Luis Olmo | |||
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Utility player | |||
Born: Luis Francisco Rodríguez Olmo August 11, 1919 Arecibo, Puerto Rico |
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Died: April 28, 2017 Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
(aged 97)|||
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MLB debut | |||
July 18, 1943, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
June 6, 1951, for the Boston Braves | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .289 | ||
Home runs | 29 | ||
Runs batted in | 272 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Luis Olmo (August 11, 1919 – April 28, 2017) was a major league baseball outfielder and right-handed batter. Olmo played in the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1943–45, 1949) and Boston Braves (1950–51).
Olmo (birth name: Luis Francisco Rodríguez Olmo ) was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He began his professional career in 1938 with the Criollos de Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League. In 1939, Olmo signed with the Richmond Colts of the Piedmont League and was assigned to the Tarboro Goobers and later the Wilson Tobs of the Coastal Plain League. The Dodgers acquired Olmo from Richmond in 1942 and assigned him to the Montreal Royals after spring training.
Brooklyn called Olmo up to the major leagues in July 1943 and he debuted with the Dodgers on July 18, 1943. In 57 games, he batted .303 with four home runs and 37 RBI. He gained regular status in the next season, batting .258 with nine home runs and 85 RBI in 136 games.
On May 18, 1945, Olmo became the second player (Del Bissonette on April 21, 1930 was the first) in Major League history to hit a bases-loaded triple and a bases-loaded home run (grand slam) in the same game. He added a single for good measure, only failing to hit a double to complete the cycle. In that season, he led the league in triples (13) and reached career-high numbers in batting average (.313), home runs (10), RBI (110), doubles (27), stolen bases (15) and games (141).