Héctor López
Encyclopedia
Héctor Headley López Swainson (born July 9, 1929 (possibly April 8, 1932) in Colón, Panama
) is a former left fielder
and third baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Kansas City Athletics
and New York Yankees
from to . He is notable as the first black manager
at the AAA
baseball level, as the third outfielder
on the Maris
/Mantle
Yankees, and as the Kansas City Athletics franchise hitting streak
record holder. López was on World Series
Championship teams for the Yankees in 1961
and 1962
. In various seasons, he finished among the top 10 American League
hitters in hits
, runs batted in
, runs scored
, doubles
, triples
, slugging percentage, sacrifice flies
, sacrifice hit
s, games played
, times hit by pitch
and at bat
s. He was also known for his hustle, his clutch hitting and poor fielding.
López was the second Panamanian-born major league baseball player and continues to be one of the country's most revered world champion athletes. Although Humberto Robinson
(102 games played/5 seasons) debuted in the major leagues 22 days earlier than López, López (1,450 games played/12 seasons) was the first of the 49 major leaguers born in Panama to have an extensive career. He was the first Panamanian-born major leaguer to finish in the top 10 in any official statistical category (sacrifice hits); first to lead his league in any official statistic (sacrifice flies); first to play in the World Series (with the 1960 Yankees
); and the first to win a World Championship (with the 1961 Yankees
).
He was an infielder
for the Athletics, and later was often the third outfielder on the Maris/Mantle Yankees of the early and mid-1960s. López had his most successful season in , but continued to contribute effectively during the early 60s during their pennant successes. The utility player divided his career almost equally between infield
and outfield positions. After retiring from baseball, he went on to become a groundbreaking manager in minor league baseball
as the first to break the baseball color line
as a black manager at the AAA level for the Buffalo Bisons
and then served in various international managerial and coaching
positions.
, López grew up in Colón and the neighboring Panama Canal Zone
during a time of American military occupation of the canal zone. He held a part-time job at an American military base
bowling alley. He was a high school track star whose father had been a pitcher
for the Panama national baseball team. As a high school athlete, he played semipro baseball for US$100 per month in Colón. After he graduated from high school he signed to play with St. Hyacinthe of the Canadian Provincial League who also employed Clifford "Connie" Johnson
.
from the Drummondville
Cubs of the Class-C Provincial League
for $1,500 ($ today). In 1954, López won baseball's Triple Crown
in the Winter League. Throughout his professional career, he played in the Panama winter league where he won three batting titles and regularly led the league in home runs. López developed in the A's farm system, and when the team relocated to Kansas City in 1955 he was recalled to the major league club. López made his major league debut in 1955. That season he finished second to Carlos Paula
among rookies in batting average
and was overshadowed by American League strikeout
-leading pitcher Herb Score
for the Rookie of the Year. He usually played second
or third base during his time with the Athletics. During his rookie season, he finished third on the team in home runs, trailing only Gus Zernial
(30) and Vic Power
(19). He tied Jim Finigan
for third on the team in RBIs with 68, trailing only Zernial and Power, who had 84 and 76, respectively. López was the team's regular third baseman, and was the youngest regular starter on the team. In , the team finished with a 52–102 record, but López had a career-high 153 hits. He also set then-career highs in home runs (18) and runs batted in (69). In his early years, black and white players did not room together on the road so he roomed with Vic Power
even though Power's closest friend on the team was Clete Boyer
. In 1957, he had a 22-game hitting streak
, that is the All-time Kansas City Athletics team record for the thirteen seasons the franchise played there.
He earned a position in the top-10 in the American League
in both games played and at bats in 1956 and , as well as leading the AL in sacrifice flies and times grounded into double plays
in 1958. López also was in the top 10 in doubles and runs scored in 1958 and in sacrifice hits in 1956. On June 26, 1958, López hit three home runs in a game against the Washington Senators
. During his career with the Athletics, he hit .278 with 67 home runs and 269 RBIs, and scored 298 runs. However, his talents were wasted on a team that never finished above 6th place. On May 26, 1959, he was traded with Ralph Terry
to the New York Yankees
for Johnny Kucks
, Tom Sturdivant
, and Jerry Lumpe
. For all his offensive skills, López led American League third basemen in errors in each of his four full seasons in Kansas City.
