Tony Martínez, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetTony Martínez
Cuban-born Major League Baseball shortstop
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Perico, Matanzas Province, Cuba
About Tony Martínez
- Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz (March 18, 1940 – August 24, 1991) was a Cuban-born Major League Baseball shortstop who played in parts of four seasons for the Cleveland Indians (1963–66), appearing in 73 career games.
- The native of Perico threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg). Martínez' professional career began at the Class C level in 1960, but by his third pro season he was an All-Star shortstop in Triple-A, winning the 1962 Most Valuable Player Award in the International League at age 22 as a member of the pennant-winning Jacksonville Suns.
- He was named the 1963 Indians' first-string shortstop coming out of spring training and started the Tribe's first 35 regular-season games.
- But he hit only .167 with 21 hits.
- Finally, on May 26, Cleveland optioned Martínez back to Jacksonville and acquired his replacement at shortstop, Dick Howser, in a trade with the Kansas City Athletics.
- Martínez continued to struggle at Jacksonville, but was recalled in September for another eight-game trial.
- He spent the remainder of his pro career in the minors, apart from 30 more games with the Indians during sporadic call-ups from 1964–66. Martínez' 30 big-league hits included five doubles.
- He drove in ten runs.
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