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Lou Almada

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Lou Almada
Almada in 1929
Outfielder
Born: José Luis Almada
(1907-09-07)September 7, 1907
El Fuerte, Sinaloa, Mexico
Died: September 16, 2005(2005-09-16) (aged 98)
Carmel, California, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Teams
Member of the Pacific Coast League
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2014

Louis J. Almada (born José Luis Almada, September 7, 1907 – September 16, 2005) was a Mexican-American professional baseball outfielder. Almada played for the Hollywood Stars, the Seattle Indians, and the Mission Reds of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) from 1928 to 1938. He was inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame in 2014. His brother, Mel Almada, played in Major League Baseball.

Early life

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José Luis Almada[1][2] was born on September 7, 1907, in El Fuerte, Sinaloa, Mexico.[3] He was the son of Baldomero Almada, a colonel in the Constitutional Army, serving under Álvaro Obregón, during the Mexican Revolution.[4] The Almadas descended from Álvaro Vaz de Almada, 1st Count of Avranches.[2] He had one brother, Mel, and six sisters.[5] Mel later became the first Mexican-born player in Major League Baseball.[2]

Due to threats of assassination from the regime of Victoriano Huerta, Obregón's rival, the Almada family moved to the United States.[4] In 1915, the government of Venustiano Carranza appointed Baldomero Almada to serve as a consul to the United States, based in Tucson, Arizona.[6] They later moved to Los Angeles.[1]

Baseball career

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Almada attended Los Angeles High School, and he played for the school's baseball team and as a semi-professional as a pitcher.[7] Sam Crawford scouted Almada, who signed with the New York Giants and reported to spring training with them in 1927.[8][9] The Giants kept Almada on their roster for the beginning of the season, though he did not appear in a game for them. In May, the Giants sent Almada to a farm team, the Albany Senators of the Eastern League.[10][11] They demoted him later in the season to the Richmond Colts of the Virginia League, but he did not like it there and received his unconditional release from the Giants.[12] In 1928, Almada attended spring training with the Wichita Larks of the Western League, but he was released before the beginning of the season.[13] He made his PCL debut with the Hollywood Stars as a left fielder in June 1928,[14] and continued to play as a semi-professional.[15]

In February 1929, Almada signed with the Seattle Indians of the PCL.[16] He had a .305 batting average for Seattle that season,[17] and batted .298 and .289 in the 1930 and 1931 seasons, respectively.[1][18] In 1930, Almada led all professional baseball outfielders with 479 putouts.[19] He led all PCL outfielders with 31 assists in 1931.[20] While he played for Seattle, Almada earned the nickname "Ladies Day Louie" because it seemed that he played better on Thursdays, when the team had a ladies' day promotion.[1][21]

In 1932, Almada brought his younger brother, Mel, with him to Seattle's spring training.[1] Mel made the Indians' roster, and the Indians cut Lou, who signed with the Mission Reds.[22][23] After Lou had negotiated Mel's contract with the Indians, the Indians sought to cut Lou's salary, which he refused, resulting in his release.[1] Almada became the Reds' cleanup hitter,[24] and batted .320 in 158 games for the 1932 season.[25] He tied Ray French for the PCL lead with 30 stolen bases.[26] In 1933, Almada had a .357 batting average, fourth-best in the PCL behind teammates Oscar Eckhardt (.414) and Bucky Walters (.376) and Earl Sheely of the Portland Beavers (.359).[27] He batted .332 during the 1934 season, the ninth-best average in the league,[28] and batted .302 for the 1935 season.[29] In 1936, his batting average dropped to .286 in 172 games,[30] and to .252 in 143 games in 1937.[31]

Before the 1938 season, the Reds relocated, becoming the new Hollywood Stars, after the previous Stars had relocated.[32] Almada opted to retire from the PCL rather than play for Hollywood.[33] He played for a team from Atwater, California, in the California State League in 1940,[34] and also played as a semi-professional.[35]

Personal life

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Almada married Ligia Davila in 1932.[36] They had a daughter, Cristina Biegel of Carmel and a son, Charles Luis Almada of Seal Beach. Almada died at his home in Carmel, California, on September 16, 2005.[37]

