Carlos Manuel Santiago
Encyclopedia
Carlos Manuel Santiago was an infielder in Puerto Rico
and the Negro Leagues, and a long-time scout
and general manager.
on a barnstorming trip with other Puerto Rican All-Stars. He was scouted by Negro League veteran John Beckwith who signed him to play for the Atlanta Black Crackers
.
Midway through the 1945 season, Santiago left the Black Crackers and signed with the New York Cubans
of the Negro National League. He played second base and shortstop for the Cubans in 1945 and 1946.
Bombers of the Class B Colonial League. This was the same season that Jackie Robinson
joined the Dodgers; Santiago was the first Afro-Caribbean Puerto Rican to break the color line
in "organized" baseball. The Colonial League started in 1947 and folded on July 16, 1950. Santiago hit .341 during the abbreviated 1950 season.
In 1951 Bill Veeck
and Lou Boudreau
invited Santiago to Cleveland
's spring training
camp. However, Santiago was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Korea
. Santiago served for 25 months and was honorably discharged as a sergeant
. Santiago returned from Korea and continued playing professionally until 1960.
clubs which won back-to-back championships. In 1968-69, he served as a coach to Ponce manager Rocky Bridges
and in 1969-70 to manager Jim Fregosi
. He was general manager of Mayaguez for three years. He served as National Instructor of Baseball in Columbia for four years. He scouted for the California Angels for three years.
Santiago was elected to the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. Until his death, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Negro League Baseball Players Association.
He is buried in the Vivaldi de Mayagüez cemetery in Mayagüez.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the Negro Leagues, and a long-time scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
and general manager.
Negro League Playing Career
Santiago was selected in 1944 to play for the Puerto Rico All-Star team in the Caribbean World Series, played that season in Caracas, Venezuela. When he returned from Caracas, he signed a professional contract with the Mayaguez Indians for the 1944-45 season. Following the 1945 season, Santiago traveled to New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on a barnstorming trip with other Puerto Rican All-Stars. He was scouted by Negro League veteran John Beckwith who signed him to play for the Atlanta Black Crackers
Atlanta Black Crackers
The Atlanta Black Crackers were a professional Negro league baseball team which played during the early to mid 20th century.- Founding :The Crackers were founded in 1919...
.
Midway through the 1945 season, Santiago left the Black Crackers and signed with the New York Cubans
New York Cubans
The New York Cubans were a Negro league baseball team that played during the 1930s and from 1939 to 1950. Despite playing in the Negro leagues, the team occasionally employed white-skinned Hispanic baseball players as well, because Hispanics in general were largely ignored by the major league...
of the Negro National League. He played second base and shortstop for the Cubans in 1945 and 1946.
1947 to 1960
In 1947, Santiago signed with the StamfordStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
Bombers of the Class B Colonial League. This was the same season that Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
joined the Dodgers; Santiago was the first Afro-Caribbean Puerto Rican to break the color line
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
in "organized" baseball. The Colonial League started in 1947 and folded on July 16, 1950. Santiago hit .341 during the abbreviated 1950 season.
In 1951 Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
and Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
invited Santiago to Cleveland
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
's spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp. However, Santiago was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Santiago served for 25 months and was honorably discharged as a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Santiago returned from Korea and continued playing professionally until 1960.
Post Playing Career
After his retirement as a player, Santiago held many positions in professional baseball. He served as a coach on the 1968-69 and 1969-70 PonceLeones de Ponce (baseball)
This article is about the Ponce baseball team. For the basketball team of the same name, see Ponce Lions .The Leones de Ponce are a baseball team in the Puerto Rico Baseball League. The organization is based in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The team plays at the Francisco Montaner Stadium...
clubs which won back-to-back championships. In 1968-69, he served as a coach to Ponce manager Rocky Bridges
Rocky Bridges
Everett Lamar "Rocky" Bridges is a former utility infielder with an 11-year career in American Major League Baseball from 1951 to 1961. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals of the National League, and the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland...
and in 1969-70 to manager Jim Fregosi
Jim Fregosi
James Louis Fregosi is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played from 1961–1978 for four different teams, primarily the Los Angeles and California Angels. In that franchise's first eleven years of play, he became its first star as the team's...
. He was general manager of Mayaguez for three years. He served as National Instructor of Baseball in Columbia for four years. He scouted for the California Angels for three years.
Santiago was elected to the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. Until his death, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Negro League Baseball Players Association.
He is buried in the Vivaldi de Mayagüez cemetery in Mayagüez.