Sandy Nava
Encyclopedia
Vincent Irwin "Sandy" Nava (April 12, 1850 – June 15, 1906) was an American
19th century Major League Baseball
player for five seasons from through . Nava was the first known Mexican American
and second Hispanic
baseball player to play in the Majors, behind Steve Bellán
.
, Sandy made his Major League debut for the 1882 Providence Grays
as a catcher
. He was brought in to be fellow San Francisco native Charlie Sweeney
's catcher. Nava's history in professional baseball showed two sides; when he was growing up in San Francisco, he apparently tried to hide his Mexican heritage and went by names like Irwin Sandy or Vincent Irwin, but when he came to the East Coast
, he returned to his name of Nava and the Providence team tried to promote his "Spanish" heritage.
He played in 28 games
his rookie season, and batted
.206, while scoring 15 runs
. He returned to the Grays for two more seasons, continuing to be the back-up catcher to Barney Gilligan
, having his best year in when he batted .240 and scored 18 runs in 29 games. Even though he didn't hit well, he stayed on as Sweeney's personal catcher, until Sweeney was expelled from the team by refusing to leave a game in favor of Cyclone Miller
. The team decided to leave Nava and Miller behind on a road trip and later loaned them to a military
team in Fort Monroe, Virginia.
For the and seasons, Nava played for the Baltimore Orioles
of the American Association
, and played in just 10 games in those two years before leaving the Majors.
, Indian
, Portuguese
, Spanish
, and Cuban
throughout his baseball career. In the 1900 United States Census
, he was enumerated at 363 Davis Street in Baltimore, Maryland. He was listed as Vincent Nava, white and single, born April 1851, and working as an upholsterer, in a neighborhood with a large black population. Nava died in Baltimore at the age of 55, and is interred at Trinity Cemetery in Baltimore, a segregated cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
19th century 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...
player for five seasons from through . Nava was the first known Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
and second 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 ...
baseball player to play in the Majors, behind Steve Bellán
Steve Bellán
Estevan Enrique "Steve" Bellán , also known as Esteban, was a Cuban professional baseball player who played as a third baseman for six seasons in the United States , three in the National Association of Base Ball Players from 1868 to , and three in the National Association of Professional Base...
.
Career
Born as Vincent Irwin in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Sandy made his Major League debut for the 1882 Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. He was brought in to be fellow San Francisco native Charlie Sweeney
Charlie Sweeney
Charles J. Sweeney was an American Major League Baseball pitcher from 1882 through 1887. He played with moderate success for several teams, but he is best known to historians for the inadvertent career boost that he gave to future Hall of Famer Old Hoss Radbourn.Sweeney began his major league...
's catcher. Nava's history in professional baseball showed two sides; when he was growing up in San Francisco, he apparently tried to hide his Mexican heritage and went by names like Irwin Sandy or Vincent Irwin, but when he came to the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, he returned to his name of Nava and the Providence team tried to promote his "Spanish" heritage.
He played in 28 games
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,...
his rookie season, and batted
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 :...
.206, while scoring 15 runs
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...
. He returned to the Grays for two more seasons, continuing to be the back-up catcher to Barney Gilligan
Barney Gilligan
In 1887, Gilligan was fined $25 for binge drinking and missing a game for the Nationals. The next season, Gilligan was released by the team. In his final MLB season, Gilligan signed with the Detroit Wolverines. He played in one game for the team, going 1–for–5 with a run and a strikeout...
, having his best year in when he batted .240 and scored 18 runs in 29 games. Even though he didn't hit well, he stayed on as Sweeney's personal catcher, until Sweeney was expelled from the team by refusing to leave a game in favor of Cyclone Miller
Cyclone Miller
Joseph H. "Cyclone" Miller was an American Major League Baseball player born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He played just two seasons in the majors, but did play with four different teams in three different leagues...
. The team decided to leave Nava and Miller behind on a road trip and later loaned them to a military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
team in Fort Monroe, Virginia.
For the and seasons, Nava played for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
of the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
, and played in just 10 games in those two years before leaving the Majors.
Post-career
Nava was of Mexican descent, however, he was identified as BlackAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, and Cuban
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
throughout his baseball career. In the 1900 United States Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
, he was enumerated at 363 Davis Street in Baltimore, Maryland. He was listed as Vincent Nava, white and single, born April 1851, and working as an upholsterer, in a neighborhood with a large black population. Nava died in Baltimore at the age of 55, and is interred at Trinity Cemetery in Baltimore, a segregated cemetery.