Latest news with #ChitoMartinez
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Orioles Outfielder, First From His Country to Reach MLB, Dies at 59
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Chito Martinez, the first native of Belize to reach Major League Baseball, died on Sunday, according to a post on Twitter/X by his son Dalton. He was 59. "We desperately need help in this time," Dalton wrote. "My father was one of the best men. Taught the game of baseball the right way. Taught young men how to be better. His presence in my life can never be replaced. As I pick up the pieces to my life, please consider helping." Sunday night on Easter, my dad was taken away off this earth unexpectedly. We desperately need help in this time. My father was one of the best men. Taught the game of baseball the right way. Taught young men how to be better. His presence in my life can never be replaced. As I… — Dalton Martinez (@DaltonMartinez5) April 22, 2025 According to Martinez died in Lake Cormorant, Miss., as a result of a heart attack. Martinez played 158 games with Baltimore from 1991-93, hitting 18 home runs, driving in 58, and finishing his career with a .259/.330/.445 slash line. We mourn the passing of former Orioles outfielder Chito Martinez, the only native of Belize to play in the majors. — Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 22, 2025 Martinez was born in Dec. 1965 in British Honduras, 16 years before the country currently known as Belize achieved independence from the United Kingdom. More news: Former National League All-Star, Rookie of the Year Passes Away Martinez's family moved to New Orleans when he was 2 years old. He grew up and learned to play baseball in the United States. Chito Martinez of the Baltimore Orioles looks on before a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox on May 13, 1991 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Chito Martinez of the Baltimore Orioles looks on before a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox on May 13, 1991 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore."My parents came here because there was more opportunity," he told the Baltimore Sun in 1991. "It was a better place to raise a family." More news: Astros Pitcher Whose Career Was Interrupted by Strike Passes Away Martinez was drafted in the sixth round of the 1984 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals out of Brother Martin High School in New Orleans. Seven years later, he made his major league debut with the Orioles. In 1992, Martinez unwittingly made a cameo in an episode of Seinfeld, when a clip of him hitting a foul ball in a game against the New York Yankees is immediately followed by Michael Richards' "Kramer" character being hit in the head by the baseball. Martinez spent the 1994 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees and the following year with the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies before retiring as a player. More news: Legendary World Series Hero, Dodgers Outfielder Passes Away Martinez's son, Drew, played Division I baseball and was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 10th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. He is currently the fundamentals coach for the Eugene Emeralds, a San Francisco Giants minor league affiliate. Dalton Martinez is the head baseball coach at Alexander High School in Smyrna, Georgia. According to Martinez is survived by his wife, Millie, and three children (sons Drew and Dalton, and daughter Emliy), along with his mother, Ola Varela, and her husband, Larry Thomas, along with sister Anna Martinez Tomes. More news: Former MLB Pitcher Dies Following Dominican Night Club Collapse: Reports Martinez's high school coach, Barry Hebert, told that Martinez would often return to his alma mater to speak to the current players on the team. "He would come back to school and talk to our kids and his knowledge was amazing," Hebert said. "We have his jersey and playing cards in our trophy case. He came out of his shell and talked a lot and shared so much wisdom. He was always the same, a consistent person and player. We will truly miss him." For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
Fox News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Chito Martinez, only Belize native MLB player, dead at 59
