Luis Aparicio Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Full name Luis Ernesto (Montiel) Aparicio
Born April 29, 1934, Maracaibo, Zulia (Venezuela)
First Game: April 17, 1956; Final Game: September 28, 1973
Bat: Right Throw: Right Height: 5' 9" Weight: 160

Selected to the Hall of Fame in 1984
Named AL Rookie of the Year by Baseball Writers' Association of America (1956)
Named AL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News (1956)
Named shortstop on The Sporting News AL All-Star Team (1963, 1966, 1968, 1970 and 1972)
Won AL Gold Glove as shortstop (1958 to 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968 and 1970)

LUIS APARICIO
This article was written by Leonte Landino and is presented in part, courtesy of the Society for American Baseball Research

The name Luis Aparicio is closely linked with Venezuela. Both Luis Aparicio Ortega (Ortega) and his son, Luis Aparicio Montiel (Aparicio), had a significant impact on bringing the game of baseball to new heights in Latin America. For that reason, many say that when talking about one, you can’t help but think of the other.

The younger Aparicio was much more than an outstanding baseball player whose endurance, defense, and speed during an 18-year old major-league career earned him a spot in baseball’s Hall of Fame. He was a symbol of the growth and development of the game of baseball in Latin America – specifically in Venezuela and in his hometown of Maracaibo. Aparicio’s place among the greatest players in baseball signified the climax of a cycle of progress for the game of baseball, which has become the national sport of Venezuela and an intrinsic part of its cultural heritage.

To fully understand the significance, impact, and legacy of Aparicio’s career, one needs to take a journey back into the first steps of the game in Maracaibo.