Hispanic Heritage Month Challenge

Major League Baseball and the Reds will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month the weekend of September 18-20, 2020, with efforts to spotlight the contributions to baseball by Hispanic and Latino players.

As part of the celebration, the Reds will feature cutouts behind home plate of the eight Hispanic players who have been inducted in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame - Pedro Borbón, Leo Cardenas, David Concepción, César Gerónimo, Dolf Luque, Tony Pérez, José Rijo and Mario Soto.

Below, you will find more information about these legendary Reds players. Once you finish reading, be sure to take the quiz about these Hall of Famers at the bottom of the page. Send your answers with your name and address to [email protected] and you will receive a commemorative gift from the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum presented by Dinsmore.

Pedro Borbon

Pitcher – Class of 2010

Although the hitters gain most of the acclaim for the Big Red Machine’s success, Sparky Anderson’s pitching staff held its own as well. One of its durable and reliable arms was Pedro Borbón, who holds the club’s all-time record for most games pitched. The right-hander led the National League in games pitched from 1970-78, including finishing top five in the league each season from 1972-77. Off the field, Borbón was a licensed barber and was known to tell wild tales such as having a 136-year-old grandfather back in his home country of the Dominican Republic.

Leo Cardenas

Shortstop – Class of 1981

After signing with the Reds out of Cuba at the age of 16, Leo Cardenas shared time at shortstop during the Reds’ pennant-winning 1961 season before taking over full-time the following season. Cardenas instantly made an impact on defense, earning a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 1965 and the nickname “Mr. Automatic” for his defensive prowess. A four-time All-Star with the Reds, Cardenas also came through at the plate, hitting 20 home runs in 1966 that stood as a Reds record for shortstops for 30 years. Following his playing career, Cardenas made his home in Cincinnati and remains a fixture at Reds events to this day.

Dave Concepción

A member of the legendary “Great Eight” lineup, David Concepción was one of the few shortstops of his era to combine tremendous defense with a solid bat. Forming baseball’s best double-play combo with Joe Morgan, Concepción won five Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for his defense and innovated the one-hop throw across the diamond on the new artificial surfaces springing up around baseball in the 1970s. A nine-time All-Star, the native of Venezuela played his entire 19-year career with the Reds and was honored in 2007 by having his No. 13 retired by the club.

César Gerónimo

Outfielder – Class of 2008

The blockbuster trade between the Reds and Astros before the 1972 season is well known for bringing Joe Morgan to Cincinnati, but they received much more than that. César Gerónimo arrived with little fanfare but became an anchor in center field and one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Gerónimo’s defense was described as “ungodly” by manager Sparky Anderson and earned him four consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Awards from 1974-77. While he covered ground smoothly with his long strides, Gerónimo also possessed a powerful arm that made “The Chief” dangerous to opponents trying to take an extra base.

Dolf Luque

Pitcher – Class of 1967

A member of the Reds’ first World Series champion team in 1919, Dolf Luque was quite a trailblazer during his 20-year big-league career. The Cuban native was the first Latin to pitch in a World Series, win 20 games in a season, win 100 games in a career and lead either the American or National leagues in wins, winning percentage, and ERA in a season. His 1923 season is arguably the greatest single season for a pitcher in Reds history, as he led the NL with a club record 27 wins and posted a league-best 1.93 ERA. Luque was inducted into the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1958 and was the first Latin player to be enshrined in the Reds Hall of Fame.

Nickname: “The Pride of Havana”

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Height: 5' 7"

Weight: 160

Born: August 4, 1890, Havana, Cuba

Death: July 3, 1957, Havana, Cuba

Debut: May 20, 1914

Final Game: April 26, 1935

Inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame 1967

Tony Pérez

First Baseman – Class of 1998

One of the most popular players in Reds history, Tony Pérez is regarded by many as the lynchpin in the Big Red Machine lineup. Another product from Cuba, Pérez averaged more than 100 runs batted in per season from 1970-76, including a career-high 129 in 1970. His 1,192 career RBIs rank second on the club’s career list, behind only Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench. The slugger also ranks fourth in franchise history with 287 home runs. Pérez’s clutch home run in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series was one of the most important homers in Reds history.

José Rijo

Pitcher – Class of 2005

The Nasty Boys bullpen is probably most synonymous with the 1990 wire-to-wire champion Reds, but the MVP of that World Series was a starter – Jose Rijo. A talented arm from the Dominican Republic, Rijo led the way for that stunning World Series sweep. The right-hander tossed seven shutout innings in Game 1 and then allowed just one run on two hits over 8 1/3 innings in the clinching Game 4. Rijo led the NL in strikeouts in 1993 and earned an All-Star nod in 1994 before elbow injuries scuttled his career. But Rijo made an inspiring comeback several years later in 2001 and would eventually make his final appearance in 2002 when he started the final game ever at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field. His 2.83 career ERA with the Reds is fourth on the franchise’s all-time list.

Mario Soto

Pitcher – Class of 2001

Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1973, Mario Soto would make his Major League debut four years later, beginning the career of one of the best starting pitchers in Reds history. Known for his masterful changeup, Soto set a Reds single-season record with 274 strikeouts in 1982 and led the NL with 1,063 Ks from 1980-85. A three-time All-Star and runner-up for the 1983 NL Cy Young Award, Soto made six career Opening Day starts for the Reds, including five straight from 1982-86. Despite seeing his career cut short by injuries the age of 31, the righty stands second on the franchise’s all-time list with 1,449 strikeouts.

HISPANIC HALL OF FAMER QUIZ

Which countries are represented by the Hispanic players in the Reds Hall of Fame?
Which player was the first Latino to pitch in a World Series game?
Who was known as “Mr. Automatic” for his defense?
Which of these players was a licensed barber?
How many innings did Jose Rijo pitch in the 1990 World Series?
Who holds the Reds franchise record for runs batted in?
How many years did David Concepción play for the Reds?
What year did Mario Soto set the club’s single-season strikeout record?
What was César Gerónimo’s nickname?
In what year did the Reds win their first World Series championship?

Remember - send your answers with your name and address to [email protected] and you will receive a commemorative gift from the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum presented by Dinsmore.