Mike Gonzalez (gonzami01)

Miguel Angel Gonzalez Cordero

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.

• Debut September 28, 1912
• Final Game September 7, 1932
• Born September 24, 1890 in Havana, Cuba
• Died February 19, 1977 in Havana, Cuba

BR page

Biographical Information

Cover of a Cuban magazine, likely from 1947, showing Habana manager Miguel Angel Gonzalez at left

Cuban-born Mike Gonzalez had a seventeen-year career as a catcher, all in the National League. He played seventeen years in spite of being out of the majors in the middle of his career, playing for the St. Paul Saints in 1922 and 1923. He also played for the Cuban Stars, a mixed-race team that featured Cuban players who could play in the major leagues, and others who were restricted to the Negro Leagues by the color line.

After his playing career ended, Gonzalez spent 1933 as a player/coach for the Columbus Red Birds. He was later a longtime St. Louis Cardinals coach and served two brief stints as the club's manager, becoming the first Cuban to manage in the majors.

The book Sport in Cuba indicates that Gonzalez bought the Havana Reds in 1946, a team he had previously managed. He owned the team until it was forcibly dissolved after the Cuban Revolution in 1961.

Gonzalez is often cited as the originator of the phrase "good field, no hit".

Notable Achievements

• Won two World Series with the New York Giants (1921) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1931) (he played in neither World Series)

Preceded by Frankie Frisch

St. Louis Cardinals Manager 1938

Succeeded by Ray Blades

Preceded by Ray Blades

St. Louis Cardinals Manager 1940

Succeeded by Billy Southworth

Year-By-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1938	St. Louis Cardinals	National League	8-8	6th	St. Louis Cardinals		replaced Frankie Frisch (63-72) on September 14
1940	St. Louis Cardinals	National League	1-5	--	St. Louis Cardinals		replaced Ray Blades (14-24) on June 7 / replaced by Billy Southworth on June 14

Further Reading

• Joseph Gerard: "Mike Gonzalez", in Charles F. Faber, ed.: The 1934 St. Louis Cardinals: The World Champion Gas House Gang, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2014, pp. 256-264. ISBN 978-1-933599-731
• Joseph Gerard: "Mike González", in Gregory H. Wolf, ed.: Winning on the North Side: the 1929 Chicago Cubs, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2015, pp. 60-68. ISBN 978-1-933599-89-2
• Lou Hernández: "Mike González : The First Hispanic Cub", in Stuart Shea, ed.: North Side, South Side, All Around Town, The National Pastime, SABR, 2015. ISBN 978-1-93359987-8

Related Sites

• Mike Gonzalez at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Manager page