Alex Carrasquel [car_ras_KAEL] (July 24, 1912 _ August 19, 1969), born Alejandro Eloy Carrasquel Aparicio, was the first baseball player from Venezuela to play Major League Baseball. He was born in Caracas.

A right-handed pitcher, Carrasquel had a fine fastball, which complemented with an effective knuckleball and a decent curve. He started his major league career with the Washington Senators in the American League, on April 23, 1939.

Although World War II was officially over and baseball's finest players were back in their familiar ranks, tranquility no longer had a place in the majors. The new Mexican League, headed by millonaire Jorge Pasquel, had lured a cluster of bigleaguers. On January 2, 1946, the Chicago White Sox buy Carrasquel from the Senators. He rejected the deal and fled to play in Mexico, signing a 3-year contract, the first shot in the event that will dominate baseball even more than the return of the war veterans. There were others several players that fled to Mexico. MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler mentions a lifetime suspension for them, but his penalty is later reduced.

In 1949 Carrasquel returned to the majors and will make only three appearances for the White Sox before being farmed out. When Chicago acquire his nephew Chico Carrasquel in that season, GM Frank Lane will swap Alex for reliever Witto Aloma, who will act strictly as an interpreter for the young Venezuelan shortstop.

In his majors career, Carrasquel had a 50-39 record with 252 strikeouts, a 3.73 ERA, 30 complete games, four shutouts, 16 saves, and 861 innings pitched in 258 games (64 as a starter).

Alex Carrasquel died in Caracas at the age of 57.

Fact

• In his debut as a reliever against the Yankees, Carrasquel retired the side in order, on a strikeout by Joe DiMaggio, a grounder by Lou Gehrig, and a popout by Bill Dickey.

See also

• List of players from Venezuela in MLB

External links

• Alex Carrasquel at:
  • Baseball Library (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Carrasquel-Alex.stm)
  • Baseball Reference (http://www.baseball_reference.com/c/carraal01.shtml)
• Bison's History: The 1950's (http://www.bisons.com/history-1950.php3)
  • Mexican League article (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/Mexican-League.stm)