Antonio Muñoz (baseball)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Muñoz and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.
Antonio Muñoz
First baseman
Born: (1949-01-17) January 17, 1949 (age 75)
Trinidad, Las Villas, Cuba
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
SNB statistics
Batting average.302
Hits2,014
Home runs355
Member of the Cuban
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2014

Antonio Nicolás Muñoz Hernández (born January 17, 1949)[1] is a Cuban former baseball player who spent his 24-year career as a first baseman in the Cuban National Series (SNB). Known as "El Gigante del Escambray" (The Giant of Escambray), he played with Azucareros, Las Villas, Sancti Spíritus, and Cienfuegos.[2]

Muñoz won eight home run titles, and was the first player in the history of the National Series to reach 300 home runs. At the time of his retirement, he was the league's all-time leader in nine offensive statistics, including runs scored, doubles, home runs, total bases, walks and intentional walks.[3]

Muñoz was selected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, and was awarded the Hero of the Republic of Cuba by Miguel Díaz-Canel in 2024.[4] Sports Illustrated writer Ron Fimrite described him as a "left-handed Tony Pérez."[5] After Major League Baseball manager Preston Gómez visited Cuba in 1977, he reportedly said that the only thing he wanted to take back with him was "that big hillbilly in my suitcase," referring to Muñoz.[6]

References

  1. ^ ""Solo me faltó jugar en las Grandes Ligas"". Vanguardia. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Otro título al pecho de Antonio Muñoz" (in Spanish). 5 Septiembre. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Antonio Muñoz: El Gigante del Escambray". Nuestra pasión beisbolera (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Muñoz and Román: Work heros from the sports world". Radio Habana Cuba. 30 April 2024.
  5. ^ Fimrite, Ron (6 June 1977). "In Cuba, It's Viva El Grand Old Game". Sports Illustrated.
  6. ^ "The All-Time Cuban Team - Part 2 (Serie Nacional)". Cuban Baseball Digest. 13 May 2021.
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