Chico Fernandez
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| Chico Fernandez | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shortstop | ||
| Born: March 2, 1932 | ||
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| July 14, 1956 for the Brooklyn Dodgers |
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| Final game | ||
| September 29, 1963 for the New York Mets |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Batting average | .240 | |
| Home runs | 40 | |
| Runs batted in | 259 | |
| Teams | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||
Humberto (Perez) "Chico" Fernandez, (March 2, 1932- ), was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played eight seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1956), Philadelphia Phillies (1957-1960), Detroit Tigers (1960-1963), and New York Mets (1963). Born in Havana, Cuba, Fernandez played in 856 Major League games, 810 at shortstop. He scored 270 runs, collected 666 hits, and had a career batting average of .240.
Fernandez began his career as a bright prospect for the Brooklyn Dodgers but was not able to break into the lineup with Pee Wee Reese at the shortstop position. On April 5, 1957, the Dodgers traded Fernandez to the Philadelphia Phillies for five players (Ron Negray, Tim Harkness, Elmer Valo, and Mel Geho), plus $75,000. Fernandez was the first African American to play in a game for the Phillies, appearing for Philadelphia on April 16, 1957. Fernandez was the Phillies' regular shortstop for two seasons. In his first year with the Phillies, Fernandez collected 131 hits for a .262 batting average and a .302 on base percentage. He also stole 18 bases, 5th best in the National League. He also stole 12 bases in 1958, 9th best in the National League. Fernandez' batting average dropped over the next two seasons, and he saw limited time in 1959, hitting .211.
In December 1959, the Phillies traded Fernandez to the Detroit Tigers, and he became the Tigers' regular shortstop for three seasons from 1960-1962. In 1960, he led American League shortstops with 34 errors; his fielding percentage was .947. By 1962, he increased his fielding percentage to .960. More surprising, Fernandez displayed power as a hitter in 1962. After six seasons in which he never hit more than 6 home runs, Fernandez hit 20 home runs and 59 RBIs for the Tigers in 1962. Both were career highs.
With a young Dick McAuliffe ready to assume the shortstop position for the Tigers, Detroit traded Fernandez to the New York Mets in May 1963. Fernandez played 58 games for the Mets in 1963 and was then traded to the Chicago White Sox in April 1964. Fernandez did not play for the Sox.
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
- Baseball Library.com
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