José Valdivielso, a Cuban-born infielder who later worked as a Spanish-language radio analyst in broadcast booths of the New York Yankees and Mets, died Tuesday. He was 90.RIP. A phenomenal human being. Last time we connected was at a charity function in 2019. In 1977, Martín Dihigo was inducted posthumously into the Baseball HOF. José was present and accepted the plaque on behalf of this Cuban, baseball legend.
During his five major league seasons (1955-61) with the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins, Valdivielso became a favorite of longtime Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard.
After his playing career ended, Valdivielso would settle down in New York and become a familiar voice to Yankees fans himself.
After working as an analyst on the Yankees’ Spanish-language radio broadcasts with play-by-play man Buck Canel on WADO, he joined the Mets’ Spanish-language radio broadcast team in 1974.
Canel became the first Spanish-language broadcaster to gain recognition from the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award in 1985.
Valdivielso was so prominent among the Cuban baseball fraternity that he accepted a plaque on behalf of famed Negro Leaguer Martin Dihigo, when the Cuban two-way star induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
Valdivielso joined the MLB Players Alumni Association’s Board of Directors in 1999 and served on the Board for decades. He was granted the lifetime title of MLBPAA Board Member Emeritus status in Jan. 2020.
Never much of a hitter, Valdivielso finished his major league career with a .219 average, but he managed to collect a single MVP vote as a rookie thanks to his strong glovework at shortstop.
Valdivielso was famous for being part of the only triple play in MLB history featuring entirely Cuban-born players, on July 23, 1960, along with Senators teammates Julio Becquer and Pedro Ramos.
