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Hiram Bithorn

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In thisSpanish name,the first or paternalsurnameisBithornand the second or maternal family name isSosa.
Hiram Bithorn
Bithorn, circa 1945
Pitcher
Born:March 18, 1916
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Died:December 29, 1951(1951-12-29)(aged 35)
Ciudad Victoria,Tamaulipas, Mexico
Batted:Right
Threw:Right
MLB debut
April 15, 1942, for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
May 4, 1947, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record34–31
Earned run average3.16
Strikeouts185
Teams

Hiram Gabriel Bithorn Sosa(March 18, 1916 – December 29, 1951) was a professional right-handedpitcherwho became the firstbaseballplayer fromPuerto Ricoto play inMajor League Baseball.[1][2]

Standing 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and weighing about 200 pounds (90 kg), Bithorn was a hard-throwing pitcher who commanded attention when he began his delivery with a distinctive windup, raising his long left leg high in the air and throwing a blazing fastball toward home plate.[1]

Early life

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Of mixed Danish-German-Scottish and Spanish descent,[1][3]Bithorn was born as Hiram Gabriel Bithorn Sosa inSanturce,a heavily populated area in the city ofSan Juan,and was one of five children born to Waldemar G. Bithorn, a municipal employee, and María Sosa, a public school teacher. The Bithorn family traveled frequently to the United States. María taught her children English and at one time produced a radio program calledAbuelita Borinqueña(Puerto Rican Grandmother). The young Hiram attendedCentral High Schoolin Santurce, and his older two brothers, 11 and 10 years his senior, encouraged and assisted in training him to become an athlete.[1]

In 1935, Bithorn competed in theIII Central American and Caribbean Gamesheld inSan Salvador,El Salvador,helping his Puerto Rican teammates bring home a silver medal involleyballand a bronze inbasketball.[1]By this time, he had already begun making a name for himself in baseball in 1932, while pitching on a team ofnativosplaying in the city ofGuayama.The Puerto Ricans faced the Richmond BBC, a squad composed entirely of continental American players, including slugging first baseman and futureHall of FamerJohnny Mize,as the 16-year-old Bithorn led his team to a 10–1 victory over the visiting club.[1]

Baseball career

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Bithorn played winter ball for his home teamSenadores de San Juan.[1]When San JuanmanagerJuan Torruella resigned only two weeks into the 1938 season, the Senadores chose 22-year-old Bithorn as their new skipper, making him the youngest manager inPuerto Rican Professional Baseball Leaguehistory.[1]Within three years, Bithorn was pitching atWrigley Field.

In 1939 Bithorn played in the USMinor Leagues,pitching for three seasons for theAAclubsOakland OaksandHollywood Stars.[4]

Bithorn was drafted by theChicago Cubsin September 1941 and debuted in the Major Leagues on April 15, 1942, making history as the first Puerto Rican big leaguer.[5]Bithorn won nine games and lost 14 in his first season,[5]but he rebounded in 1943 by going 18–12 with anearned run averageof 2.60 and completing 19 of his 30 starts,[5]leading the league inshutoutswith seven, establishing a record for Puerto Rican pitchers that still stands to this day. During this time, he also formed the second Latin American pitcher-catcher combination along withCubanChico Hernández.[6]

On November 26, 1943, after his second season, Bithorn joined theUnited States Navy.While in the navy, he served atNaval Air Station San Juanin Puerto Rico where he became the player-manager for the baseball team at the station.[5][7]He was discharged from the navy on September 1, 1945. His promising start did not last once he returned from military service. By this moment his weight had risen to 225 pounds, which led to rumors that he may not have the same abilities.[5]Upon returning from the war, he returned to the Chicago Cubs, and went 6–5 in 1946. On January 25, 1947, he was purchased by thePittsburgh Piratesonly to be waived later. On March 22 of the same year, theChicago White Soxselected him off waivers but only pitched two innings, developing a sore arm that ended his career.

In a four-season career, Bithorn posted a 34–31 record with a 3.16 ERA in 105 pitching appearances (53 as astarter), including 30complete games,eight shutouts and fivesaves,striking out185 batters whilewalking171 in 5092⁄3innings of work.

Later years

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At age 35, Bithorn tried to make a comeback in theMexican Pacific League.He was shot by Mexican police officer Ambrosio Castillo Cano[8]on December 28, 1951, inEl Mante, Tamaulipas,Mexico.[5]Bithorn then was transferred toCiudad Victoria's hospital, where he died the next day. Initially, Officer Castillo Cano claimed that Bithorn was violent and also admitted to being part of acommunist cell,and that he was on an important mission. Eventually this argument was debunked in court and Castillo Cano was sentenced to eight years in prison for Bithorn's murder. He was buried at Buxeda Cemetery inCarolina, Puerto Rico.[6][9]

Bithorn's achievement of making it to the majors remained a source of pride in Puerto Rico, and he was honored in 1962 when the biggest ballpark on the island was built and named after him.Hiram Bithorn Stadiumis located next toRoberto Clemente Coliseumand across the street fromPlaza Las Américas Mall,the stadium has also hosted world championshipboxingfights, majorprofessional wrestlingevents from theWorld Wrestling Council,the 1979Pan American Games,and important musical spectacles. TheMontreal Exposplayed 22 home games there in the 2003 and 2004 MLB seasons, while Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2006 and 2009World Baseball Classiceditions also were played there, including teams from Group C and Group D. In 2013 the World Baseball Classic Round 1, Pool C was played in the stadium, featuringDominican Republic,Puerto Rico,Spain andVenezuelanational teams.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefghQuevedo, Jane Allen."Hi Bithorn".sabr.org.Society for American Baseball Research.RetrievedNovember 3,2015.
  2. ^"Hi Bithorn Stats".baseball-almanac.com.RetrievedAugust 23,2018.
  3. ^Abrams, Al."Sidelights on Sports".The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.May 10, 1943. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  4. ^"Hi Bithorn – Society for American Baseball Research".RetrievedJune 30,2020.
  5. ^abcdefEdgardo Rodríguez Juliá(October 14, 2007). "Béisbol romántico".El Lanzador: Una Carrera Marcada por la Guerra(in Spanish). Puerto Rico:El Nuevo Día.p. 138.
  6. ^abDavid Maraniss,Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero(New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006), page 30.
  7. ^"Baseball in Wartime - Hi Bithorn".BaseballinWartime.com.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
  8. ^Cieradkowski, Gary Joseph (March 20, 2020)."Hi Bithorn: The life and odd death of Hurricane Hi".Studio Gary C.RetrievedJune 30,2020.
  9. ^Ramos, Raul (June 10, 2019)."Recordemos a los peloteros que han muerto por disparos".Con Las Bases Llenas(in Spanish).RetrievedJune 30,2020.
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