Rafael Villa-Cabrera

Note: This page discusses 1940s outfielder Rafael Villa-Cabrera. For the Dominican national team player of the same name, click here.

Luis Rafael Villa Cabrera
also known as Rafael Cabrera

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 154 lb.

• Debut 1944
• Final Game 1948
• Born November 13, 1924 in Guane, Pinar del Rio Cuba
• Died June 8, 1990 in New York, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

The identity of this player is somewhat of a confusing subject. Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History lists him alternatively as Rafael V. Cabrera and Rafael Villa-Cabrera. A History of Cuban Baseball lists him as Rafael Villacabrera and Villa Cabrera on consecutive pages, with two different first names and two different last names. The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statistics lists him as Rafael Villa Cabrera, with Villa his paternal surname and Cabrera his maternal surname. As of 10/29/2020, the BR Register has his career split between pages for Rafael Cabrera (1950-1951, 1953) and Rafael Villa (1952).

Rafael hit .156 for the Cuban national team that finished second in the 1941 Amateur World Series and went 6 for 14 when they won Gold in the 1942 Amateur World Series. He turned pro in 1943-1944, hitting .143 as a backup outfielder for Habana. In 1946-47, he was 0 for 1 for Habana. The next year, he hit .215 and slugged .346 for Cuba in the Cuban Players League, joining Alejandro Crespo and Roland Gladu in the starting outfield. He tied Luis Olmo and Crespo for 3rd with six triples.

In 1948-49, he was 8 for 39 with two doubles and a triple as a backup for Marianao. He moved to Almendares in 1949-1950 and batted .198/?/.385 but hit five homers, second on the team to Roberto Ortiz; he had several clutch hits for the champs. In the 1950 Caribbean Series, he was 4 for 14 with 3 doubles and two runs, tying Gene Markland for 2nd in doubles, one behind Vidal López. He hit .374 for the Brandon Grays in the Manitoba-Dakota League, scoring 35 runs in 37 games. He tied for 5th in runs, led in homers (6) and was 3rd in RBI.

The outfielder saw limited action for Almendares in 1950-1951 (1 for 13, 4 R, RBI) and was back with Brandon that summer but no stats are available. He hit .175 in 1951-1952 for Marianao, his final season in the Cuban Winter League. He batted .250/.338/.417 for the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo in the 1952 Mexican League. In 1953, he finished his career with the Winnipeg Royals.

Sources

• A History of Cuban Baseball by Peter Bjarkman
• Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History by Jorge Figueredo
• The Mexican League: Comprehensive Player Statistics by Pedro Treto Cisneros
• Martin Dihigo El Mejor