Jorge Pasquel (April 23, 1907 - March 1955) was a Mexican businessman and sports executive. He was president of the Mexican League and owned interests in several teams at a time when the league recruited from Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball, creating a big threat to the Major League talent level. Jorge Pasquel brought racial integration to professional baseball and had a big role when Jackie Robinson debuted in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Pasquel died in a plane crash in 1955. He was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
Pasquel was born in Veracruz, Mexico. When he was a child, U.S. military forces had invaded Veracruz.[1] He and four of his brothers ran a cigar factory and then created additional wealth working in various business ventures.[2] By the mid-1940s, the estimated wealth of the family was in the tens of millions of dollars.
Baseball career
Pasquel and his brothers owned the Azules de Veracruz of the Mexican League and were minority owners in several other clubs. Pasquel was named Mexican League president in 1946. As early as 1943, Pasquel had begun bringing players over from Negro league baseball (who were barred from MLB). After recruiting successfully from the Negro leagues, Pasquel began to offer high salaries to bring major league talent over to the Mexican League. He may have been driven by nationalism and by a dislike for American imperialism, possibly spurred by the U.S. invasion of his hometown when he was a child. After signing a number of major league players with impressive salaries, Pasquel found that he could not attract high enough attendance in Mexico to offset the salaries.[1] Overall, 18 major league players jumped to the Mexican League.
In 1946, American player Mickey Owen returned to the United States after playing briefly in the Mexican League. He cited poor playing conditions.[3] A long legal battle ensued, after which Owen was determined to owe Pasquel $35,000 for breach of contract.[4] The league took large financial losses in 1947. Baseball commissioner Happy Chandler imposed a lifetime major league ban for players who went to the Mexican League, which was finally lifted after 5 years, when a federal appeals court allowed a former major league player's lawsuit to proceed.[1]
Pasquel and his brother Bernardo left the Mexican League in 1952. The brothers had owned the teams in Veracruz and Mexico City as well as the league's large Parque Delta stadium [es], now the Parque Delta mall. The players from those two teams were divided among the other six clubs in the league. The Mexican government purchased Parque Delta from Pasquel so that the league could continue using it. Pasquel made headlines the next year when he gained distribution rights for the nation's oil from his cousin, Mexican president Miguel Alemán Valdés.[5]
Death and legacy
Pasquel was killed in a 1955 plane crash.[5] Shortly after Pasquel's death, the Mexican League became a part of American professional baseball. Pasquel was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.[6]
^ abcBjarkman, Peter (2005). Diamonds Around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 277–279. ISBN0313322686. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
^Nicholl, Conor (November 14, 2007). "Pasquel was a force for integration". Major League Baseball. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
^"Owen owes me $26,000, says Pasquel". Chicago Tribune. August 8, 1946. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
^McKelvey, G. Richard (2006). Mexican Raiders in the Major Leagues: The Pasquel Brothers vs. Organized Baseball, 1946. McFarland. p. 175. ISBN0786425636. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
^ abHernández, Lou (2011). The Rise of the Latin American Baseball Leagues, 1947-1961: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. McFarland. pp. 15–18. ISBN978-0786489367. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
^Vaughn, Gerald (1992). "Jorge Pasquel and the evolution of the Mexican League" (PDF). The National Pastime. 12: 9–13. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
July 03, 2023
jorge, pasquel, april, 1907, march, 1955, mexican, businessman, sports, executive, president, mexican, league, owned, interests, several, teams, time, when, league, recruited, from, negro, league, baseball, major, league, baseball, creating, threat, major, lea. Jorge Pasquel April 23 1907 March 1955 was a Mexican businessman and sports executive He was president of the Mexican League and owned interests in several teams at a time when the league recruited from Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball creating a big threat to the Major League talent level Jorge Pasquel brought racial integration to professional baseball and had a big role when Jackie Robinson debuted in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers Pasquel died in a plane crash in 1955 He was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Baseball career 1 3 Death and legacy 2 See also 3 External links 4 ReferencesBiography EditEarly life Edit Pasquel was born in Veracruz Mexico When he was a child U S military forces had invaded Veracruz 1 He and four of his brothers ran a cigar factory and then created additional wealth working in various business ventures 2 By the mid 1940s the estimated wealth of the family was in the tens of millions of dollars Baseball career Edit Pasquel and his brothers owned the Azules de Veracruz of the Mexican League and were minority owners in several other clubs Pasquel was named Mexican League president in 1946 As early as 1943 Pasquel had begun bringing players over from Negro league baseball who were barred from MLB After recruiting successfully from the Negro leagues Pasquel began to offer high salaries to bring major league talent over to the Mexican League He may have been driven by nationalism and by a dislike for American imperialism possibly spurred by the U S invasion of his hometown when he was a child After signing a number of major league players with impressive salaries Pasquel found that he could not attract high enough attendance in Mexico to offset the salaries 1 Overall 18 major league players jumped to the Mexican League In 1946 American player Mickey Owen returned to the United States after playing briefly in the Mexican League He cited poor playing conditions 3 A long legal battle ensued after which Owen was determined to owe Pasquel 35 000 for breach of contract 4 The league took large financial losses in 1947 Baseball commissioner Happy Chandler imposed a lifetime major league ban for players who went to the Mexican League which was finally lifted after 5 years when a federal appeals court allowed a former major league player s lawsuit to proceed 1 Pasquel and his brother Bernardo left the Mexican League in 1952 The brothers had owned the teams in Veracruz and Mexico City as well as the league s large Parque Delta stadium es now the Parque Delta mall The players from those two teams were divided among the other six clubs in the league The Mexican government purchased Parque Delta from Pasquel so that the league could continue using it Pasquel made headlines the next year when he gained distribution rights for the nation s oil from his cousin Mexican president Miguel Aleman Valdes 5 Death and legacy Edit Pasquel was killed in a 1955 plane crash 5 Shortly after Pasquel s death the Mexican League became a part of American professional baseball Pasquel was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 6 See also EditList of members of the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of FameExternal links EditJorge Pasquel at SABR Baseball BioProject References Edit a b c Bjarkman Peter 2005 Diamonds Around the Globe The Encyclopedia of International Baseball Greenwood Publishing Group pp 277 279 ISBN 0313322686 Retrieved December 6 2014 Nicholl Conor November 14 2007 Pasquel was a force for integration Major League Baseball Retrieved December 6 2014 Owen owes me 26 000 says Pasquel Chicago Tribune August 8 1946 Retrieved December 27 2014 McKelvey G Richard 2006 Mexican Raiders in the Major Leagues The Pasquel Brothers vs Organized Baseball 1946 McFarland p 175 ISBN 0786425636 Retrieved December 27 2014 a b Hernandez Lou 2011 The Rise of the Latin American Baseball Leagues 1947 1961 Cuba the Dominican Republic Mexico Nicaragua Panama Puerto Rico and Venezuela McFarland pp 15 18 ISBN 978 0786489367 Retrieved December 27 2014 Vaughn Gerald 1992 Jorge Pasquel and the evolution of the Mexican League PDF The National Pastime 12 9 13 Retrieved December 27 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jorge Pasquel amp oldid 1160406040, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
