Aurelio Monteagudo
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Aurelio Faustino Monteagudo Cintra (November 19, 1943 – November 10, 1990), better known as Aurelio Monteagudo (pronounced /aʊˈreɪlioʊ mɒnteɪˈguːdoʊ/), nicknamed "Monty", was a right-handed screwball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball. He was the son of former big-leaguer René Monteagudo.
Monteagudo was born in Caibarién, Villa Clara, Cuba. He moved to Venezuela after Fidel Castro's rise to power in his homeland.
As a 19-year-old rookie, Monteagudo made his majors debut with the Kansas City Athletics on September 1, 1963. After three-plus seasons with Kansas City, he was dealt to the Houston Astros on May 17, 1966. At the end of the season, he received Venezuelan citizenship. Then, Monteagudo joined the Chicago White Sox on July 16, 1967 with a new nationality. After a season in Chicago, he played with the Kansas City Royals (1970) and California Angels (1973).
In seven seasons, Monteagudo compiled a 3-7 record with 58 strikeouts, a 5.05 ERA, four saves, and 132 innings pitched in 72 games (65 as a reliever). He played his final majors game on September 28, 1973.
Monteagudo also played 20 seasons in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League with five teams: Caracas (1963-68), Magallanes (1968), La Guaira (1968-74, 1976-82) and Portuguesa (1975), compiling a 79-81 record with 897 strikeouts and a 3.37 ERA. On December 20, 1973, Monteagudo kept the Cardenales de Lara hitless for 8⅔ innings until Faustino Zabala ruined the no-hitter with a single to center field.
At the same time, Monteagudo played in the Mexican League with the Puebla, Coahuila, Aguascalientes and Veracruz clubs. He pitched a no-hitter game against Nuevo Laredo (March 19, 1979) and led the league in strikeouts once (222, in 1978). After retiring in 1981, he started a successfully managerial career in the league.
Aurelio Monteagudo was killed in a car accident in Saltillo, Mexico. He was 46 years old.
[edit] Trivia
- Monteagudo was one of three players (fellow pitchers Moe Drabowsky and Dave Wickersham being the other two) to play for both Kansas City-based Major League teams—the Athletics and Royals.
- There have been three players in major league history named Aurelio, and all three were killed in car accidents between the ages of 44 and 53. See also Aurelio Rodriguez and Aurelio Lopez
[edit] See also
- List of players from Cuba in Major League Baseball
- List of second generation Major League Baseball players
- Chicago White Sox all-time roster
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
