Bienvenido Rodríguez

His first name, translated from Spanish, means “welcome.” But Bienvenido Rodríguez was not welcome in the big leagues. Although Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby integrated Organized Baseball in 1947, no dark-skinned man ever caught in major league ball (as it was then defined) from 1884, when Moses Fleetwood Walker debuted for the Toledo Blue Stockings, to 1948, when Roy Campanella first donned Dodger blue. Bienvenido’s career started just before baseball was integrated, and despite demonstrating great potential, he never got a chance to show what he could do in the National or American League. A shoulder injury curtailed his career after 1948, his one season in the Negro Leagues. He was still just 21.

Looking back, James A. Riley’s seminal The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues describes the Puerto Rican as “a part-time starter with the Chicago American Giants, splitting his playing time between left field and catcher and hitting .241 while batting at the bottom of the order when in the lineup.”1 Baseball Reference credits Rodríguez with a .242/.359/.394 slash line in 39 plate appearances (101+ OPS). Retrosheet captures 40 at-bats across exhibition and regular season games, though only 14 of his 23 appearances have a box score. The Puerto Rican press, however, showed more extensive action.

***

Rodríguez was born in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico on March 21, 1927, to Maximino Rodríguez and Teresa García. Both parents hailed from neighboring Juana Díaz and Villalba, respectively.2 He had an older brother, Alejandro, and two younger sisters, Irene and Asunción.

Before Bienvenido turned 18, he was catching for his hometown’s Carmelita team in the Amateur Baseball Championships sponsored by the Comisión de Recreo y Deportes (Puerto Rico Sports Commission).3 He later played for Don Q, a team sponsored by the Serrallés Distillery in neighboring Ponce, on the island’s semiprofessional circuit.4 Given the agreeable Caribbean weather, the indefatigable Rodríguez caught year-round, playing for teams in neighboring towns, such as the Coamo Stars.5 He also played for the San Juan Rojos (aka Zas) of the Liga Intermedia (Intermediate League)6

El Mundo deemed the 19-year-old “the island’s best amateur catcher” and the Caguas Criollos of the Puerto Rican Winter League took notice.7 The PRWL then featured numerous NL and AL players – and many standouts from the Negro Leagues (which would eventually be recognized as major leagues). Added to the 1946-1947 roster, he debuted on October 6 in the first game of a doubleheader against Ponce. Though no box score was published, he caught Rafaelito Ortiz’s complete game, a 3-2 loss.8 He backed up Negro Leaguer William (Bill) Perkins for most of the season and Caguas, pleased with his development, reserved his contract for the following season.9

By mid-October, the local press lauded his progress: “we must give him credit for his performance thus far this season. Bienvenido looks more polished and pitchers are more cautious…five stars for Rodriguez.”10 In early November, starting catcher Quincy Trouppe took over the managerial reins from José “Pepe” Seda, a development that would change Rodríguez’s future.11 By December 31, his .313 average (21-for-67) outperformed Trouppe’s .264 (23-for-87).12

Caguas won the 1947-48 PRWL championship, and once Trouppe left the Cleveland Buckeyes for the Chicago American Giants, he eagerly took Rodríguez Stateside. The skipper was not the only interested party, though: “Artie Wilson and Johnny (Joe) Atkins…were very impressed by Bienvenido Rodriguez’s playing and will work to take the brilliant prospect to play up North next year.”13

Curiously, despite knowledge of Trouppe’s experience in Puerto Rico, the Chicago Defender erroneously reported that “Trouppe…is bringing from Cuba three good players…Rafael Ortiz, Roberto Vargas…and Bienvenido Rodríquez (sic).”14

Trouppe asked Rodríguez to play right field and on occasion, squat behind the plate.15 El Mundo de Puerto Rico praised the strategy, saying, “Rodríguez’s…potent arm and robust hitting make him an ideal candidate for that position.”16 The agreement was announced in early May, with Ortiz joining Rodríguez Stateside.17

While detailed records for the Chicago American Giants are incomplete, the box score of an April 11 exhibition game in Nashville confirms that Rodríguez caught Ortiz and Roberto Vargas  in a 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Elite Giants.18 It was the second all-Puerto Rican battery in the Negro Leagues, and thus, given MLB’s 2021 recognition, in the major leagues.19 El Imparcial published an article and line score spotlighting the trio of boricuas, and noted that Baltimore starter Bob Romby had played in the PRWL with the Aguadilla Tiburones.20

