Espino, Héctor

Héctor Espino, byname El Bambino Mexicano (“the Mexican Babe Ruth”), (born June 8, 1939, Chihuahua, Mexico—died September 7, 1997, Chihuahua), professional baseball player with the Mexican League (an affiliate with U.S. Minor League Baseball). Although virtually unknown in the United States, Espino is considered by many in Mexico to be the greatest native-born hitter of all time and is a national hero in that country.

Espino started playing in the outfield but switched to first base early in his career. With the exception of 32 games at a minor league AAA club in Jacksonville, Florida, Espino played his entire career in Mexico. He turned down offers to play for major league teams after his one season in the United States. During his 25-year career in the Mexican League, playing for eight different teams, Espino had 484 home runs—the minor league record for most career home runs.

In addition to playing in the Mexican League, Espino also played winter baseball for 24 years with the Hermosillo baseball club of the Mexican Pacific League. Between 1960 and 1984 at Hermosillo, Espino had 310 home runs. He also won the batting title there on 13 occasions, led 7 times in runs batted in (RBIs), and won the Triple Crown—leading the league in home runs, batting average, and RBIs—3 times. In 1975 the ball park in Hermosillo was renamed Héctor Espino Stadium.

Because of his hitting expertise, Espino is credited with bringing the intentional walk (in which a pitcher deliberately walks a hitter, a common strategy in the U.S. major leagues) to the Mexican League. Espino retired in 1984 and was inducted into the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in Monterrey in 1988.