Nino Escalera

Who is Nino Escalera?

Saturnino Escalera is a former outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Redlegs in the 1954 season.

He started his baseball career at a very young age, often playing with his brothers and neighbors from the Loiza Street in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In 1946 at the Amateur Baseball World Series held in the Latin American Republic of Colombia Escalera was named best first baseman and most valuable player of the tournament.

In 1950, the New York Yankees organization obtained Escalera from the Bristol Owls of the Colonial League. In 1952, he was purchased by the Toledo Mud Hens-Charleston Senators of the American Association, and later that year, by the Cincinnati Redlegs organization.

On April 17, 1954 at Milwaukee County Stadium, a 24-year-old Escalera, standing at 5'10 and weighting 165 pounds, became the first black to play for the Cincinnati Redlegs. He entered the game as a pinch hitter, and hit a single in a 5–1 loss to the Milwaukee Braves.

Was selected and played in the 1958 International League All star game.

He played in 73 games during his only big league season, often as a pinch hitter.