Baseball writer and Kansas City Athletics fan Bill James
wrote that López was as bad a defensive player as you would ever want to see. The Authors of The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book
wrote of López's defense "I would like to go on record right here and now as declaring Hector López the all-time worst fielding major league ballplayer."
, he had played exclusively at second base. In his next five seasons with the Yankees from to , he mostly played in the outfield as he was part of five consecutive pennant winners. During his time with the Yankees, he was often the third outfielder of the Maris
/Mantle
Yankees that won two of the five consecutive World Series
they played in from 1960 to 1964. He logged the most games in left field during the back-to-back World Series Championship seasons of 1961 & 1962 (129 vs. Berra-109, Tresh-43). During the five pennant years, with Roger Maris playing right field and Mickey Mantle playing center field, López logged 406 games in left field. This was the most by any Yankee during this period (Tom Tresh
-195, Yogi Berra
-129). López is one of eleven Yankees to have been on these five consecutive pennant winners and along with Whitey Ford
, Elston Howard
, Bobby Richardson
, & Clete Boyer
is one of seven Yankees to have been part of the entire Maris/Mantle Yankee era. In 1965 and 1966, he made the majority of his outfield appearances in right field. However, in 1965 Mantle did not play center field. Mantle did return to center field for the majority of his appearances in 1966 (the final year of the Maris/Mantle Yankees and the final year of López' career).
In 1959, he finished in the top 10 in slugging percentage, hits, doubles and RBI. In 1960 he was among the top 10 in triples and sacrifice hits. During the 1961 World Series
, López replaced Mantle (who only had six Series at bats) in Game 4 and recorded a 2-run single on the way to a 7–0 victory. In Game 5, which was the Series-clinching game, he homered and tripled, driving in five runs, and caught Vada Pinson
's fly ball for the final out of the Series. His three for seven, 7 run batted in performance continues to be remembered by New Yorkers as a highlight of the series.
in 1969. This made him the first black manager at the AAA
level. This was six years before Frank Robinson
became the first black manager in the major leagues. López was one of three black men (Sam Bankhead
and Gene Banks
) to manage in the minor leagues in the twenty-five years after Jackie Robinson
broke the color barrier in . In 1990, he coached Malverne High School of Malverne, New York
in Nassau County
on Long Island
in addition to working in the parks department in the Town of Hempstead
. López has also managed in Venezuela
and been a player-manager in Panama. He was the manager of the Panama national baseball team
in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
.
, Ben Oglivie
and Manny Sanguillen
also from Colón, and Rod Carew
a Colonense born in neighboring Gatun. López recorded many firsts among Panamanian baseball players; he was the first regular major leaguer, since 1955 was his rookie season, whereas Robinson did not qualify as a rookie until 1958 (the season in which he recorded his 50th career inning pitched) and Webbo Clarke
, who also debuted in 1955, never qualified as a rookie. López' 1955 rookie season, when he batted .290, was also the first by a Panamanian to qualify for baseball's statistical leadership by recording the minimum number of plate appearances or innings pitched. Thus, although he was not the first to appear in the major leagues, he was in a sense the first Panamanian everyday player.
