Reggie Otero
Encyclopedia
Regino José Otero Gómez (September 7, 1915, Havana
, Cuba
—October 21, 1988, Hialeah, Florida
) was a Cuban baseball player who had a long career in the minor leagues in the United States (1936-1953), and played briefly with the Chicago Cubs
in 1945. He also played 13 years in the Cuban Professional League
. He was a left-handed batter, but threw right-handed. After his playing career ended, he managed in Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela.
Reggie Otero made his organized baseball debut in 1936 with the York White Roses
/Trenton Senators club of the New York-Penn League, where he hit .243 with 0 home runs and 22 RBI. He also played for the International League's
Albany Senators
that year, but hit only .111. The following year he returned to the Senators but still had trouble, hitting .136 with 0 HR and 3 RBI. In 1938 he moved south to the St. Augustine Saints (Florida State League
). There he hit .308, still with 0 HR, but with 52 RBI.
Otero played for the Greenville Spinners
in 1939 and 1940. In his two seasons in the South Atlantic League
he hit .325-2-57 and then .315-1-50. He moved back north in 1941, when he played for the Springfield Nationals of the Eastern League and hit .223-0-24. Otero played for the Springfield club's farm team, the Utica Braves
of the Can-Am League
, in 1942, where he led the league in batting with a .364 average, 2 HR and 101 RBI. Inactive in 1943, Otero moved west in 1944, playing for the Los Angeles Angels
of the Pacific Coast League
. At the end of the 1945 season he was called up to the Chicago Cubs, after hitting .344 with 23 RBI, following a .306-0-54 season.
Otero appeared in 14 games for the Cubs, making his debut on September 2, 1945. He had 9 hits in 23 at bats, good for a .391 average with 5 RBI. This was his only major league experience. He returned to the Angels for the 1946 and 1947 seasons. Otero could not continue to put up those numbers and hit only .273-1-46, and then .231-0-7 in the following year. After the 1947 season, he joined the Portsmouth Cubs of the Piedmont League
, where he would play for the next five years, also serving as manager in 1951-52. In the league Otero hit over .300 four times with a high of .353, and had 4 home runs and 312 RBI. He joined the Springfield Cubs
(International League) in 1953 and hit .171-0-4 before retiring from the minor leagues.
In his homeland, Otero played in 480 games in the Cuban Professional League for thirteen years from 1936 to 1953. He began his career with the Club Acción Republicana before joining Habana
(1936-1937), Santa Clara
(1939-40), Cienfuegos
and Almendares (1945-1946) and then the Havana Reds of the Cuban National Federation before returning to Cienfuegos, where he played for seven years from 1947 to 1953. Otero hit .242 in the Cuban league with 499 hits in 2068 at bats with 177 RBI.
After his playing career ended, Otero managed the Havana Sugar Kings
from 1954 through mid-1956. He also managed in the Cuban league and the Mexican League, but gained the most notoriety in the Venezuelan League. There he led the Industriales de Valencia to three titles (1955-56, 1957-58, 1958-59) and the Leones del Caracas
to four titles (1961-62, 1963-64, 1966-67, 1967-68). His seven championships are the most in the league's history.
He also served as a coach
for the Cincinnati Reds
from 1959 to 1965 and was a member of the Cleveland Indians
' coaching staff in 1966. In 1967, he became a scout, working for Cleveland and the Los Angeles Dodgers
into the 1980s.
Otero died of a heart attack on October 21, 1988.
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
—October 21, 1988, Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
) was a Cuban baseball player who had a long career in the minor leagues in the United States (1936-1953), and played briefly with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
in 1945. He also played 13 years in the Cuban Professional League
Cuban League
The Cuban League was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside of the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961...
. He was a left-handed batter, but threw right-handed. After his playing career ended, he managed in Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela.
Reggie Otero made his organized baseball debut in 1936 with the York White Roses
York White Roses
The York White Roses was the name of a minor league baseball team in the city of York, Pennsylvania, USA, that existed from 1894–1969.-Early years:...
