Eduardo Rodriguez, 57; Was Pitcher for Milwaukee Brewers/Kansas City Royals
Bill Schenley
of 1.000. He was 1-1 ... His only hit was a triple ...>
Death of Former Puerto Rican Pitcher
Eduardo 'Volante' Rodriguez
1975 Topps (#582) baseball card:
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/eduardo_rodriguez_autograph.jpg
FROM: Primera Hora.com ~
By The Associated Press
PONCE
Eduardo "Volanta" Rodriguez, former major
league pitcher, died early this morning
(March 6th) at his home in Barceloneta. He was
57.
"Rodriguez died on the same day he turned 57,"
said Santiago Villanueva, upon announcing the
death of the former athlete.
The body of Rodriguez can be viewed at the funeral
home of Eternal Light and will be buried Sunday in
the old cemetery of Barceloneta, in a ceremony that
will begin at 2:00 in the afternoon.
"Volanta," as he was known in baseball, was one of
the top pitchers in the tournaments of Antesalistas
of Cataño and Athenian of Manatee.
In 1971 he was signed by baseball scout "Fellé"
Delgado for the Milwaukee Brewers, where
Rodriguez had a 38-35 record. Subsequently, he
was traded to the Kansas City Royals. He left the
major leagues after seven seasons with a won-loss
record of 42-36.
He also played for the Caguas Criollos and the
Mayaguez Indians of the Puerto Rico Professional
Baseball League.
Villanueva stated that fellow countryman, Orlando
Cepeda was the first major leaguer to get a hit off
Rodriguez, and that in 1973, Rodriguez had the
distinction of being the first pitcher to throw to
a designated hitter [1].
---
1976 Topps (#92) baseball card:
http://caimages.collectors.com/psaimages/3729/14273163/092.jpg
Stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rodried01.shtml
[1] Not true. Luis Tiant, who was with the
Boston Red Sox, was the first pitcher to throw
to a DH (Ron Blomberg). It happened at Fenway.
And he walked him ...
Thanks to Tim Copeland from SABR for this obit.