{"id":23547,"date":"2014-04-24T08:55:43","date_gmt":"2014-04-24T12:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yurasko.net\/wfy\/?p=23547"},"modified":"2014-04-24T08:55:43","modified_gmt":"2014-04-24T12:55:43","slug":"rip-connie-marrero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yurasko.net\/wfy\/2014\/04\/rip-connie-marrero\/","title":{"rendered":"RIP Connie Marrero"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Connie Marrero<\/strong>, who would have been 103 years old this week, has died. He pitched for the Washington Senators for five seasons, beginning as a 39 year old rookie in 1950. His overall record was a respectable 39-40<\/strong> <\/a> (Baseball Reference<\/em>) and he was an All Star in 1951. Marrero was celebrated as the oldest living baseball player<\/strong><\/a> in his native Cuba where he was a legend. Ted Williams<\/strong> said Marrero threw “everything but a ball” while Marrero liked to say he “threw everything but his cigar.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rick Maese of The Post<\/em> wrote a long feature on Marrero earlier this year that’s a wonderful read — At 102, Connie Marrero, the oldest living former major leaguer, spends days in Cuba<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marrero’s contributions to D.C. baseball did not end with his career. As a prominent figure in Cuban baseball, he continued to teach. Among his proteges is Livan Hernandez, tied for all-time modern Nats wins with Jordan Zimmerman. Marrero taught Hernandez how to throw the curve which is detailed in a DC Sports Bog post – Connie Marrero, oldest Major Leaguer and former Senators pitcher, dies at 102<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am not aware of any tribute by the current Nats, but hopefully they can do that tonight. \u00a1LIVAN! is still in the organization, so they ought to work with him on celebrating the unique life of Marrero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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