Jesús Alou
Encyclopedia
Jesús María Rojas Alou is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
. During a 17-year baseball career, he played for the San Francisco Giants
(1963–68), Houston Astros
(1969–73; 1978–79), Oakland Athletics
(1973–74), and New York Mets
(1975). He was the youngest of the trio of baseball-playing brothers that included Felipe and Matty
.
Alou was considered a better prospect than either of his brothers and received a $4,000 signing bonus. He tore up all the minor leagues he played in, never hitting below .324. He made his debut at the end of , and his first game on September 10 was notable in that all three Alou brothers batted in the same inning (they were retired in order). In his first full year of Major League action in , Alou failed to live up to expectations, hitting only .274 with little power, but he did have a great day on July 10 when he went 6-6 with five singles and a home run. Alou was selected by the Montreal Expos
in the 1968 MLB expansion draft and then was dealt to Houston. He had his most active season there, hitting .306 in 487 at-bats, but with few walks and little power. He was traded to the Athletics midway through the season, and served as a bench player on two World Series
championship teams. Alou was released by the A's before the season, failed to catch on with the Mets and Cordoba of the Mexican League in short stints, and did not return to the Majors until Houston took a chance on him in . He responded by hitting .324 in part-time action and became a player-coach the following year before retiring. Alou later served as a scout for the Expos, then moved to the Florida Marlins
as the club's director of Dominican operations. He has held the same post with the Boston Red Sox
since the season.
Jesus Alou was awarded with the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hall of Fame Pioneer Award at a pre-game ceremony at Minute Maid Park, Houston Texas on 9/23/08.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. During a 17-year baseball career, he played for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1963–68), Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(1969–73; 1978–79), Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1973–74), and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1975). He was the youngest of the trio of baseball-playing brothers that included Felipe and Matty
Matty Alou
Mateo Rojas "Matty" Alou was a Dominican outfielder who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics , New York Yankees and San Diego Padres...
.
Alou was considered a better prospect than either of his brothers and received a $4,000 signing bonus. He tore up all the minor leagues he played in, never hitting below .324. He made his debut at the end of , and his first game on September 10 was notable in that all three Alou brothers batted in the same inning (they were retired in order). In his first full year of Major League action in , Alou failed to live up to expectations, hitting only .274 with little power, but he did have a great day on July 10 when he went 6-6 with five singles and a home run. Alou was selected by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in the 1968 MLB expansion draft and then was dealt to Houston. He had his most active season there, hitting .306 in 487 at-bats, but with few walks and little power. He was traded to the Athletics midway through the season, and served as a bench player on two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
championship teams. Alou was released by the A's before the season, failed to catch on with the Mets and Cordoba of the Mexican League in short stints, and did not return to the Majors until Houston took a chance on him in . He responded by hitting .324 in part-time action and became a player-coach the following year before retiring. Alou later served as a scout for the Expos, then moved to the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
as the club's director of Dominican operations. He has held the same post with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
since the season.
Jesus Alou was awarded with the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, Inc., was founded in San Francisco, California, in June 1999 by its founder Mr.Gabriel "Tito" Avila, Jr., as a way to honor the greatest Hispanic baseball players of all time. The organization is a not-for-profit institution...
Hall of Fame Pioneer Award at a pre-game ceremony at Minute Maid Park, Houston Texas on 9/23/08.