The First Short Stop Out of The Dominican Republic: Amado Samuel (1964)
He was a pioneer in his own right, being the very first player in a long line of short stops signed out of the small town of San Pedro des Marcoris.
He would bounce around the minors for a full decade before spending parts of three seasons in the major leagues.
MLB Career: Samuel made his debut in 1962 with the Milwaukee Braves, playing in a career high 76 games batting .206 hitting all three of his MLB career HRs. In 1963 he played in only 15 games at the major league level, batting a weak .176 before having his contact purchased by the New York Mets.
Mets Career: For the 1964 Mets, Samuel played mostly at short stop (34 games) & at third base (17 games) in 53 games.
In the first game ever played at Shea Stadium, he batted in the 8th position was the starting short stop. He drove in the second & third runs of that historic game with a base hit off Bob Friend in the fourth inning.
MLB Career: Samuel made his debut in 1962 with the Milwaukee Braves, playing in a career high 76 games batting .206 hitting all three of his MLB career HRs. In 1963 he played in only 15 games at the major league level, batting a weak .176 before having his contact purchased by the New York Mets.
Mets Career: For the 1964 Mets, Samuel played mostly at short stop (34 games) & at third base (17 games) in 53 games.
Samuel had a five-game hit streak in June, collecting ten hits during the stretch.
On June 9th, he singled off the Cubs Lindy McDaniel in the bottom of the 12th inning, tying the game back up where Chicago had just gone ahead. Jesse Gonder's base hit would win it two batters later.
He had his career day at the plate, on Saturday June 20th, getting three hits against the Philadelphia Phillies at Shea Stadium. He collected two singles, one off Dallas Green & a double off Jack Baldschun, while scoring a run as well.
The next day was Father's Day 1964, Samuel was robbed of a hit by shirt stop Cookie Rojas, which saved Jim Bunning’s perfect game.
In 53 games on the season, he hit a career high .232 with seven doubles and five RBIs. He posted a .945 fielding percentage making six errors in 106 chances.
By July he was sent back down to the minors ending his three-year MLB career.
By July he was sent back down to the minors ending his three-year MLB career.
Samuel played in 144 games with 79 hits 3 HRs 25 RBIs 18 doubles & a .215 batting average. He played 77 games at short, 35 at second & 20 at third base making 26 errors in 473 chances for a .945 fielding %.
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