Antonio Jiménez Casa Del Valle

Antonio Jiménez Casa Del Valle (Nico)

• Died March 26, 2015

Antonio Jiménez was a light-hitting but speedy Cuban outfielder of the 1950s and 1960s. He debuted for the Cuban national team in the 1959 Pan American Games, going 4 for 12, as Cuba failed to win any medal, a rarity. He led the 1962-1963 Serie Nacional in triples (5) and steals (8). In 1964-1965, with the Occidentales, he led the Cuban Serie Nacional with 30 runs and 16 steals. He was 1 for 7 in the 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games, won by Cuba. In the 1967 Pan American Games, which Cuba lost to Team USA.

In 1967-1968, he led with 72 runs while with the Industriales. He led again in runs (84) and steals (49) in 1968-1969. Playing for Habana in the Serie 10 Millones in 1970, he stole a league-high 27 bases. He was with La Habana in 1970-1971, leading the circuit in triples for the second time (6), runs for the fourth time (53) and steals for the 5th time (43). He led again in steals in 1971-1972, with 28, again with La Habana. Back with the Industriales in 1972-1973, he led with 36 swipes, his 7th and final time leading in that area.

Overall, Antonio hit .252/.335/.320 in 13 seasons in Cuba with just five homers in 3,185 at-bats. He stole 324 bases in 432 tries, though. As of 2010, he was 8th in Cuban history (Castro era) in steals.

He also was 55-96 in three seasons as a manager in Cuba, guiding Isla de la Juventud as an expansion team in 1977-1978 and La Habana from 1981-1983.

Sources

• A History of Cuban Baseball by Peter Bjarkman
• 2005 Guia Official de Beisbol
• INDER