In 2014, Almada was elected to the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Garcia, Gilberto (Fall 2002). "Beisboleros: Latin Americans and Baseball in the Northwest, 1914–1937". Columbia Magazine. 16 (3). Washington State Historical Society. Archived from the original on July 6, 2004. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Nowlin, Bill. "Mel Almada". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "PCL Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Class". MiLB.com. April 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Ringolsby, Tracy (March 26, 2016). "Q&A: Almada discusses father's legacy". MLB.com. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  5. ^ "Almada Program Liberal: New Governor to Seek American Capital to Develop Lower California". Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1920. p. 17. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Almada Appointed Carranza Consul". Arizona Daily Star. February 11, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Murphy, James J. (February 6, 1927). "Louis Almada, New Giant Southpaw Pitcher, Son Of Mexican Diplomat". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 35. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "McGraw Uncovers "Phenom"". The Honolulu Advertiser. United Press. March 13, 1927. p. 10. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Brown, Norman E. (March 17, 1927). "Colorful Southpaw Is Wahoo Sam's Protege In Southland". New Castle News. New Castle, Pennsylvania. p. 20. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Giants 'Farm' Almada". Santa Ana Register. May 18, 1927. p. 9. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "An Oldtimer Recalls His Pro Career". Arizona Daily Star. April 24, 1968. p. 22. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Murphy, James J. (July 21, 1927). "McGraw Beats Yankees And Pirates in Chase For Pitcher Walker". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 21. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Two More Young Larks Get Ax In California". The Wichita Eagle. March 28, 1928. p. 10. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Acorns Triumph, Score, 8-5". The San Francisco Examiner. June 10, 1928. p. 2. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Teams Will Fight Title Tilt Sunday". The Pasadena Post. August 2, 1928. p. 7. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Seattle Announces Two More Signatures". The Pasadena Post. February 19, 1929. p. 13. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Roberts, Don (March 31, 1930). "New Players May Make Indians Hard To Beat This Year". The Long Beach Sun. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Moriarty, Leo (November 15, 1931). "Oscar Eckhardt Leads Coast League Hitter As Averages Take Big Drop". The Los Angeles Times. p. 5. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Baseball Notes". The Los Angeles Times. February 22, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Almada Leads". The Los Angeles Times. November 18, 1931. p. 28. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Chamberlain, Art (June 6, 1930). "Indians Trim Acorn Tossers In 6-2 Contest". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 21. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Black, Ben (April 18, 1932). "Sport Shots". Santa Cruz Evening News. p. 7. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Mission Reds Sign Almada". The Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 17, 1932. p. 1. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Louis Almada Gives Laugh To Seattle Club In Hitting Race". Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 3, 1932. p. 4. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Eckhardt Is Best P.C.L. Hitter: Five Oak Regulars Hit Better Than .300, Burns Most Timely Swatsman". Oakland Tribune. December 3, 1932. p. 15. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Kemp, Abe (December 11, 1932). "Bassler Most Scientific At Bat; Hits .357". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 26. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Bordagaray And Backer Lead Sacramento Batters In Official Figures; Team Next To Last". The Sacramento Bee. November 13, 1933. p. 12. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Murphy, Eddie (November 13, 1934). "Demarre New P.C.L. King Of Swat". Oakland Tribune. p. 29. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Eckhardt Tops Di Maggio One Point in Hitting Race". The San Francisco Examiner. September 24, 1935. p. 28. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Joe Marty Awarded Coast Loop Batting Title". The Los Angeles Times. November 25, 1936. p. 12. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Detore Wins Coast Loop Bat Crown By .0001 Point". The Los Angeles Times. November 28, 1937. p. 36. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ Oncken, Ed (February 1, 1938). "Hollywood Diamond Assured For New Local Ball Nine". The Southwest Wave. Los Angeles, California. p. 18. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "News From The Training Camps". The Whittier News. United Press. March 4, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Packers Take League Lead". Atwater Signal. July 12, 1940. p. 1. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Pasadena Semi-Pros In Brookside Game For Beneficial Fund". Metropolitan Pasadena Star-News. March 28, 1942. p. 10. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "League Leading Base Stealer To Take Bride". The Sacramento Bee. Associated Press. May 21, 1932. p. P-3. Retrieved January 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Louis Almada Obituary (2005) Monterey Herald". Legacy.com.
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