Bobby Estalella (outfielder)

Roberto Estalella Ventoza [es-tah-LAY-yah] (April 25, 1911 – January 6, 1991) was a Major League Baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played for nine seasons with the Washington Senators (1935–36, 1939, 1942), St. Louis Browns (1941) and Philadelphia Athletics (1943–45, 1949). Estalella was an All-Star in 1945.

Early life

Born in Cárdenas, Matanzas, Cuba, Estalella earned the nickname "Tarzan" by his medium-frame, stocky and compact body.

Professional career

After a brief two-season stint with the Senators, Estalella led the Piedmont League in batting average two years in row in 1937 and 1938. After that, he spent his time with the Senators and Browns between 1939 and 1942. He was sent to the Athletics in 1943 in the same trade that brought All-Star Indian Bob Johnson to Washington.

With Philadelphia, Estalella hit .298 in 1944 and .299 in 1945 (fourth in the league). He would have played many more years, but he was one of the players suspended by Commissioner Happy Chandler in 1946 for jumping to the outlaw Mexican League. Chandler mentioned a lifetime suspension for them, but when the penalty was reduced in 1949, Estalella came back to the majors.

Career stats

Estalella was a career .282 hitter with 44 home runs and 308 RBI in 680 games. He also compiled a respectable 1.423 walk-to-strikeout ratio (350-to-246) and a .383 on-base percentage.

Personal

His grandson, also named Bobby Estalella, was a catcher who also played in Major League Baseball.

Bobby Estalella died in Hialeah, Florida at age of 79.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
Before El Duque There was Luque and Before Robinson There was Estalella

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