/Trenton Senators club of the New York-Penn League, where he hit .243 with 0 home runs and 22 RBI. He also played for the International League's
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Albany Senators
Albany Senators (minor league baseball)
The Albany Senators was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise representing Albany, New York, that existed between 1885 and 1959...
that year, but hit only .111. The following year he returned to the Senators but still had trouble, hitting .136 with 0 HR and 3 RBI. In 1938 he moved south to the St. Augustine Saints (Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
). There he hit .308, still with 0 HR, but with 52 RBI.
Otero played for the Greenville Spinners
Greenville Spinners
The Greenville Spinners were a minor league baseball team located in Greenville, South Carolina.They played in the Carolina Association from 1908-1912, the South Atlantic League from 1919-1930, 1946-1950 and 1961-1962, the Palmetto League in 1931 and the Tri-State League from 1954-1955.The team had...
in 1939 and 1940. In his two seasons in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
he hit .325-2-57 and then .315-1-50. He moved back north in 1941, when he played for the Springfield Nationals of the Eastern League and hit .223-0-24. Otero played for the Springfield club's farm team, the Utica Braves
Utica Braves
The Utica Braves were a Can-Am League and Eastern League baseball team based in Utica, New York, USA. They were affiliated with the Boston Braves in 1939, the Detroit Tigers in 1941, the Springfield Rifles in 1942 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1943.Wally Schang played for the team.A team named...
of the Can-Am League
Canadian-American League
This article refers to the original incarnation of the Can-Am League, which operated between 1936 and 1951. For the modern league, see Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball...
, in 1942, where he led the league in batting with a .364 average, 2 HR and 101 RBI. Inactive in 1943, Otero moved west in 1944, playing for the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. At the end of the 1945 season he was called up to the Chicago Cubs, after hitting .344 with 23 RBI, following a .306-0-54 season.
Otero appeared in 14 games for the Cubs, making his debut on September 2, 1945. He had 9 hits in 23 at bats, good for a .391 average with 5 RBI. This was his only major league experience. He returned to the Angels for the 1946 and 1947 seasons. Otero could not continue to put up those numbers and hit only .273-1-46, and then .231-0-7 in the following year. After the 1947 season, he joined the Portsmouth Cubs of the Piedmont League
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.- Former :...
, where he would play for the next five years, also serving as manager in 1951-52. In the league Otero hit over .300 four times with a high of .353, and had 4 home runs and 312 RBI. He joined the Springfield Cubs
Springfield Cubs
The Springfield Cubs, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, was an American minor league baseball franchise that served as a farm club of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball from 1948-53...
(International League) in 1953 and hit .171-0-4 before retiring from the minor leagues.
In his homeland, Otero played in 480 games in the Cuban Professional League for thirteen years from 1936 to 1953. He began his career with the Club Acción Republicana before joining Habana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
(1936-1937), Santa Clara
Santa Clara, Cuba
Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. It is located in the most central region of the province and almost in the most central region of the country.- History :Santa Clara was founded by 175 people on July 15th, 1689...
(1939-40), Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
and Almendares (1945-1946) and then the Havana Reds of the Cuban National Federation before returning to Cienfuegos, where he played for seven years from 1947 to 1953. Otero hit .242 in the Cuban league with 499 hits in 2068 at bats with 177 RBI.
After his playing career ended, Otero managed the Havana Sugar Kings
Havana Sugar Kings
The Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played in the Class AAA International League from 1954 to 1960 . They were affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and their home stadium was El Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, Cuba.-History:The Sugar...
from 1954 through mid-1956. He also managed in the Cuban league and the Mexican League, but gained the most notoriety in the Venezuelan League. There he led the Industriales de Valencia to three titles (1955-56, 1957-58, 1958-59) and the Leones del Caracas
Leones del Caracas
The Leones del Caracas is a Venezuelan baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Since its inception, the team has played in the Estadio Universitario in Caracas...
to four titles (1961-62, 1963-64, 1966-67, 1967-68). His seven championships are the most in the league's history.
He also served as a coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
from 1959 to 1965 and was a member of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
' coaching staff in 1966. In 1967, he became a scout, working for Cleveland and the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
into the 1980s.
Otero died of a heart attack on October 21, 1988.