Félix Isasi, emblematic figure of baseball, dies in Matanzas

2024-02-02 15:14:55

Text: Editorial Cuba Noticias 360

Photo: Facebook

Due to heart failure at the age of 78, the Cuban baseball legend, Félix Isasi Mestre, died a few hours ago in Matanzas.

Known as the hidden ball manthe former baseball player will be laid to rest in the Hall of Fame of the Palmar de Junco Stadium this morning and his funeral will take place around one in the afternoon today, Friday.

At only 17 years old, Isasi reached the III National Baseball Series and in the first game he faced Manuel Alarcón, hitting him 2-for-4.
The man from Matanzas was an excellent defensive player and pivoted on second base. He was also one of the good base scammers in the National Series.

There is still talk of the famous triangle of “The Three Musketeers”, which he formed together with Wilfredo Sánchez and Rigoberto Rosique, in the Henequeneros of the 70s, very loved by fans for several seasons.

These three players were known for their good touch and the speed they had on the bases. The first in the lineup was Wilfredo, the second Rosique and the third Isasi.

Félix faced 18 National Series and of the 3,902 times at bat, he scored 571 runs, with 1,142 hits, 181 doubles, 17 triples, and 45 hits. He also stole 231 bases and was caught 85 times. His average was 293.

He was part of the national team at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1967 and performed in six World Series, three Pan American Games and two Central American and Caribbean Games.

His average in the World Series was .346 (225-78), in the Pan American Games .333 (90-30) and in the Central American Games .333 (42-14). He has the merit of occupying the second and third positions in the lineup for almost a decade with the national team, adding 122 hits in 357 at-bats for an average of .342.

It is said that Félix Isasi was the first player to attract the attention of scouts after professionalism was eradicated in Cuba.

A little over a year ago, Félix Isasi denounced the abandonment of Cuban sports institutions in his native Matanzas. In an interview with the local newspaper Girón, he said that he went to sports entities to demand a response to his demands and they always made excuses: “I no longer hide the ball: now they hide it from me,” lamented the former star second baseman at that time. .