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Reds Hall of Famer just an average Leo
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By MARLA TONCRAY
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Leo Cardenas was in Maysville last weekend, visiting from Cincinnati with his friend, Gregory Dudley.
Leo is actually in Maysville a lot, about eight times a year and while he's here, he spends time fishing for bass, visiting with friends and members of the Dudley family. You can also find him at the Kenton Station Golf Course, hanging out in the clubhouse while Gregory plays golf.
The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame shortstop is now 69 years old and likes to interact with the public. You can see it in his eyes when he's approached by a fan, most of whom recall going to a Reds baseball game as a kid and watching Cardenas play. If other people don't remember him as a ball player, they like talking with him about the current Reds team, his career, rehashing the previous night's game, or talking about Griffey's chase for number 600, which he finally got Monday.
On Sunday, Leo had just walked into Kenton Station as the Reds game was about to start. He took a moment to talk with the other patrons before coming over to interview with me. While we were talking, Mike Russell brought Leo a bag of frozen crappie filets, which were put into the freezer for safekeeping until he left to go home later that day.
You could tell, Leo was just one of the guys. There were no airs about him to indicate in his youth he was one of America's premier baseball players, a Gold Glove winner and a four-time National League All-Star Team member.
Born in Montanza, Cuba, Leo has been in America since he was called up by the Reds in July, 1960. In 1959, he played AAA ball in Cuba on the Sugar King team, part of the Reds farm system. Leo said he remembers when Fidel Castro came into power and said all Americans had to go, so the Reds farm team was moved to New Jersey.
Leo said the call came to join the Reds in Chicago when shortstop Roy McMillan broke his finger during a three-day series against the Cubs. Leo said he flew from New Jersey to Chicago and finished out the series in the shortstop position.
"That year was kind of rough," Leo said of 1960, a year in which he left his homeland, never to return and moved his wife and children around with him between Cuba, New Jersey and Cincinnati.
When Leo joined the 1960 team, his teammates included Billy Martin, Frank Robinson, Jim Maloney, Joe Nuxhall, Ed Bailey and Eddie Kasko just to name a few. Big names on a big time team, playing at Crosley Field.
But the move, as history has proven, was worth it for Leo.
He went to spring training with the team in 1961 as a utility man and his roommate was second baseman Elio Chacon; Eddie Kasko played the most games that season in the shortstop position.
"We won the pennant in 1961," Leo said of the season and in 1962, he became the regular shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.
From that point on, Leo held the position of shortstop with the team through 1968; in 1969 he joined the Minnesota Twins, playing three seasons there. He spent 1972 with the California Angels, 1973 with the Cleveland Indians and finished up his career in 1974 and 1975 with the Texas Rangers. During his stint with the Rangers, he was reunited with his former teammate Billy Martin, who was managing the Rangers at the time.
He talked about Pete Rose joining the team 1963 and talked only briefly about his All-Star appearance in 1965. What he didn't elaborate on was who else was on the 1965 team: Hank Aaron, Dick Allen, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Jim Maloney, Roberto Clemente, Johnny Callison, Johnny Edwards, Sammy Ellis, Turk Farrell, Ed Kranepool, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Cookie Rojas, Pete Rose, Ron Santo, Willie Stargell, Joe Torre, Bob Veale, Billy Williams and Maury Wills. Gene Mauch was the manager.
The National League beat the American League 11 to 8 that year. The line-up for the 1965 NL All-Star team is classified by the Web site www.baseball-almanac.com "one of the most amazing batting line-ups ever to share an All-Star roster."
Leo retired from baseball in 1975 and was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1981. He is still active with the Reds organization, doing interviews and public relations appearances.
But what comes through talking with Leo is his genuine interest in talking to people and his understanding that some of the children he autographed baseballs and bats for in the 1960s are now adults and how he touched their lives by taking the time to stop and say hello after a game or during a PR appearance.
Leo said he is constantly approached by grown men who tell him stories of standing outside Crosley Field, waiting for his autograph when they were just kids, or catching a foul ball, and even part of his broken bat, which he said he broke a lot of. He said he knew then how important it was to take the time with the youngsters, but that knowledge has been brought home to him each and every time he meets a stranger who shares a story with him.
"You'd be surprised the things I see from way back," he said, referring to grown adults bringing him a copy of a signed baseball card or other memorabilia kept from their encounter with Leo as a kid.
Leo said it has made him feel good to see his efforts of the past come back to him now.
His involvement with baseball and area youth has continued since his retirement. For the eighth year in a row, he, Tommy Helms, Lee May and Jim Maloney will take part in a summer youth baseball camp in Marietta, Ohio later this month. The clinic teaches the fundamentals of baseball and Leo said he would like to see the same type of clinic here in Maysville.
"When you're a celebrity and you be yourself, people come to you," Leo said of his status and of not taking it for granted. "When you're good to kids ... parents like that. When you be yourself, you gain more."
Wise words from a man who reached superstar status, but has remained grounded about who he is.
Contact Marla Toncray at marla.toncray@lee.net or 606-564-9091 ext. 275. |
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