Manuel Alarcón

Manuel Alarcon Reina

• Born February 19, 1941 in Bartolomé Masó, Granma Cuba
• Died May 29, 1998 in Havana, Havana Cuba

Biographical Information

Manuel Alarcón was a Cuban National League pitcher who played for the Orientales. He was 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA for the Cuban national team in the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games and also went 2 for 5 at the plate. In 1962-1963, he led the league in sacrifice hits with seven as a batter, and wins (tied with Modesto Verdura; 7), games started (tied with Rolando Pastor; 10), complete games (tied with Verdura; 6) and hits allowed with 62 as a pitcher. He helped Cuba win Gold in the 1963 Pan American Games after failing to medal four years prior, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. He tied teammates Verdura and Aquino Abreu for the event lead in wins.

In 1963-1964, he tied with Rolando Pastor for the league lead in complete games. He had five complete games that year. In 1964-1965, he became the first pitcher in the history of the league to strikeout more than 100 batters in a season, striking out 101 in 94 2/3 innings. That season, he led the league in innings pitched, games started with 14, hits allowed with 79 and strikeouts. He lost that year's All-Star game.

During the 1966-1967 season, he led the league in complete games with 11. On January 24, he threw the third no-hitter in Serie Nacional history, though he allowed a run in a 2-1 victory over Las Villas. The league's season increased following that year, and therefore a ton of records were set. Alarcón struck out 200 batters, leading the league in that category. He also won the Serie Nacional Most Valuable Pitcher award that season. During the All-Star game series, he tied with José Huelga for most complete games, with two.

In the final game of the 1967 Pan-American Games, he came in to pitch with the bases loaded, and allowed the game winning hit to American George Greer. That became the first time the Americans had ever beaten the Cubans in the gold medal winning game of international competition.