Felix Maldonado
Encyclopedia
Felix Juan Maldonado (May 24, 1938 – June 12, 2010) was a scout and player development official for the Boston Red Sox
of Major League Baseball
. A 48-year veteran of the Red Sox organization starting as a minor league
outfielder after being traded to the club during the season, he went on to become a minor league manager
in the farm system.
, Ponce, Puerto Rico
, on May 24, 1938. He was the son of Caro Maldonado. He graduated from Ponce High School
and what is now the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
.
high school student to run the 800m in less than two minutos, and second only to Olympic medal-winner George Kerr
. At Ponce High he won all the track and field events including 200m, 400,m and 800m, as well as 4x400 m relay and 4x800 m relay.
. He played 13 seasons, winning five championships.
As a baseball player, the 5 inch, 165 lb (74.8 kg) Maldonado threw and batted right-handed. He signed with the San Francisco Giants
in 1959 and had two stellar seasons while a member of the Giant farm system — 1960 with the Eugene Emeralds
of the Class B Northwest League
and 1962 with the El Paso Sun Kings
of the Double-A Texas League
, batting
.334 and .326 respectively. All told, he played for 12 minor league seasons (including 2½ years at Triple-A) and batted .281 with 1,267 hits
in 4,503 at bats.
From 1971 to 1988, Maldonado spent 18 years as an amateur scout for the Red Sox in his native Puerto Rico. He then worked as a manager of Red Sox farm clubs for seven years (1989–95), six at the Rookie level and one in Class A, compiling a record of 238–262 (.476) in an even 500 games managed. From 1996 to 2002, he was an instructor and Latin American
coordinator of instruction for Boston's minor league system and became a player development consultant in .
Maldonado also worked as coach for the Ponce Lions and the Mayaguez Indians.
. He was interred at Cementerio La Piedad in his hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was inducted into the Puerto Rico Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009, and a practice field at Boston's Fort Myers spring training
facility is named in his honor.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of 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...
. A 48-year veteran of the Red Sox organization starting as a minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
outfielder after being traded to the club during the season, he went on to become a minor league manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in the farm system.
Early years
Maldonado was born in Barrio San AntónSan Antón
San Antón is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, and Portugués Urbano, San Antón is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce. It is...
, Ponce, Puerto Rico
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...
, on May 24, 1938. He was the son of Caro Maldonado. He graduated from Ponce High School
Ponce High School
The Ponce High School is public educational institution in Ponce, Puerto Rico, offering grades ten through twelve. The school's main building is a historic structure located on Cristina Street, in the Ponce Historic Zone. From its beginning the school has secured a unique place in Puerto Rico's...
and what is now the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a Roman Catholic university located in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It provides courses in the areas of education, business administration, arts and human studies and science, leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate Degrees. Its campus is also home...
.
Track and field
Maldonado was also an accomplished track and field athlete. In 1956, he became the first Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
high school student to run the 800m in less than two minutos, and second only to Olympic medal-winner George Kerr
George Kerr (athlete)
George Ezekiel Kerr was a Jamaican athlete who competed in the 400 metres and 800 metres twice making the Olympic Games final in the latter event....
. At Ponce High he won all the track and field events including 200m, 400,m and 800m, as well as 4x400 m relay and 4x800 m relay.
Baseball playing history
Maldonado's entry into professional baseball occurred in 1958 when Pedrin Zorrilla signed him with the Santurce CrabbersSanturce Crabbers
Cangrejeros de Santurce, Spanish for "Santurce Crabbers", refers to several teams based in San Juan, Puerto Rico:* Cangrejeros de Santurce , baseball team of the Puerto Rico Baseball League...
. He played 13 seasons, winning five championships.
As a baseball player, the 5 inch, 165 lb (74.8 kg) Maldonado threw and batted right-handed. He signed with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in 1959 and had two stellar seasons while a member of the Giant farm system — 1960 with the Eugene Emeralds
Eugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds is a minor league baseball team in Eugene, Oregon, United States. They are a short-season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been a farm team of the San Diego Padres since 2001....
of the Class B Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
and 1962 with the El Paso Sun Kings
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
of the Double-A Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, batting
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 :...
.334 and .326 respectively. All told, he played for 12 minor league seasons (including 2½ years at Triple-A) and batted .281 with 1,267 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 4,503 at bats.
From 1971 to 1988, Maldonado spent 18 years as an amateur scout for the Red Sox in his native Puerto Rico. He then worked as a manager of Red Sox farm clubs for seven years (1989–95), six at the Rookie level and one in Class A, compiling a record of 238–262 (.476) in an even 500 games managed. From 1996 to 2002, he was an instructor and Latin American
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
coordinator of instruction for Boston's minor league system and became a player development consultant in .
Maldonado also worked as coach for the Ponce Lions and the Mayaguez Indians.
Last years
Maldonado died of cancer June 12, 2010 at his home in Fort Myers, FloridaFort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. He was interred at Cementerio La Piedad in his hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was inducted into the Puerto Rico Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009, and a practice field at Boston's Fort Myers spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
facility is named in his honor.