Silvano Quezada

Silvano Quezada

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut September 13, 1939 in Sabana de la Mar, Hato Mayor D.R.

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Silvano Quezada played in the minor leagues from 1961 to 1976, reaching AAA several times but never making it to the majors.

He began his career in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization with the Shelby Colonels of the Western Carolinas League in 1961, going 2-7, 3.92 as a reliever. For the next decade, he pitched in the Pirates' system, mainly as a reliever until 1965, then as a starter. He had several good seasons along the way, including going 9-6, 2.13 for the Kinston Eagles of the Carolina League in 1964 and 9-2, 1.71 for the same team in 1965 as he began his transition to a starter role. In 1962, his 38 games pitched for the Grand Forks Chiefs tied for the Northern League lead with Ollie Brantley. He was 14-9, 3.08 for the Asheville Tourists of the Southern League in 1966 and 13-7, 1.34 for the York Pirates of the Eastern League in 1968. He first appeared in AAA with the Columbus Jets for brief stays in 1967 and 1968, then was with them full time in 1969, going 10-9, 4.01. Instead of getting a look in the Show, that sent him back down one level to the Waterbury Pirates where he was 10-7, 2.33 in 1970. After putting up another sub-3.00 ERA for Waterbury in 1971, he got two more brief looks in AAA, now with the Charleston Charlies, that year and in 1972. The Pirates were obviously not interested in having him take the next step, and in any case they had a very strong team in those years, winning division titles three years in a row from 1970 to 1972 and the World Series in 1971. So, having turned 32 the previous winter, he was allowed to try his luck in the Mexican League.

Silvano was an instant sensation in La Liga, which he joined partway through the 1972 season, going 21-11, 3.31 in 37 games for the Cafeteros de Cordoba, leading the team to the title in its first year back in the circuit since the 1930s. He then put together one the best seasons ever in the long-running circuit in 1973, as he was an incredible 22-2 for the Alijadores de Tampico, with an ERA of 1.98. The season included a record string of 16 consecutive wins from April to June 19th, when he finally lost against the Tigres del Mexico. The previous record of 14 had been set by Chuy Moreno in 1953. He pitched an even 200 innings, allowed just 175 hits and 30 walks, and struck out 116 batters. He was banned for life from La Liga following the season because the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, who had a working arrangement with the Pirates at the time, claimed that they owned his rights and that he had been playing illegally for both Cordoba and Tampico. The Diablos Rojos' owners, the Mansur family, were very influential in Liga circles and managed to get the Dominican hurler banned. As a result, he was inactive in 1974. With no other choice, he was back in affiliated ball in 1975 and 1976, this time in the San Francisco Giants system. Already 35 and with a ton of professional pitching experience under his belt, he had to go back to AA the first year, with the Lafayette Drillers of the Texas League. Back in a relief role, he continued to baffle opposing hitters, going 4-6, 2.57, with 13 saves. In 1976, he was in AAA one last time, with the Phoenix Giants, but was just 5-10, 4.54, ending a remarkable - if puzzling - professional career. Someone, at some point, must have decided against all available evidence that he did not have major league stuff - and he was unfortunately never able to shake off that label.

He was also a star in winter ball, as his uniform number, 17, has been retired by the Estrellas Orientales. His 64 wins in the Dominican League are the third highest total in league history, after brothers Guayubín Olivo (86) and Chi-Chi Olivo (79). He is the all-time leader for games pitched with 358. He was elected to the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Further Reading

• Hector Garcia Sr.: "Silvano Quezada ganó 16 en línea y lo suspendieron de por vida", Momento Deportivo, May 7, 2020. [1]
• Enrique Kerlegand: "La leyenda de Silvano Quezada", Tiempo de Beisbol, October 22, 2019. [2]

Related Sites

• Dominican Sports Hall of Fame page