Luis Aparicio
- Chicago White Sox (1956-1962)
- Baltimore Orioles (1963-1967)
- Chicago White Sox (1968-1970)
- Boston Red Sox (1971-1973)
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montel (* May 29, 1934 in Maracaibo, Venezuela ) is a former Venezuelan baseball player in Major League Baseball. His nickname was Little Louie.
Biography
Luis Aparicio came from a Venezuelan baseball player family. His father was a popular shortstop in Venezuela and owned jointly with his uncle, a winter league team. Aparicio was courted by the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox, the White Sox won the race for his commitment. His appearances in the Minor League Baseball were convincing, so Aparicio made his debut on the position of the shortstops in the American League on 17 April 1956. In all of its games up to the year 1973, he should not play any other position. In his first year, he led the American League in stolen bases. This category he led then in the next eight years of uninterrupted. In his first year he was elected Rookie of the Year. Nine times he won the Gold Glove Award, ten times he was nominated for the All -Star game. With the White Sox in 1959, he reached the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but was defeated. In 1963, the management decided the White Sox to restructure the team and let Aparicio switch to the Baltimore Orioles.
1966 Orioles won the title in the American League and met in the World Series to the Dodgers. This time could Aparicio's team win the title, the Orioles won the series in four games smoothly. 1968 Aparicio returned back to the White Sox. 1971, he moved to the Boston Red Sox, where he played his last game on September 28, 1973. At this time he led the all-time best lists of Major League for most games played, double plays and assists for shortstops. To date, he holds with 2,581 games at shortstop the record of the Major League.
1984 Aparicio was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In the World Series in 2005, the first World Series in Chicago since 1959, Aparicio was allowed to perform the ceremonial first pitch in memory of the last World Series.