Ernesto Aparicio (baseball)

Ernesto Aparicio Ortega (March 11, 1910 – March 2, 2006) was a Venezuelan professional manager and player.^[1]

Born in Maracaibo, Zulia, Aparicio was member of one of the most prestigious families in Venezuelan baseball history. His younger brother, Luis Aparicio, Sr., played from 1931 through 1954 in Venezuelan baseball while his nephew, Luis Aparicio, was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.^[1]

Aparicio was a solid infielder and outfielder in his homeland, even though his greatest contribution was as a manager and instructor in both the professional and amateur fields. He played with several teams during the decade of the 30s and early 40s of last century, while managing the National Team in international competition and leading the Gavilanes BBC to nine championship titles in the Zulian Professional League, setting an all-time record for the most titles won by a manager in Venezuelan baseball history.^[2]

In addition, Aparicio managed the Sabios de Vargas team and founded a youth baseball academy, in which he trained dozens of teenage boys on an individual basis, including his nephew Luis Jr. and future major league manager Ozzie Guillén.^[1]

In 2005, he gained induction into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum as part of their 2nd class.^[1]

Aparicio died in 2006 in the city of Los Teques, Miranda, nine days short of his 96th birthday.^[3]

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