None of the other major leaguers born in Panama who played in the 1950s (Robinson, Clarke, Pat Scantlebury
, Tom Hughes
) played in the major league postseason, which then only included the World Series, before López did so with the 1960 Yankees. No other Panamanian was part of a World Series champion before López with the 1961 Yankees. He was the first Panamanian to record many statistical accomplishments, such as a stolen base
, home run, double, triple, walk
or strikeout
. His 1956 season was the first by a Panamanian with more than 150 hits, more than 25 doubles, 90 runs scored, or more than 60 walks. His 1959 season was the first with more than 20 home runs or 90 runs batted in. López twice had .350 on base percentage
s, but in each season he recorded over 400 plate appearances without recording the qualifying number for unofficial league leadership. Thus, his career high on base percentage in a season in which he qualified for statistical leadership was .347 in 1956. He was the first to finish among the top 10 in his league in each of the aforementioned statistical categories, and the first to lead his league in any official statistical batting category (sacrifice flies in 1958). López was the first Panamanian to accumulate a sufficient number of career appearances to qualify for career statistical leadership (which depending upon the source is based on 3000, 4000 or 5000 at bats), although his career .269 batting average, .330 on base percentage and .415 slugging percentage are not historically significant.
He also represented Panama in the 1960 Caribbean Series
and tied with Felix Torres
and Herman Davis for the tournament home run leadership. He continues to be considered a legendary world champion who represented the country. In 2006, he was cited by professional basketball coach, Joseph Clarke, as ranking alongside such noted Panamanian sports personalities as Ismael Laguna
, Roberto Durán
, and Mariano Rivera
as Panamanian World Champions. López has two sons. Ever since López' performances with the Yankees, the team has had a huge following in Panama.
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
) is a former left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in 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...
who played for the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and 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...
from to . He is notable as the first black 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...
at the AAA
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
baseball level, as the third outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
on the Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
/Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
Yankees, and as the Kansas City Athletics franchise hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
record holder. López was on World Series
World 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...
Championship teams for the Yankees in 1961
1961 World Series
The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...
and 1962
1962 World Series
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League and World Series champions New York Yankees against the National League champion San Francisco Giants, who had won their first NL pennant since 1954 and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a...
. In various seasons, he finished among the top 10 American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
hitters in 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....
, runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, slugging percentage, sacrifice flies
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
, sacrifice hit
Sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice...
s, games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, times hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
and at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. He was also known for his hustle, his clutch hitting and poor fielding.
López was the second Panamanian-born major league baseball player and continues to be one of the country's most revered world champion athletes. Although Humberto Robinson
Humberto Robinson
Humberto Valentino Robinson was a middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Milwaukee Braves , Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies . Listed at 6' 1", 155 lb., Robinson batted and threw right-handed...
(102 games played/5 seasons) debuted in the major leagues 22 days earlier than López, López (1,450 games played/12 seasons) was the first of the 49 major leaguers born in Panama to have an extensive career. He was the first Panamanian-born major leaguer to finish in the top 10 in any official statistical category (sacrifice hits); first to lead his league in any official statistic (sacrifice flies); first to play in the World Series (with the 1960 Yankees
1960 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 58th season for the team in New York, and its 60th season overall. The team finished with a record of 97-57, winning its 25th pennant, finishing 8 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. New York was managed by Casey Stengel. The Yankees played their home games at...
); and the first to win a World Championship (with the 1961 Yankees
1961 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team in New York, and its 61st season overall. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home...
).
He was an infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
for the Athletics, and later was often the third outfielder on the Maris/Mantle Yankees of the early and mid-1960s. López had his most successful season in , but continued to contribute effectively during the early 60s during their pennant successes. The utility player divided his career almost equally between infield
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
and outfield positions. After retiring from baseball, he went on to become a groundbreaking manager in minor league baseball
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...
as the first to break the baseball color line
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
as a black manager at the AAA level for the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
and then served in various international managerial and coaching
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
positions.
Early life
Born in Colón, PanamaColón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
, López grew up in Colón and the neighboring Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
during a time of American military occupation of the canal zone. He held a part-time job at an American military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
bowling alley. He was a high school track star whose father had been a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Panama national baseball team. As a high school athlete, he played semipro baseball for US$100 per month in Colón. After he graduated from high school he signed to play with St. Hyacinthe of the Canadian Provincial League who also employed Clifford "Connie" Johnson
Connie Johnson
Connie Johnson, born Clifford Johnson Jr. , was an American professional baseball player, a pitcher in the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball.-Kansas City Monarchs:...
.