On May 23, the Giants beat the Birmingham Black Barons, 7-5 and 5-3, in a doubleheader. While it’s unknown whether Rodríguez caught, The Pittsburgh Courier remarked, “Benvienido (sic) Rodríquez (sic) proved to be the batting star of the day by coming through with three hits in four trips to pace the Giants” in the first game.21

As of early June, Rodríguez averaged .255 (13-for-51) with four runs batted in.22 He debuted behind the plate on June 11. Rodríguez caught Ortiz in a 1-0 loss to the Kansas City Monarchs, in “a pitcher’s duel…one of the best played games in the Negro American League.”23 He thus became the second Puerto Rican-born catcher in the Negro (and major) Leagues, after Luis Villodas in 1946.24 The duo marked the second all- Puerto Rican major-league battery, after Villodas and Enrique “Tite” Figueroa, also in 1946.25

Ortiz and Rodríguez again teamed up on June 23, a 7-5 Chicago victory over Birmingham, played at Pelican Stadium in New Orleans.26 By July 31, Rodriguez had increased his average to .292 (37-for-131) and scored 18 runs.27 On August 15, he played both ends of a doubleheader against the Memphis Red Sox. In the opener, he was in the outfield and homered in Chicago’s 5-3 victory. He caught in the second game and guided Vargas to a 1-0 Chicago triumph.28 According to El Mundo de Puerto Rico, Rodríguez “returned after an injury and played a flawless left field.”29 In a prior game (likely in early July) he had slid headfirst into second base and jammed his right shoulder on the base.30 Before the injury, he had been hitting .275 (40-for-145), but his average tumbled later in the year.31 He struck out in his last recorded appearance on September 2 in a 9-8 loss against Birmingham.32

Despite undergoing surgery, Rodríguez’s throwing shoulder did not heal sufficiently to return to action.33 He enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Germany. Prior to this tour, he married María Martínez Cruz. The couple had six children: Bienvenido Jr., Héctor Luis, Ramón Luis, Cristina, Edwin, and Nelson.34

Rodríguez graduated from Percy College in Ponce with an accounting degree but remained in the military service, except for 1971-1972, when he served as the Santa Isabel municipal treasurer. Caguas-Guayama still hoped he would regain his ability and “reserved” his rights for several seasons,35 36 but he did not return to playing baseball. Meanwhile, in his spare time, Rodríguez coached the Santa Isabel Class A team in the 1950s.37  During the Vietnam War, he helped returning Puerto Rican soldiers readapt to civilian life.38 He died on September 27, 2014, and is buried in his native Santa Isabel.39

While Rodríguez only enjoyed one season at the top level, he and Luis Villodas were pioneer Puerto Rican catchers, whose successors have shined in the position since the late 1980s. Like Rodríguez, Benito Santiago, the first Puerto Rican All-Star catcher, grew up in Santa Isabel; and he stood on Rodriguez’s giant shoulders.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Puerto Rico baseball historian Jossie Alvarado, who helped the author to connect with Bienvenido Rodríguez Jr.

And many thanks to Bienvenido Rodríguez Jr. for sharing details about his father during a phone interview.

This biography was reviewed by Donna Halper and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Mark Miller.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com

Retrosheet,org

Notes

1 James A. Riley, The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Leagues, Carroll & Graf Publishers, New York, 1994: 677.

2 “Santa Isabel. Birth Records. Marriage Records. #004554723, item 2,” Familysearch.org, accessed September 11, 2024, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJF-H46V?lang=en&cid=fs_copy

3 Baseball Hoy en Manatí, El Imparcial, January 27, 1945: 32, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19450127-01.1.31

4 “Resultados Juegos Doble A En Sección Sur Isla,” El Imparcial, May 3, 1945, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19450503-01.1.34

5 Medin J. Hernández, “Coamo Deportivo,” El Imparcial, April 1, 1946, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19460401-01.1.29

6 Joe Jacobs, “Santurce, Ponce y Manatí vencedores juegos de ayer,” El Imparcial, August 26, 1946: 29, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19460826-01.1.28

7 Salvador Pabón, “Se ampliará el ‘grand-stand’ de Mayagüez,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, July 21, 1946: 14, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19460721-01.1.14

