Mexican Raiders in the Major Leagues

In 1946 American baseball was a shadow of its former self. In the wake of depression and war, attendance had spiraled down. Management was at odds with players, and some began to wonder if there might be other career options. Enter the five Pasquel brothers from Mexico. Armed with promises of wealth and stardom, the Pasquels recruited 23 players away from American teams. For most, it was the beginning of the end of their careers. Mexican baseball wasn’t the picture the Pasquels painted, and the players were not given a cheerful welcome home.
This book tells the story of the 1946 exodus to Mexican baseball, setting the stage with chapters on change and war in the U.S., player-management issues that clouded baseball’s recovery, and a history of the Mexican “outlaw” league. Chapters then delve into the stories of 23 players who took their bats and gloves south of the border. The author unravels lawsuits that followed the players’ five-year ban from American baseball, and concludes with the career outcomes for players after they returned home.

The late G. Richard McKelvey was chairman of the department of philosophy and religion at Deerfield Academy (Massachusetts) and longtime coach of the Deerfield baseball and basketball teams. The author of several books about baseball, he lived in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

G. Richard McKelvey
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 211
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2006
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2563-1
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

Introduction      5

1. Baseball Greets Change and War      9

2. Player-Management Issues Greet Baseball Along with the Returning Servicemen      25

3. The Mexican League: Its History and Its Dream      41

4. The Pasquels Move on Organized Baseball      57

5. Life as a Player in the Mexican League      73

6. Danny Gardella: The Pasquels’ First Catch      85

7. Vernon Stephens: A Very Short Sojourn South      95

8. Luis Olmo: A Valuable Dodger Leaves Ebbets Field      103

9. Arnold Malcom “Mickey” Owen: Back and Forth to Mexico      109

10. George Hausmann, Sal Maglie, and Roy Zimmerman: Three More Giants Head South      125

11. Lou Klein, Max Lanier, and Fred Martin: The St. Louis Cardinal Jumpers      133

12. Charlie Mead, Napoleon Reyes, and Adrian Zabala: The Pasquels Strike the Giants Again      145

13. Ace Adams and Harry Feldman: Two Giants Pitchers Go to Mexico      149

14. Alex Carrasquel and Roberto Ortiz: Two Washington Senators Find a Place in Mexico      155

15. Bobby Estalella, Myron Hayworth, and Rene Monteagudo: Three Pasquel Pickups      161

16. Moe Franklin, Roland Gladu, and James Steiner: They Saw Brighter Futures in Mexico      165

17. The Mexican League in ¡947 and Beyond      167

18. Two More Suits      177

19. After the Return      189

Chapter Notes      195

Bibliography      199

Index      201

“fascinating history”—Sports Collectors Digest.