Rogelio Álvarez Hernández

Rogelio "Borrego" Álvarez was one of the baseball players with the greatest hitting power in the history of Cuban professional baseball. He is a former Cuban baseball player who performed in the Mexican Baseball League, in Nicaragua, and in the Major Leagues of the United States. He was elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and in 2012 to the Cuban Sports Hall of Fame in Miami.

He was born in Santa Lucia (Minas de Matahambre), Pinar del Río, located in the western region of Cuba. During his time as an active player, he measured 5.11 feet tall and weighed 183 pounds, and batted and threw right-handed.

In 1956, as a Cuban professional baseball player, he was signed as a prospect for the Cincinnati Reds, playing only two seasons for this team. He later went on to play in Mexican baseball, and also played in Nicaragua.

He died on Friday, November 30, 2012, at the age of 74 in Hialeah, Miami, United States, due to kidney problems.

In the 1959-1960 season, he played for Cienfuegos (Baseball Team) in the Cuban Professional Baseball League. That year, playing as an outfielder, he contributed to the Elephants' triumph in the Cuban championship.

On December 17, 1959, he became the second Cienfuegos player to hit three home runs in a game, since Jimmy "Cool Papa" Bell did it on January 1, 1929. Both achieved this against Habana (Baseball Team). In that series he connected a total of 12 home runs. Also that year he participated in the Caribbean Series, held in Panama, with a victory for Cienfuegos undefeated. He finished with a .248 average, the result of 12 hits in 38 at-bats, and also hit two home runs, ending as a tied leader.

In the following season, he also played for Cienfuegos, now as first base, that year the Cienfuegos players were champions again. In that series he connected 11 home runs.

He also played for the Cubans Sugar Kings of the International League of Florida.

In Mexico
He arrived in Mexican baseball in the late 1960s, playing for five seasons in both leagues, summer and winter.

In 1968 he played for the Águila de Veracruz and stayed with the port team until 1971. In 1972 he played with Poza Rica and retired from the Mexican League playing in 1973 with the Leones de Yucatán.

In 1970 he managed to hit 33 home runs and a .288 batting average. Overall in that baseball, he achieved a .267 average with 111 home runs and 344 runs batted in.

In the 1970-1971 season in the Mexican Baseball League, he suffered an injury while playing with the Algodoneros de Guasave. He requested a transfer to Lagos de Moreno in the Liga del Bajío, thinking he would not perform as desired, but his performance in the Liga del Bajío was so good that Guasave's management requested his return to the Algodoneros team.

He had an injury and needed rest, but his professionalism did not allow him to stop playing. In the end, that injury persisted and was what eventually led him to retire from baseball.

In the Mexican Pacific League, he played with Culiacán and Guasave. In the 1968-1969 season he debuted with the Tomateros de Culiacán. The following season he divided his time between Culiacán and Guasave and retired in the 1970-1971 season playing with Guasave. His best season was 1968-1969 with 20 home runs.

In the Major Leagues
He debuted in the Major Leagues on April 18, 1960, playing for the Cincinnati Reds. He participated in three games, appeared in nine at-bats, connected one hit, scored one run, and averaged only .111.

In 1962, also with Cincinnati, he played in 14 games, appeared in 28 at-bats, connected six hits, scored one run and drove in two, achieving a .214 average.

In two seasons, he accumulated 17 games with 37 at-bats, connected seven hits, scored two runs and drove in two, achieving only a .189 average.

In the Majors he did not have much performance. It was an era when racism existed in the United States and Álvarez, with his family in Cuba and without knowing the English language, did not adapt to that environment.

In Nicaragua
In 1959 he connected the first home run of the III Professional Baseball Championship of Nicaragua, playing first base for León. The pitcher who gave up that hit was right-hander Gilberto "Guarao" Guerra of the Oriental team.

Recognition
He was elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and in 2012 to the Cuban Sports Hall of Fame in Miami.