Bobby Ávila

Infobox MLB retired
name=Bobby Ávila
position=Second baseman
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1924|4|2
city-state|Veracruz|Mexico
deathdate=death date and age|2004|10|26|1924|4|2
city-state|Veracruz|Mexico
debutdate=April 30
debutyear=by|1949
debutteam=Cleveland Indians
finaldate=September 29
finalyear=by|1959
finalteam=Milwaukee Braves
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.281
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=80
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=467
teams=
* Cleveland Indians (by|1949-by|1958)
* Baltimore Orioles (by|1959)
* Boston Red Sox (by|1959)
* Milwaukee Braves (by|1959)
highlights=
* 3x All-Star selection (1952, 1954, 1955)
* Led AL in batting average in 1954 with .341

Roberto Francisco "Beto" Ávila González (April 2, 1924 – October 26, 2004) was a Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter who played for the Cleveland Indians (1949-58), Baltimore Orioles (1959), Boston Red Sox (1959) and Milwaukee Braves (1959). Born in Veracruz Veracruz, México, and listed at 5' 10", 175 lb., the diminutive ballplayer cemented his image as a local baseball idol among Indians fans. He was better known in his homeland and other Latin American countries as "Beto", in the majors as "Bobby".

In 1954 Ávila won the AL batting crown, edging out Ted Williams and Minnie Miñoso with a .341 mark, despite Williams' higher average of .345, Williams had led the league in walks, which took away from his number of at bats, which resulted in his loss and the awarding of the title to Ávila. What made this accomplishment even more remarkable was that he played almost the entire season with a broken thumb. He also registered career highs in home runs (15), runs (112) and RBI (67).

In that same season, the Indians faced the New York Giants in the World Series, which matched the two leagues' champion bats, Ávila and Willie Mays; it was the third time that top batters in the majors played each other in the Series. Other matchups were Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb in 1909; Al Simmons and Chick Hafey in 1931.

Ávila was selected an All-Star in 1952, 1954 and 1955; he led the league in triples in 1952, and led AL second basemen in fielding percentage in 1953. He also appeared in the MVP Award ballot in 1951 and 1954.

In 11-season career, Ávila hit .281 with 80 homers, 467 RBI, 1296 hits, 725 runs, 185 doubles, 35 triples, and 78 stolen bases in 1300 games. Dealt three times in the last season of his career, he returned to Mexico in 1960 and became a politician. After serving as mayor in his home city of Veracruz, he became president of the Mexican League.

In an article in 1976 in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Ávila, a Mexican, was the second baseman on Stein's Latin team.

Beto Ávila is still widely recognized as the player who catalyzed the development of Mexican baseball. He died in his homeland of complications from diabetes. He was 79.

Quotation
*An adept bunter and daring baserunner, his soccer training paid off several times when he intentionally kicked the ball out of defenders' mitts while sliding. Cleveland manager Al Lopez said Ávila had "a fine swing, a sharp eye, a good spirit of competition ... and a world of confidence in himself." - [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/A/Avila_Bobby.stm Jane Charnin-Aker, at "Baseball Library"]

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball batting champions
* List of Major League Baseball triples champions
* Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game
* Boston Red Sox all-time roster

External links

*Beto Ávila at:
** [http://www.baseball-reference.com/a/avilabo01.shtml Complete statistics at Baseball Reference]
** [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/submit/Cleveland_Indians1.stm The Top 100 Greatest Indians Roster]
** [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/features/topteams/1954indians.stm 1954 Cleveland Indians]
** [http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/sports2000/players/169115.html "The Sporting News" All-Time Latin American MLB Stars]