Chito Martinez, the only MLB player to ever hail from Belize, has died, the Baltimore Orioles announced on Tuesday. He was 59. Martinez played three years in the majors for the Orioles as an outfielder from 1991 to 1993. He played in 158 career games, hitting .259 with 18 home runs, 58 RBI and 22 doubles. "We mourn the passing of former Orioles outfielder Chito Martinez, the only native of Belize to play in the majors," the Orioles said in a post on X. Dalton Martinez, Chito's son, wrote on X that his father passed away on Easter. "Sunday night on Easter, my dad was taken away off this earth unexpectedly," he wrote. "We desperately need help in this time. My father was one of the best men. Taught the game of baseball the right way. Taught young men how to be better. His presence in my life can never be replaced. As I pick up the pieces to my life, please consider helping. "A kind soul has left us too soon." The cause of death was not made known. Chito Martinez was a sixth-round pick in the 1984 Draft by the Kansas City Royals out of Brother Martin High School in New Orleans. The Royals released him in 1990 and he signed with the Orioles days later. The Orioles released him after the 1993 season and he later joined the Minnesota Twins. But he never made an appearance with the Twins. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chito Martinez, former Baltimore Orioles outfielder and Mid-South resident, dies at 59
Chito Martinez − the only Major League Baseball player from Belize − died April 20 in Lake Cormorant, Mississippi. He was 59 and died of a heart attack, according to Crescent City Sports. After being selected by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 1984 MLB draft, Martinez spent six seasons in the minor leagues − including two (1988-89) with the Memphis Chicks, then the Royals' Double A affiliate. Martinez, whose family emigrated to New Orleans when he was 2 years old, reached the big leagues in 1991 as an outfielder with the Baltimore Orioles. He got off to a hot start, belting 13 home runs following his midseason promotion. Advertisement Martinez also became the first player in Orioles history to hit safely in the first six games of his career. He spent parts of the next two seasons with Baltimore but finished his MLB career with 18 home runs and a .259 batting average in 158 games. Martinez played the first two seasons of his professional career with the Chicks in Memphis. He played in 268 games and hit 36 home runs, 36 doubles and had 127 RBIs. Among his teammates during his Chicks career were future MLB players Brian McRae, Tom Gordon and Kevin Appier. One of Martinez's sons, Drew, was a star player at Christian Brothers before suiting up for the University of Memphis. As a Tiger, Drew Martinez was a two-time All-Conference USA selection. He was a 23rd round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2010. Drew Martinez was a member of the 2022 Memphis M-Club Hall of Fame class. He is currently a fundamentals coach for the Eugene Emeralds (the high-A affiliate for the Giants). Advertisement Reach sports writer Jason Munz at follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Chito Martinez death: Orioles OF from Belize, Mid-South resident, dies
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Chito Martinez, only MLB player from Belize, dead at 59
Former Orioles outfielder Chito Martinez, the first and still only MLB player from Belize, has died, the team announced on Tuesday. He was 59. 'We mourn the passing of former Orioles outfielder Chito Martinez, the only native of Belize to play in the majors,' the Orioles said in a statement on X. 3 Orioles' Chito Martinez bats during a baseball game on July 1, 1991 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Getty Images Though an official cause of death was not announced, Crescent City Sports reported that Martinez suffered a heart attack. A GoFundMe page set up to help his family said Martinez had a 'series of hospitalizations' over the past few weeks and died on Sunday. 'As a ballplayer myself growing up, I never had his talent but I always looked up to him,' his brother, Robbie, told Crescent City Sports. 'They called Chito 'Mex' and called me 'Little Mex.' He introduced me to baseball. I worshipped those guys in 1983 and 1984 at Brother Martin. Even more, he taught me about life, about how to be a dad, about golf, above and beyond baseball.' Martinez, born in Belize in 1965, immigrated to New Orleans with his family when he was 2 years old. He starred at Brother Martin High School and was then drafted by the Royals in the sixth round of the 1984 MLB Draft. 3 Orioes' Chito Martinez looks on before a game against the Red Sox on May 13, 1991 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Getty Images After six years in the minor leagues with Kansas City, he caught on with the Orioles and made his MLB debut in 1991. During his rookie season, he smacked 13 homers with 33 RBIs and an .817 OPS. 3 Orioles' Chito Martinez looks on before a game against the White Sox on July 8, 1992 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Getty Images Martinez played two more seasons in the big leagues, finishing with a .259/.330/.445 slash line and 18 long balls. 'Our hearts go out to the family of Crusader Baseball legend Chito Martinez '84,' Brother Martin's baseball program wrote on X.. 'Please pray for them during this difficult time.'
