, 2008, Major League Baseball
held a ceremonial Negro League draft prior to the Amateur draft, in which Navarro was honored by the New York Yankees
, being symbolically drafted by the team. Navarro was honored at a game during the final homestand in Yankee Stadium
history on September 18, 2008. In 2010, Navarro was honored by the "Experience Works" who recognized him as an outstanding active Senior Citizen on the United States.
On April 27, 2011, Navarro was hospitalized at the San Lucas Hospital in the southern coastal city of Ponce after suffering a minor heart attack. On April 28, he was transferred to the hospital's intensive care unit
after suffering a stroke. He died two days later, on April 30, 2011, after not being able to overcome the effects of his stroke. Navarro is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
The New York Yankees
held a moment of silence on Sunday, May 1, 2011, to honor Navarro before the start of their game against the Blue Jays.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. At age 105, Navarro was also the oldest living professional baseball player to have played in the Negro Leagues.
Biography
Navarro was born in PatillasPatillas, Puerto Rico
Patillas is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the southeastern coast, south of San Lorenzo; west of Yabucoa and Maunabo; and east of Guayama and Arroyo. It is spread over 15 wards and Patillas Pueblo...
to Botello and Pepa Navarro, and raised in Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. His father was a well-known shoemaker in Patillas who died when Navarro was 6 years old. His widowed mother soon moved to Ponce where she had family and at a young age he helped his family economically by selling newspapers, peanuts and ice. In Ponce he attended Castillo Public School and worked after school shining shoes and delivering the foods which his mother prepared to sustain the family. His first contact with the game came about when he went to watch the school team play. Navarro developed a burning desire to play baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. On one occasion he didn't have enough money to pay for an entrance ticket to watch a game between the Castillo and Reina teams. He therefore, jumped a fence, which happened to be in the outfield. It so happened that one of the Castillo team members became sick and when the coach saw Navarro jump the fence he asked him to play. He did and ever since then he's been playing baseball.
After graduating from high school, Navarro was offered a grant to attend the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
in Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, which he turned down. Instead, 23-year-old Navarro felt that he should help his family financially and believed that he was more than ready to play in the Major Leagues in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Baseball career
In the 1920s, the United States was a racially segregated nation and his color was therefore a problem; in baseball, blacks were not permitted to play together with their white counterparts. As a consequence of this policy, a group of white and black businessmen joined forces and organized their own "Negro Leagues". The teams played against each other and even had their own "World SeriesWorld Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
". Two of those teams were the "Cuban Stars
Cuban Stars (East)
The Cuban Stars were a team of professional baseball players from Cuba and other Latin American countries who competed in the Negro leagues in the eastern United States from 1916 to 1933...
", owned by Alex Pompez
Alex Pompez
Alejandro "Alex" Pompez was an American executive in Negro league baseball who owned the Cuban Stars and New York Cubans franchises from 1916 to 1950. His family were cigar manufacturers who had immigrated from Cuba. Outside of baseball and numbers he was educated as an attorney and he had owned...
, and the "Cuban Giants". Both of those teams consisted mainly of African-American or Afro-Latino players.
Navarro played for two years with the Cuban Stars and had a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .337. The experience was bittersweet for Navarro, especially when they played in the South. Not only did he feel discriminated because of the color of his skin, but also because he didn't speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. After playing with the Negro Leagues, Navarro traveled and played for teams in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
By the time baseball had become integrated in the U.S., Navarro had returned to the island. The experience and knowledge that he gained served him well when he became one of the founders of the Puerto Rican baseball team, "Leones de Ponce
Leones de Ponce (baseball)
This article is about the Ponce baseball team. For the basketball team of the same name, see Ponce Lions .The Leones de Ponce are a baseball team in the Puerto Rico Baseball League. The organization is based in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The team plays at the Francisco Montaner Stadium...
" (Ponce Lions). He played, coached and did a little bit of everything for the team. He dedicated 20 years to the team.
Later years and legacy
In 1938, Navarro was voted the "Ideal Professional Baseball Player" by Emilio Huike, considered by many as one of Puerto Rico's Best Sports Writers. After Navarro retired from active baseball, he was named administrator of the Francisco "Paquito" Montaner StadiumFrancisco Montaner Stadium
The Estadio Francisco Montaner is a multi-use stadium in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is home to the Leones de Ponce team of the Puerto Rico Baseball League and FC Leones of the Puerto Rico Soccer League . The stadium has a capacity of 16,000 seats...
in Ponce, a position that he held for 20 years.
Navarro turned 105
Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
on September 26, 2010. Many tributes to honor him have been planned in Puerto Rico and the United States. His life and experiences in baseball will be part of an American documentary called "Beisbol" which will be about the contributions and influence of Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
s in America's national pastime. He was elected to the Puerto Rico Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. The Senate of Puerto Rico presented him with the resolution #1026 in recognition of his contributions to baseball on June 7, 2005. On December 29, 2006, Navarro was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, Inc., was founded in San Francisco, California, in June 1999 by its founder Mr.Gabriel "Tito" Avila, Jr., as a way to honor the greatest Hispanic baseball players of all time. The organization is a not-for-profit institution...
. Former Astros
Astros
Astros in sports may refer to:*The Houston Astros, a Major League Baseball team*Astros , an American football team in Australia*Astros Field, now renamed Minute Maid ParkAstros may also refer to:...
great José (Cheo) Cruz
José Cruz
José Cruz Dilan is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is also the former first base coach for the Houston Astros. During his 19-year baseball career, he played from 1970-1988 for three different teams, playing primarily for the Astros...
presented the Museum's, which is located in Ponce, the Pioneer plaque of induction to Navarro as the 39th inductee into The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum. Navarro, who considered to be the last surviving member of the American Negro League and the oldest baseball, softball player and trainer in the world, is also a member of the "Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame" and the "Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame".
On June 6, 2008, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
held a ceremonial Negro League draft prior to the Amateur draft, in which Navarro was honored by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, being symbolically drafted by the team. Navarro was honored at a game during the final homestand in Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
history on September 18, 2008. In 2010, Navarro was honored by the "Experience Works" who recognized him as an outstanding active Senior Citizen on the United States.
On April 27, 2011, Navarro was hospitalized at the San Lucas Hospital in the southern coastal city of Ponce after suffering a minor heart attack. On April 28, he was transferred to the hospital's intensive care unit
Intensive Care Unit
thumb|220px|ICU roomAn intensive-care unit , critical-care unit , intensive-therapy unit/intensive-treatment unit is a specialized department in a hospital that provides intensive-care medicine...
after suffering a stroke. He died two days later, on April 30, 2011, after not being able to overcome the effects of his stroke. Navarro is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
The New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
held a moment of silence on Sunday, May 1, 2011, to honor Navarro before the start of their game against the Blue Jays.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Negro League baseball players
- Black history in Puerto Rico