Kansas City Athletics (1955-59)
Prior to the season, López was acquired by the Philadelphia AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
from the Drummondville
Drummondville, Quebec
Drummondville is a city in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec, located east of Montreal on the Saint-François River. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 67,392...
Cubs of the Class-C Provincial League
Provincial League
Provincial League also known as Pro League is the old regional Football league in Thailand in 1999-2008. It was founded in 1999 under the name "Provincial League" organized by Sports Authority of Thailand and Ministry of Tourism and Sports...
for $1,500 ($ today). In 1954, López won baseball's Triple Crown
Triple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
in the Winter League. Throughout his professional career, he played in the Panama winter league where he won three batting titles and regularly led the league in home runs. López developed in the A's farm system, and when the team relocated to Kansas City in 1955 he was recalled to the major league club. López made his major league debut in 1955. That season he finished second to Carlos Paula
Carlos Paula
Carlos Paula Conill was a Major League Baseball right fielder who played for the Washington Senators from 1954 to 1956. A native of Havana, Cuba, he stood 6'3" and weighed 195 lbs....
among rookies in 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 :...
and was overshadowed by American League strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
-leading pitcher Herb Score
Herb Score
Herbert Jude Score was a Major League Baseball pitcher and announcer.-Athletic career:Score came up as a rookie in with the Cleveland Indians...
for the Rookie of the Year. He usually played second
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
or third base during his time with the Athletics. During his rookie season, he finished third on the team in home runs, trailing only Gus Zernial
Gus Zernial
Gus Edward Zernial was a Major League Baseball left-fielder and right-handed batter who played for the Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
(30) and Vic Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
(19). He tied Jim Finigan
Jim Finigan
James Leroy Finigan was a Major League Baseball infielder. He was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before the 1948 season, and traded to the Philadelphia Athletics in an 11-player deal on December 16, 1953...
for third on the team in RBIs with 68, trailing only Zernial and Power, who had 84 and 76, respectively. López was the team's regular third baseman, and was the youngest regular starter on the team. In , the team finished with a 52–102 record, but López had a career-high 153 hits. He also set then-career highs in home runs (18) and runs batted in (69). In his early years, black and white players did not room together on the road so he roomed with Vic Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
even though Power's closest friend on the team was Clete Boyer
Clete Boyer
Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
. In 1957, he had a 22-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
, that is the All-time Kansas City Athletics team record for the thirteen seasons the franchise played there.
He earned a position in the top-10 in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in both games played and at bats in 1956 and , as well as leading the AL in sacrifice flies and times grounded into double plays
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
in 1958. López also was in the top 10 in doubles and runs scored in 1958 and in sacrifice hits in 1956. On June 26, 1958, López hit three home runs in a game against the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. During his career with the Athletics, he hit .278 with 67 home runs and 269 RBIs, and scored 298 runs. However, his talents were wasted on a team that never finished above 6th place. On May 26, 1959, he was traded with Ralph Terry
Ralph Terry
Ralph Willard Terry is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics , Cleveland Indians and New York Mets...
to 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...
for Johnny Kucks
Johnny Kucks
John Charles Kucks was a pitcher for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in Major League Baseball. In 1952, he was signed as an amateur free agent...
, Tom Sturdivant
Tom Sturdivant
Thomas Virgil Sturdivant II was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets...
, and Jerry Lumpe
Jerry Lumpe
Jerry Dean Lumpe is a former Major League Baseball second baseman for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers ....
. For all his offensive skills, López led American League third basemen in errors in each of his four full seasons in Kansas City.
Baseball writer and Kansas City Athletics fan Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
wrote that López was as bad a defensive player as you would ever want to see. The Authors of The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book
The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book
The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book is a book written by Brendon C. Boyd & Fred C. Harris about baseball cards, primarily ones issued during the 1950s and 1960s, and the players on the cards....
wrote of López's defense "I would like to go on record right here and now as declaring Hector López the all-time worst fielding major league ballplayer."
