Shortstopped

Chico Carrasquel, the first great Venezuelan shortstop and the first Latin player to appear in an All-Star Game, has died at the age of 77. A slick fielder, Carrasquel teamed with Nellie Fox to form one of the best double play combinations of the 1950. Carrasquel singled in his first at-bat in the 1951 All-Star Game, the first of his four career appearances. Carrasquel became a hero and role model for his fellow Venezuelans, notably Hall of Famer Luis Aparacio, who succeeded Carrasquel as the White Sox shortstop in 1956, and three-time Ozzie Guillen, who also starred for the South Siders. On Opening Day at Comiskey Park last year, before Guillen’s first game as manager, the three shortstops participated in the first pitch ceremony, and he was honored with a video tribute and the playing of the Venezuelan national anthem prior to the White Sox first home game after his death. Still a revered figure in Venezuela, nutjob president Hugo Chavez declared two days of mourning.