We remember Zoilo Versalles (1939-1995)

Zoilo Casanova Versalles y Rodríguez was born on this day 1939 in Marianao, Cuba. He broke with the Senators (now the Twins) and became a pretty good shortstop in the early 1960’s.

In 1965, Versalles won the AL MVP and led the Twins to the World Series against the LA Dodgers: .273 with 19 HR & 77 RBI’s plus 42 doubles, 13 triples and 126 runs scored. It was a great season for the young man from Marianao, and one of the many who played in the Cuban winter league and later in the majors.

Zoilo died in 1995. In 2005, he was posthumously honored by induction into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.

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We remember Ty Cobb (1886-1961)

Ty Cobb was born on this day in 1886.  He died in 1961. 

His career was all about consistency,  

Cobb played his first game in 1905 and set all kinds of records along the way:   .366 career batting average, 1,937 RBI, an unbelievable .433 on base average and 4,189 hits!

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‘Pero muchacho en Cuba no hay blanca Navidad’

Like many of the Cubans who did not grow up in Miami, we used to get our doses of “Cubanismo” by buying Cuban LP’s in the mail.

As I recall, my father subscribed to a Miami-based “Record of the month” club and we got Cuban music that way.

To say the least, it was a moment of upmost emotion when my mom would call my father and say:  “Mi vida hoy llego uno de la Riverside.”   Then they would start talking about the time that they danced to Tito Gomez and that wonderful “orquesta.”

One of my biggest “exilio” memories was our family buying an LP of Christmas songs and hearing Olga Guillot sing “Blanca Navidad” or an adaption of the Bing Crosby classic.     

It was too much for my mom who said:  “Pero muchacho en Cuba no hay blanca Navidad.  Que es eso?” (But son, in Cuba there is no such thing as a white Christmas. What’s that?)

It was quite a day in our home!   Listen here!

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.