Bobby Ávila
Roberto Francisco Ávila González (April 2, 1924 – October 26, 2004), known as "Beto" in Mexico and as "Bobby" in the United States, was a Mexican professional baseball second baseman.
| Bobby Ávila | |
|---|---|
Ávila with the Cleveland Indians in 1953 | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born: April 2, 1924 Veracruz City, Mexico | |
| Died: October 26, 2004 (aged 80) Veracruz City, Mexico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 30, 1949, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 29, 1959, for the Milwaukee Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .281 |
| Home runs | 80 |
| Runs batted in | 467 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Member of the Mexican Professional | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1971 |
A native of Veracruz, Mexico, Ávila began his career playing for the Puebla Angeles of the Mexican League from 1943 to 1947. He played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians from 1949 to 1958 before dividing the 1959 season between the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Braves.
Ávila won the 1954 American League batting championship with a .341 batting average. He also received The Sporting News American League Player of the Year award in 1954 and was named to the American League All-Star team in 1952, 1954, and 1955.
After retiring as a player, Ávila owned a Mexican baseball team and became president of the Mexican League. He became mayor of Veracruz in 1980 and later served two terms in the Mexican national legislature. He was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.