Today is the 63rd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier. April 15, 1947 is arguably the most historic date in baseball history because of the monumental event that day. Robinson’s courage and accomplishments on and off the field not only changed the landscape of baseball, but society as well.
However, exactly five years earlier on April 15, 1942, Hiram “Hi” Bithorn became the first Puerto Rican to appear in a major league game. He pitched in relief for the Chicago Cubs in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis at Sportsman’s Park. He was 18-12 with seven shutouts in 1943 and finished with a career record of 34-31.
Bithorn opened the door for 227 more native Puerto Ricans to play in North America. Here is the list of the Top 10 Puerto Rican born players in Major League Baseball history.
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