Beto “Bobby” Avila

An adept bunter and daring baserunner, his soccer training paid off several times when he intentionally kicked the ball out of defenders’ mitts while sliding. Cleveland manager Al Lopez said Ávila had “a fine swing, a sharp eye, a good spirit of competition … and a world of confidence in himself.” – Jane Charnin-Aker Roberto Francisco Ávila González, known as “Beto” in his homeland of Mexico  was a right handed second baseman who played in the major leagues for the  Cleveland Indians (1949-58), Baltimore Orioles (1959), Boston Red Sox (1959) and Milwaukee Braves (1959).  Beto Avila was one of the greatest baseball ambassadors that Mexico ever had and  is still widely recognized as the player who catalyzed the development of Mexican baseball.  Avila was the first player to ever be signed out of the Mexican League by a Major League baseball team.  Beto Avila began his career at the age of 19 as the regular second baseman for the Puebla Perico...