New York Yankees (1959-66)
In his first season with the Yankees after being traded, he played 35 games in the outfield, the first time in his career he played more than 20 outfield games. He still played 76 games at third base for the team. In his 33 games with Kansas City at the start of the 1959 Major League Baseball season1959 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Chicago White Sox ; Larry Sherry, MVP*All-Star Game , July 7 at Forbes Field: National League, 5-4*All-Star Game , August 3 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: American League, 5-3...
, he had played exclusively at second base. In his next five seasons with the Yankees from to , he mostly played in the outfield as he was part of five consecutive pennant winners. During his time with the Yankees, he was often the third outfielder of the Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
/Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
Yankees that won two of the five consecutive World Series
World 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...
they played in from 1960 to 1964. He logged the most games in left field during the back-to-back World Series Championship seasons of 1961 & 1962 (129 vs. Berra-109, Tresh-43). During the five pennant years, with Roger Maris playing right field and Mickey Mantle playing center field, López logged 406 games in left field. This was the most by any Yankee during this period (Tom Tresh
Tom Tresh
Thomas Michael Tresh was a Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder who played for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers . Tresh was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
-195, Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
-129). López is one of eleven Yankees to have been on these five consecutive pennant winners and along with Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
, Elston Howard
Elston Howard
Elston Gene Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees...
, Bobby Richardson
Bobby Richardson
Robert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
, & Clete Boyer
Clete Boyer
Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
is one of seven Yankees to have been part of the entire Maris/Mantle Yankee era. In 1965 and 1966, he made the majority of his outfield appearances in right field. However, in 1965 Mantle did not play center field. Mantle did return to center field for the majority of his appearances in 1966 (the final year of the Maris/Mantle Yankees and the final year of López' career).
In 1959, he finished in the top 10 in slugging percentage, hits, doubles and RBI. In 1960 he was among the top 10 in triples and sacrifice hits. During the 1961 World Series
1961 World Series
The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...
, López replaced Mantle (who only had six Series at bats) in Game 4 and recorded a 2-run single on the way to a 7–0 victory. In Game 5, which was the Series-clinching game, he homered and tripled, driving in five runs, and caught Vada Pinson
Vada Pinson
Vada Edward Pinson, Jr. was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball. Pinson played in the major leagues for 18 years, from 1958 through 1975, and his greatest seasons were with the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds, for whom he played from 1958–68.Pinson combined power, speed and...
's fly ball for the final out of the Series. His three for seven, 7 run batted in performance continues to be remembered by New Yorkers as a highlight of the series.
Managing
López was the manager of the Buffalo BisonsBuffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
in 1969. This made him the first black manager at the AAA
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
level. This was six years before Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
became the first black manager in the major leagues. López was one of three black men (Sam Bankhead
Sam Bankhead
Samuel Howard Bankhead was a baseball player in the Negro Leagues. He played pitcher, infielder, and outfielder from 1930 to 1950. He also played for the Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo along with Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. His brother Dan Bankhead played in the Major Leagues.-References:*...
and Gene Banks
Gene Banks
Eugene Lavon "Gene" Banks is a retired American professional basketball player. He is one of a handful of players to make high school All-America three times.-College & NBA Years:...
) to manage in the minor leagues in the twenty-five years after Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
broke the color barrier in . In 1990, he coached Malverne High School of Malverne, New York
Malverne, New York
Malverne is a village in the town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 8,514 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-History:...
in Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in addition to working in the parks department in the Town of Hempstead
Hempstead (village), New York
Hempstead is a village located in the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 53,891 at the 2010 census.Hofstra University is located on the border between Hempstead and Uniondale.-Foundation:...
. López has also managed 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...
and been a player-manager in Panama. He was the manager of the Panama national baseball team
Panama national baseball team
The Panama national baseball team is the national team of Panama. They are currently the 16th ranked baseball team in the world.- Roster :PitchersManuel Acosta,Albenis Castillo,Bienvenido Cedeno,Bruce Chen,Manuel Corpas,Jorge Cortez,...
in the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
.
