Bobby Herrera

Procopio Rodriguez Herrera
(Tito)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 184 lb.

• Debut April 19, 1951
• Final Game May 5, 1951
• Born July 26, 1926 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Mexico
• Died August 23, 2007 in Atizapan de Zaragoza, México Mexico

BR page

Biographical Information

Bobby Herrera was one of the first Latino players in the majors, appearing with the St. Louis Browns in 1951. The struggling Browns employed 22 different pitchers while finishing a distant last in the American League in 1951. The teams mounds corps included the ageless Satchel Paige, 20-game winner Ned Garver and 25-year-old Mexican-born right-hander Herrera.

After allowing six runs and six hits in two and a third innings out of the bullpen, he returned to the minor leagues where he spent ten seasons (1947-1956). Herrera's best season came with the Laredo Apaches of the Gulf Coast League in 1953, going 17-6 with a 3.10 ERA while pitching 206 innings. Tito was also player-manager for part of the 1953 season. He finished up his minor league activity in 1956 with a 69-58 record and a 3.47 ERA.

He started his professional career in the 1940s with the Obregon Arroceros. He played in Mexico and Venezuela through age 32, then he became a golf pro.

Tito did the rest of his pitching in the Mexican League and continued to reside in his native country until his death on August 23, 2007.

Source: Newspaper article on Herrera