Latino Legends Team
Encyclopedia
The Latino Legends Team was an all-time all-star
baseball
team selected in 2005 to honor the history of Latin America
n players in Major League Baseball
. The players were chosen by fan voting. Ballots were available both online at MLB.com and at Chevrolet
dealerships, and over 1.6 million total votes were cast. The team was announced at a ceremony hosted by actor Edward James Olmos
prior to Game Four of the 2005 World Series
.
in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Venezuela
native Luis Aparicio
was not selected. Another former White Sox star was snubbed - Cuban born outfielder Minnie Miñoso. In what was vindication for the organization, Chicago White Sox
manager Ozzie Guillén
became the first Latin-born manager to win a World Series
later that night.(Lou Piniella, manager of the World Series winning 1990 Cincinnati Reds, was born in Tampa to a family of Spanish heritage but is not technically 'Latin-born')
Other significant snubs from this team were Puerto Ricans Orlando Cepeda
and Roberto Alomar
, Cuban-born Tony Perez
and Negro League star Martín Dihigo
. Dominican Sammy Sosa
, a then still-active member of the 500 home run club
was left off, as were Rafael Palmeiro
and José Canseco
, renowned Cuban-born sluggers caught up in the steroid scandals at the time. On February, 2009, Latino Legends shortstop Alex Rodriguez was reported to have tested positive for steroid use during Major League Baseball's 2003 survey testing. After the report was released, Rodriguez confessed in an interview with ESPN
that he used banned substances between 2001-2003. On July 30, 2009, Latino Legends outfielder Manny Ramirez was also reported to have tested positive for performance enhancing drugs during Major League Baseball's 2003 survey testing.
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team selected in 2005 to honor the history of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n players in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. The players were chosen by fan voting. Ballots were available both online at MLB.com and at Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
dealerships, and over 1.6 million total votes were cast. The team was announced at a ceremony hosted by actor Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
prior to Game Four of the 2005 World Series
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
.
The team
, catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, outfield, outfield, outfield, starting pitcher, starting pitcher, starting pitcher, relief pitcherControversy
Despite being the only native of South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
native Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
was not selected. Another former White Sox star was snubbed - Cuban born outfielder Minnie Miñoso. In what was vindication for the organization, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
manager Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
became the first Latin-born manager to win a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
later that night.(Lou Piniella, manager of the World Series winning 1990 Cincinnati Reds, was born in Tampa to a family of Spanish heritage but is not technically 'Latin-born')
Other significant snubs from this team were Puerto Ricans Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Cepeda
Orlando Manuel Cepeda Pennes is a former Puerto Rican Major League Baseball first baseman.Cepeda was born to a poor family. His father, Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball player in Puerto Rico, which influenced his interest in the sport from a young age. His first contact with professional baseball was...
and Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
, Cuban-born Tony Perez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
and Negro League star Martín Dihigo
Martín Dihigo
Martín Magdaleno Dihigo Llanos was a Cuban player in baseball's Negro leagues and Latin American leagues who excelled at several positions, primarily as a pitcher and second baseman...
. Dominican Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
, a then still-active member of the 500 home run club
500 home run club
In Major League Baseball , the 500 home run club is a term applied to the group of batters who have hit 500 or more regular-season home runs in their careers. On August 11, 1929, Babe Ruth became the first member of the club. Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs, a record which stood from 1935...
was left off, as were Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985...
and José Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
, renowned Cuban-born sluggers caught up in the steroid scandals at the time. On February, 2009, Latino Legends shortstop Alex Rodriguez was reported to have tested positive for steroid use during Major League Baseball's 2003 survey testing. After the report was released, Rodriguez confessed in an interview with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
that he used banned substances between 2001-2003. On July 30, 2009, Latino Legends outfielder Manny Ramirez was also reported to have tested positive for performance enhancing drugs during Major League Baseball's 2003 survey testing.