Panamanian history
He paved the way as a role model for the first three Panamanian Major League All-StarsMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, Ben Oglivie
Ben Oglivie
Benjamin Ambrosio Oglivie Palmer is a former Major League Baseball left fielder for the Boston Red Sox , Detroit Tigers , and the Milwaukee Brewers . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes...
and Manny Sanguillen
Manny Sanguillen
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillen Magan, better known as Manny Sanguillen or "Sangy" , is a former professional baseball player who was a catcher in the Major Leagues. He was named to the All-Star team three times, in , , and . He played primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but also for the Oakland...
also from Colón, and Rod Carew
Rod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
a Colonense born in neighboring Gatun. López recorded many firsts among Panamanian baseball players; he was the first regular major leaguer, since 1955 was his rookie season, whereas Robinson did not qualify as a rookie until 1958 (the season in which he recorded his 50th career inning pitched) and Webbo Clarke
Webbo Clarke
Vibert Ernesto Clarke was a professional baseball player who played 1 season for the Washington Senators of Major League Baseball.-References:...
, who also debuted in 1955, never qualified as a rookie. López' 1955 rookie season, when he batted .290, was also the first by a Panamanian to qualify for baseball's statistical leadership by recording the minimum number of plate appearances or innings pitched. Thus, although he was not the first to appear in the major leagues, he was in a sense the first Panamanian everyday player.
None of the other major leaguers born in Panama who played in the 1950s (Robinson, Clarke, Pat Scantlebury
Pat Scantlebury
Patricio Athelstan Scantlebury was a professional baseball player who played 1 season for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball, but was mostly known for his time in the Negro leagues when he was considered Panama's first Professional baseball star on foreign soil...
, Tom Hughes
Tom E. Hughes
Thomas Edward Hughes is a retired professional baseball player who played 1 season for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball.-References:...
) played in the major league postseason, which then only included the World Series, before López did so with the 1960 Yankees. No other Panamanian was part of a World Series champion before López with the 1961 Yankees. He was the first Panamanian to record many statistical accomplishments, such as a stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
, home run, double, triple, walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
or strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
. His 1956 season was the first by a Panamanian with more than 150 hits, more than 25 doubles, 90 runs scored, or more than 60 walks. His 1959 season was the first with more than 20 home runs or 90 runs batted in. López twice had .350 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
s, but in each season he recorded over 400 plate appearances without recording the qualifying number for unofficial league leadership. Thus, his career high on base percentage in a season in which he qualified for statistical leadership was .347 in 1956. He was the first to finish among the top 10 in his league in each of the aforementioned statistical categories, and the first to lead his league in any official statistical batting category (sacrifice flies in 1958). López was the first Panamanian to accumulate a sufficient number of career appearances to qualify for career statistical leadership (which depending upon the source is based on 3000, 4000 or 5000 at bats), although his career .269 batting average, .330 on base percentage and .415 slugging percentage are not historically significant.
He also represented Panama in the 1960 Caribbean Series
1960 Caribbean Series
The XII edition of the Caribbean Series was a baseball tournament held from February 10 through February 15, 1960 featuring the champion teams from Cuba , Panama , Puerto Rico and Venezuela...
and tied with Felix Torres
Félix Torres
Félix Torres Sánchez is a retired professional baseball player who played 3 seasons for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball after spending time in the Cincinnati Redlegs and Philadelphia Phillies farm systems.The former , third baseman was initially signed by the Cincinnati Redlegs...
and Herman Davis for the tournament home run leadership. He continues to be considered a legendary world champion who represented the country. In 2006, he was cited by professional basketball coach, Joseph Clarke, as ranking alongside such noted Panamanian sports personalities as Ismael Laguna
Ismael Laguna
Ismael Laguna Meneses was a professional boxer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001.Known as "El Tigre Colonense", Laguna was the Panamanian Featherweight Champion from 1962-63...
, Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
, and Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...
as Panamanian World Champions. López has two sons. Ever since López' performances with the Yankees, the team has had a huge following in Panama.