Ramón Monzant Explained

Ramón Monzant
Position:Pitcher
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Birth Date:4 January 1933
Birth Place:Maracaibo, Venezuela
Death Place:Maracaibo, Venezuela
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:July 2
Debutyear:1954
Debutteam:New York Giants
Finalleague:MLB
Finaldate:April 25
Finalyear:1960
Finalteam:San Francisco Giants
Statleague:MLB
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:16–21
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:4.38
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:201
Teams:
Hofcolor:
  1. ffd700
Hoflink:Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Hoftype:Venezuelan
Hofdate:2006

Ramón Segundo Monzant Espina (January 4, 1933 – August 10, 2001) was a Venezuelan right-handed baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the New York / San Francisco Giants from 1954 to 1960. He compiled a 16–21 record with a 4.38 earned run average (ERA) and 201 strikeouts in innings.

Monzant was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He first played professionally for the Shelby Farmers in 1952 before being purchased by the New York Giants organization. In 1953, he played for the Danville Leafs and won 23 games for the team. Monzant was promoted to the Minneapolis Millers in 1954, and pitched in 27 games for the team, winning 11 and losing 7. He also played in six games for the Giants, making his major league debut on July 2, 1954.[1] Monzant spent the first half of 1955 with the Millers before returning to the Giants. In 28 games, he had a 4–8 record and a 3.99 ERA. One of his best performances took place on April 29, 1956, in a Giants 8–1 complete game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, when a one-out, first-inning single by Del Ennis cost him a no-hitter.[2] Due to a sore arm, Monzant only pitched in four games that season, but returned in 1957 to pitch in 24 games for the Giants.[3]

In 1958, Monzant remained on the major league roster for the full season. He pitched the first west coast night game on April 16, 1958, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as both the Dodgers and now-San Francisco Giants has moved to the west coast beginning that season.[4] He pitched in 43 games for the Giants that season. In 1959, citing a sore arm and a desire to sit out the season, wishing to return to Venezuela, Monzant retired from baseball.[5] He returned to the Giants in 1960, pitching one game for them and spending the rest of the year with the Tacoma Giants, the team's AAA affiliate. During the season, he broke his leg while sliding into second base, which led to his retirement from baseball for good.[4]

Monzant was named to the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006,[6] and was named to the Navegantes del Magallanes Hall of Fame in 2012.[7]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ramon Monzant Minor League Statistics & History. Baseball-Reference.com. July 9, 2020.
  2. Web site: New York Giants 8, Philadelphia Phillies 1 (2). retrosheet.org. April 29, 1956. May 8, 2016.
  3. Web site: Ramon Monzant Statistics & History. Baseball-Reference.com. July 9, 2020.
  4. Book: Baseball Players of the 1950s: A Biographical Dictionary of All 1,560 Major Leaguers . Marazzi, Rich . McFarland & Company. 2003 . 267–268. 9781476604299.
  5. News: Monzant Retires From Baseball. Progress-Bulletin. March 25, 1959. 30.
  6. http://www.museodebeisbol.com.ve/salon_2006.html Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame – 2006 inductees
  7. http://www.meridiano.com.ve/beisbol-venezolano/magallanes-exalto-a-14-personajes-al-salon-de-la-fama-de-la-organizacion.html Meridiano.com – Magallanes exaltó a 14 personajes al Salón de La Fama de la organización