Al Lopez 

As the son of Spanish immigrants, born the seventh of nine children, Al Lopez dreamed about playing baseball – in the big leagues. He promised himself it would happen. Focused and determined, Lopez believed in hard work. The sandlots around Ybor City became his refuge. One day, his home run, his chance at sports stardom would come.

​

Al Lopez’s destiny would come calling and his talents would take him far. From a catcher for the Class-D Tampa Smokers to his major league debut in 1928 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Lopez eventually landed a regular starting spot as catcher with the Dodgers in 1930. He would enjoy steady stints with the Boston Bees, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians. Lopez held the Major League record for career games as a catcher for more than 40 years. His National League record held on a few years longer, until it was broken in 1990.​

​

Al Lopez began his managerial career with the Pittsburg Pirates organization in 1948. He managed the team’s AAA Indianapolis Indians for three seasons. Lopez became manager of the Cleaveland Indians in 1951. He led the team to an American League Pennant in 1954. After several successful seasons in Cleaveland, he moved on to the Chicago White Sox organization. His initial tenure as manager with Chicago began in 1957 and ended in 1965. Lopez won the American League Pennant in 1959 with his fast-paced base stealing “Go-Go Sox.” He then moved into the White Sox front office. Lopez briefly managed the team during a portion of the 1968 season. The team asked him to return as the full-time manager in 1969. Health issues forced Lopez from his role as skipper after only seventeen games. Al’s legacy was solidified by the ability of his teams to finish each full season in which he managed with a winning record.

​