Héctor Olivera González, the Cienfuegos slugger who hit .459 in Cuba's Selective Series, dies at 73

October 15, 2026

Cuban baseball is mourning Héctor Olivera González, one of the purest hitters of the 1970s and 1980s, who died on Sunday, October 11, in Cienfuegos at age 73. His son, former major leaguer Héctor Olivera Amaro, confirmed the death, according to Granma, while Swing Completo cited a post by INDER, Cuba's national sports institute. Granma reported that he had been hospitalized at the Gustavo Aldereguia Lima University Hospital.

Born on September 30, 1953, in Cruces, Olivera started out as a pitcher: at 17 he was on the Cuban team that won the 1970 World Youth Championship in Venezuela, where he threw a perfect game against Honduras. But he made his name with the bat. Over 13 National Series seasons with Azucareros and Cienfuegos he hit .316, with 138 doubles, 14 triples and 80 home runs, according to the records cited by Swing Completo and Cuba Dugout.

His best-remembered feat came with Las Villas in the sixth Selective Series, when he led all hitters at .459 (67 hits in 146 at-bats) and became the first player to top .400 in those tournaments. With the national team he won the 1980 Amateur World Series in Japan and took silver at the 1981 Intercontinental Cup in Canada.

After retiring following the 1983-84 season, he coached young hitters in Cruces and Cienfuegos. One of them was Yasiel Puig, who told the Los Angeles Times that Olivera had been "a tremendous influence" on him. His son Héctor Olivera Amaro starred for Santiago de Cuba and the national team before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 and reaching the majors with the Atlanta Braves.