Special_K19
10-28-2004, 11:38 AM
Very sad, he was one of my "before my time" favorites of the franchise. RIP
10/27/2004 10:25 AM ET
Avila, '54 AL batting champ, dies
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
Bobby Avila, an All-Star infielder for the Indians in the 1950s and the American League batting champion in 1954, died Tuesday in Veracruz, Mexico, of complications from diabetes. He was 78.
"We are saddened by the passing of one of the Indians' all-time greats," said Bob DiBiasio, the Indians' vice president/public relations. "But we are comforted by the fact that Mr. Avila was able to join us this past summer when we honored the '54 American League champions.
"He was able to hear the cheers one more time for his stellar performance in '54."
During his 10 seasons with the Indians, Avila was a central part of clubs that embodied the melting pot that other organizations were slow to embrace. He played alongside men like Larry Doby, Al Rosen, Early Wynn, Mike Garcia, Al Smith, Luke Easter, Vic Power, Mudcat Grant and manager Al Lopez.
It was an Indians team during those years that fielded a roster of stars, yet it was a team that always seemed to play the understudy to the Yankees
"Playing baseball, the most important things is to get to the World Series," Avila said on a visit to Cleveland this summer. "That's the first and most important thing. But we lost at least three or four pennants to the Yankees."
But in 1954, the Tribe did not lose the pennant to the Yankees, and the 30-year-old Avila was a key reason for it. He had his best season in the Majors that season, leading the league in hitting with a .341 average. Yet Avila's numbers might have been gaudier had he not injured a fingered during a game late in the season.
"Sometimes, it made it difficult to swing the bat properly," he said. "I was up near .400 before the injury, but because of the finger there were some pitches I couldn't handle."
Still, he swung it well enough to fuel a season that led to a record 111 wins. In many people's minds, 1954 was a magical season for baseball in Cleveland, and Avila, a talented but sometimes moody second baseman, played a starring role in the team's success.
"It was the best year of my career," he once said. "We could have won the World Series."
The Indians were swept by the Giants in the '54 World Series, but that wasn't the only good season for Avila, whom the Tribe signed out of the Mexican League for $17,500. He batted .304 in 1951 and .300 in 1952.
Lopez, who managed Avila for most of his career, described Avila as having a "fine swing, a sharp eye, a good spirit of competition ... and a world of confidence in himself."
Avila's confidence, though, should have come as no surprise, because he had been a star in Mexico and played against many of the best players in Latin American and from the Negro Leagues before making his debut in the big leagues in '49.
He spent that season and 1950 playing behind veteran Joe Gordon, but Avila won the second baseman's job in 1951. He held on to it through the 1958 season. He was traded in the offseason to the Orioles for pitcher Russ Herman and $30,000.
He was traded two more times that '59 season, and after it ended, Avila, then 35, returned to Mexico. He would not play in the Majors again.
In retirement, he put his education to use. While he did serve as commissioner of the Mexican League, Avila spent most of his life after baseball in politics.
"I really have not followed baseball the last few years," Avila said earlier this year. "I have been very busy with politics. I was the mayor of Veracruz and went to Congress twice as a senator.
"I retired from politics three years ago. Politics was a 24-hour job, so I did not follow baseball that much."
But Avila had done enough in baseball to leave him with plenty of vivid memories of a career that earned him selection as one of the 100 Greatest Indians. He didn't need to add any new ones.
"I had a good life, and I had a good time in Cleveland," he said. "It is my second home."
Justice B. Hill is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
10/27/2004 10:25 AM ET
Avila, '54 AL batting champ, dies
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
Bobby Avila, an All-Star infielder for the Indians in the 1950s and the American League batting champion in 1954, died Tuesday in Veracruz, Mexico, of complications from diabetes. He was 78.
"We are saddened by the passing of one of the Indians' all-time greats," said Bob DiBiasio, the Indians' vice president/public relations. "But we are comforted by the fact that Mr. Avila was able to join us this past summer when we honored the '54 American League champions.
"He was able to hear the cheers one more time for his stellar performance in '54."
During his 10 seasons with the Indians, Avila was a central part of clubs that embodied the melting pot that other organizations were slow to embrace. He played alongside men like Larry Doby, Al Rosen, Early Wynn, Mike Garcia, Al Smith, Luke Easter, Vic Power, Mudcat Grant and manager Al Lopez.
It was an Indians team during those years that fielded a roster of stars, yet it was a team that always seemed to play the understudy to the Yankees
"Playing baseball, the most important things is to get to the World Series," Avila said on a visit to Cleveland this summer. "That's the first and most important thing. But we lost at least three or four pennants to the Yankees."
But in 1954, the Tribe did not lose the pennant to the Yankees, and the 30-year-old Avila was a key reason for it. He had his best season in the Majors that season, leading the league in hitting with a .341 average. Yet Avila's numbers might have been gaudier had he not injured a fingered during a game late in the season.
"Sometimes, it made it difficult to swing the bat properly," he said. "I was up near .400 before the injury, but because of the finger there were some pitches I couldn't handle."
Still, he swung it well enough to fuel a season that led to a record 111 wins. In many people's minds, 1954 was a magical season for baseball in Cleveland, and Avila, a talented but sometimes moody second baseman, played a starring role in the team's success.
"It was the best year of my career," he once said. "We could have won the World Series."
The Indians were swept by the Giants in the '54 World Series, but that wasn't the only good season for Avila, whom the Tribe signed out of the Mexican League for $17,500. He batted .304 in 1951 and .300 in 1952.
Lopez, who managed Avila for most of his career, described Avila as having a "fine swing, a sharp eye, a good spirit of competition ... and a world of confidence in himself."
Avila's confidence, though, should have come as no surprise, because he had been a star in Mexico and played against many of the best players in Latin American and from the Negro Leagues before making his debut in the big leagues in '49.
He spent that season and 1950 playing behind veteran Joe Gordon, but Avila won the second baseman's job in 1951. He held on to it through the 1958 season. He was traded in the offseason to the Orioles for pitcher Russ Herman and $30,000.
He was traded two more times that '59 season, and after it ended, Avila, then 35, returned to Mexico. He would not play in the Majors again.
In retirement, he put his education to use. While he did serve as commissioner of the Mexican League, Avila spent most of his life after baseball in politics.
"I really have not followed baseball the last few years," Avila said earlier this year. "I have been very busy with politics. I was the mayor of Veracruz and went to Congress twice as a senator.
"I retired from politics three years ago. Politics was a 24-hour job, so I did not follow baseball that much."
But Avila had done enough in baseball to leave him with plenty of vivid memories of a career that earned him selection as one of the 100 Greatest Indians. He didn't need to add any new ones.
"I had a good life, and I had a good time in Cleveland," he said. "It is my second home."
Justice B. Hill is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.