| Dolf Luque | |
|---|---|
_LCCN2014709351_(cropped).jpg) | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1890-08-04)August 4, 1890 Havana, Cuba | |
| Died: July 3, 1957(1957-07-03) (aged 66) Havana, Cuba | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 20, 1914, for the Boston Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 26, 1935, for the New York Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 194–179 |
| Earned run average | 3.24 |
| Strikeouts | 1,130 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the Cuban | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1957 |
Adolfo Domingo De Guzmán Luque (August 4, 1890 – July 3, 1957)[1] was aCubanstarting pitcher inMajor League Baseball (MLB) from1914 to1935. He spent 12 seasons of his career (1918–1929) with theCincinnati Reds. Luque was not only thefirst Latin American pitcher in MLB, but also the first to earn aWorld Serieswin (in1919), and the first to lead the majors in wins, shutouts andearned run average (ERA).[2]
A native ofHavana, Luque played winter baseball in theCuban League from 1912 to 1945 and was also a long-time manager in the league, leadingAlmendares to eight championships over 19 seasons.[3] Along with his contemporaryMiguel Ángel González, he is considered one of the best Cuban baseball managers of all time.[4][5] Additionally, hemanaged in theMexican League in all or parts of eight seasons spanning 1946–1956.[6]
Luque was enshrined in theCuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957 and theCincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1967, as well as in theMexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Luque made his professional debut in Cuba for theHabana baseball club against a Major League opponent, thePhiladelphia Phillies, in an exhibition series in the fall of 1911. He left the game after 8 innings with his team ahead 6–5, but his reliever failed to hold the lead and left Luque with a no decision. He then pitched against theNew York Giants, going 1–2, getting the only win for Habana in six games. He debuted in the Cuban League in the winter of 1912, but went 0–4, 0–2, and 2–4 his first three seasons. In 1914/15 he moved toAlmendares and had his first winning season, going 7–4. The following season he led the league in wins with a 12–5 record. The next winter, 1917, he tied for the league lead in wins and also led in hitting with a .355 average.[7]
Luque made his major league debut with theBoston Braves in 1914. In 1918, he was traded to theCincinnati Reds, with whom he played the next 12 seasons. In the notorious1919 World Series, he appeared in two games as a relief pitcher. Luque also played for theBrooklyn Robins/Dodgers from 1930 to 1931 and with theNew York Giants from 1932 to 1935. He was with the Giants in the1933 World Series, and, pitching in relief, won the fifth and final game over the Washington Senators, thus becoming (at age 43) the oldest pitcher ever to win a World Series game.[8][9] He ended his career with a record of 194–179 and a 3.24ERA.
Luque was an above average hitting pitcher in his major league career, posting a .227batting average (237-for-1043) with 96runs, 5home runs and 90RBI. He also drew 70bases on balls.
Luque became a starting pitcher in 1920. Primarily pitching with acurveball, he led theNational League in losses in 1922, then had his best year in 1923, leading the league with 27 wins and an ERA of 1.93. Luque also led the NL in ERA with a 2.63 in 1925. He was known as an adept mentor in the later years of his pitching career, and went on to become thepitching coach of the Giants from 1936 to 1938 and 1942 to 45.
As a blue-eyed, fair-skinned, white Cuban, he was one of several white Cubans to make it in Major League Baseball at a time whennon-whites were excluded. Between 1911 and 1929 alone, seventeen Cuban-born Caucasian players played in the Major Leagues. Many of them, including Luque, also playedNegro league baseball with integrated teams from Cuba. Luque played forCuban Stars in 1912 and theLong Branch Cubans in 1913 before signing withorganized baseball.[10]
Luque was known to have a temper. While with theBrooklyn Dodgers, a heckler in the stands hollered "Lucky Luque! Lucky Luque!" repeatedly. Luque went over to the dugout and told managerWilbert Robinson, "I tell you, Robbie, if this guy don't shut up, I'm gonna shut him up." "Aw, come on, Dolf", said the manager. "He paid his way in—let him boo." Just then the heckler spotted the rotund Robinson and yelled, "Hey, fat belly!" Robinson said, "OK, Dolf—go ahead and clobber the jerk." Luque obliged his manager's request.
Luque also served as acoach at the major league level for seven seasons (1936–1937; 1941–1945) with the New York Giants, working under managersBill Terry andMel Ott. As a coach, Luque was a member of the Giants'1936 and1937 National League champion teams.[11]
Luque managed in theMexican League for thePericos de Puebla (1946–1947),Azules de Veracruz (1948),Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (1953–1955) andLeones de Yucatán (1956). Besides, he managed the 1951Habana Cubans of theFlorida International League sandwiched between two stints with theÁguilas de Mexicali in 1950 (Sunset League) and 1952 (Southwest International League).[6][12]
Luque was the only manager to head each of the “big four” teams in theCuban League; though the bulk of his career was spent withAlmendares, he also managedHabana for three seasons (1924, 1955, 1956) and spent one season withCienfuegos (which he led to a title in 1946) andMarianao.
In 1919/20 Luque became a playing manager for Almendares and led the team to a championship in his first season at the helm, the first of seven championships as a manager. He contributed on the pitching mound with a 10–4 record, leading the league in wins. In 1922/23 he moved to Habana (whereMiguel Angel González was manager) and again led the league in wins with an 11–9 record. The next season, he took over the helm as Habana's manager and went 7–2 as a pitcher. Later in the decade, Luque's Major League team, the Cincinnati Reds, did not allow him to play winter baseball in Cuba. Luque sometimes evaded the ban by playing under assumed names.[13]
By the 1930s, Luque had returned to Almendares as manager. He generally pitched only occasionally, though in 1934/35 he contributed as a pitcher to his second championship as a manager; he tied for the league lead in wins with a 6–2 record and led the league with a 1.27 ERA. As manager, he again led Almendares to championships in 1939/40, 1941/42, and 1942/43, ledCienfuegos to a championship in 1945/46, and returned to Almendares for his final championship in 1946/47. He continued to manage for various teams until 1955/56.[14]
Luque's career Cuban League pitching record was 106–71. Luque is the all-time Cuban League leader in years pitching with 22, ranking second behindMartín Dihigo in wins with 106, and seventh in winning percentage with .599.[15]
Luque is mentioned inErnest Hemingway's 1952 novelThe Old Man and the Sea, when Hemingway writes "Who is the greatest manager, really, Luque orMike Gonzalez?."[16]
Luque died July 3, 1957,[17] and is buried atColon Cemetery, Havana.