8 Harry Romney, “Scantlebury batió a los Criollos el sábado, 10 a 1,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, October 7, 1946: 9, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19461007-01.1.9

9 “Caguas hizo sus reservas para torneo 1947-48,” El Imparcial, March 25, 1947: 32, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19470325-01.1.31

10 Tommy Blake, “Rubén Gomez y Roberto Vargas Ofrecieron Magnífica Labor en Juego del Caguas y Santurce,” El Imparcial, October 29, 1947: 33, 38.https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19471029-01.1.37

11 Harry Ronmey, “Trouppe es nuevo dirigente de los Criollos,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, November 12, 1947: 17, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19471112-01.1.17

12 “marcas de los bateadores,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, December 31, 1947: 31, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19471231-01.1.31

13 “Brewer por Malloy,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, December 18, 1947: 19, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19471218-01.1.19

14 “3 Cubans to Try Out with American Giants,” The Chicago Defender, February 14, 1948: 11.

15 “AM. Giants Have 11 Hurlers, Play Cleveland On April 18,” The Chicago Defender, April 17, 1948: 10.

16 F. Hernández Negrón, “Mirando los diamantes,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, January 18, 1948: 11

17 “Contratan a Villodas, R. Ortíz y Bienvenido Rodríguez en el Norte,” El Imparcial, March 8, 1948: 39.

18 “Baltimore,2; Chicago, 1,” The Chicago Defender, April 17, 1948: 11.

19 https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/boxesetc/1948/B04110BLG1948.htm

20 The early May article does not cite the April 11 date but rather notes “game was held last week.” It also does mention it was an exhibition game. William Valentín Rico, “Rafaelito Ortiz permite dos hits en siete entradas; Roberto Vargas pierde reñido juego 2-1,” El Imparcial, May 4, 1948: 28, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19480504-01.1.27

21 “Chicago Beats Birmingham Twice: Giants Batter Barons,” The Pittsburgh Courier, May 29, 1948: 19.

22 “Villodas Pérez tiene promedio de .278 y Alfonso Gerard .277,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, June 7, 1948:21, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19480607-01.1.21

23 “Gene Collins Wins Pitching Duel,” The Call (Kansas City, Missouri), June 18, 1948: 8.

24 It is possible he caught in prior games, but Retrosheet’s records capture his as the first.

25 Catcher Luis Villodas and pitcher Enrique Figueroa were the first, for the 1946 Baltimore Elita Giants.

26 https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/boxesetc/1948/B06230BIR1948.htm

27 “Artie Wilson sigue al frente en el bateo de la Liga Americana de Color con un promedio de .401,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, July 31, 1948:18, https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19480731-01.1.18

28 “American Giants Win 2 From Memphis,” The Chicago Defender, August 21, 1948: 11.

29 Víctor Fernández Reguero, “Roberto Vargas venció a Memphis 1-0, con 3 hits, perdiendo Mathis,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, September 3, 1948: 19.

30 Author’s interview with Bienvenido Rodríguez Jr., November 7, 2025.

31 Víctor Fernández Reguero, “Bin Torres continúa al frente en ponches en la Liga Pioneer,” El Mundo de Puerto Rico, August 6, 1948: 17.

32 https://www.retrosheet.org/NegroLeagues/boxesetc/1948/B09020CAG1948.htm

33 Author’s interview with Bienvenido Rodríguez Jr., November 7, 2025.

34 Author’s interview with Bienvenido Rodríguez Jr., November 7, 2025.

35 “Reservas Equipos Liga Profesional,” El Imparcial, May 5, 1950: 41, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19500503-01.1.40

36 Luisín Rosario, “No busque esto en los box scores,” El Imparcial, June 19, 1952: 28, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19520619-01.1.27

37 Jorge Vega Berly, “Elimina de Serie Béisbol ‘A,’” El Imparcial, July 15, 1955: 44, https://gpa.eastview.com/eida/newspapers/eida19550715-01.1.43

38 Melvin Rivera Vázquez, “Benny Rodríguez en la Negro League (1948),” https://www.santaisabelpr.com/benny-rodriguez-en-las-grandes-ligas-1948/

39  “Index Record for Bienvenido Rodríguez-García,” US Veterans’ Gravesites, ca. 1775-2019, Fold3, https://www.fold3.com/record/716929410/rodriguez-garcia-bienvenido-us-veterans-gravesites-ca-1775-2019