Negro League Baseball Player. An infielder, he was the first Puerto Rican in the Negro Leagues and prior to his death had been the oldest living professional baseball player. Raised in Patillas, he was a high school track star and turned-down a college scholarship, choosing instead to help support his family. After playing ball in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela Navarro signed with the Cuban Stars of the Eastern Colored League and in 1928 batted .337 as the leadoff hitter; handicapped by his lack of English he returned to Latin America following two years with the Stars and for 20 seasons was the second baseman for the Ponce Lions in the Puerto Rican League. A coach in Ponce and Caguas for many years, Navarro was named to the Puerto Rico Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 and to the Puerto Rico Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. Honored at Yankee Stadium in 2008 he was at 102 still able to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. He died of heart disease and the complications of advanced age.
Negro League Baseball Player. An infielder, he was the first Puerto Rican in the Negro Leagues and prior to his death had been the oldest living professional baseball player. Raised in Patillas, he was a high school track star and turned-down a college scholarship, choosing instead to help support his family. After playing ball in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela Navarro signed with the Cuban Stars of the Eastern Colored League and in 1928 batted .337 as the leadoff hitter; handicapped by his lack of English he returned to Latin America following two years with the Stars and for 20 seasons was the second baseman for the Ponce Lions in the Puerto Rican League. A coach in Ponce and Caguas for many years, Navarro was named to the Puerto Rico Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 and to the Puerto Rico Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. Honored at Yankee Stadium in 2008 he was at 102 still able to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. He died of heart disease and the complications of advanced age.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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