Then, There Was Roberto Pena of the Chicago Cubs

Mr. Hazle certainly made an impression with the Milwaukee Braves when he first came to the major leagues, but I remember a player named Roberto Pena from the Dominican Republic who made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs and made quite the impression in 1965.  I watched it all on the Cubs TV station, WGN, which has it last games being televised this season.

At the time I was just getting interested in baseball.  Had Roberto Pena continued his career hitting like that I might well have become a Cubs fan instead of White Sox.

In his first game with the Cubs, the season opener, Mr. Pena hit a home run off Bob Gibson and went 3 for 6 scoring two runs and three RBI.  In his second game, he hit 1 for 3 with another home run off Curt Simmons, scored two runs and one RBI and went 1 for 4 in the third with one RBI..

And that was his season highlight for the Cubs  as in 51 games and 170 at bats, he got 37 hits, batted .218 and hit no more home runs.  He was sent to the minors part way through the season.  In 1966, he played just six games for the Cubs and after that played one year each in Philadelphia, San Diego and Oakland and two years with Milwaukee.

His career stats:  587 games, 1907 At Bats, 174 hits, Batting Average .239 AL and .248 in NL, and 13 Home Runs.

Another Fast Start That Fizzled.  --Cooter