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José "Cheo" Cruz (born August 8, 1947) is a former Major League Baseball player from Arroyo, Puerto Rico. A member of one of Puerto Rico's most famous baseball families, Cruz is the brother of Héctor and Cirilo Cruz -both of whom also saw Major League action-, and the father of José Cruz, Jr., who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cruz' nickname is "Cheo", and many fans prefer to refer to him as Cheo Cruz.
Cruz debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970. It was as a member of the Houston Astros, however, that he became a household name across Puerto Rico and the United States. He made the All-Star Game in 1980 and 1985. During his heyday, he was arguably the most famous baseball player (not counting the late Roberto Clemente) in Puerto Rico.
Cruz was traded to the New York Yankees in 1988, retiring at the end of the season. He had a total of 165 home runs and 1,077 RBI during his career, while hitting for a .284 batting average. Currently, he is an assistant manager for the Astros.
In 1992, José "Cheo" Cruz was honored by the Houston Astros, when the team retired his number, #25.
See also
External link
| edit (https://academickids.com:443/encyclopedia/index.php?title=Template:Sports_in_Puerto_Rico&action=edit) | Sports in Puerto Rico | ||||
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