Daniel Canónico

Daniel Canónico (February 3, 1916 – August 20, 1975) was a Venezuelan professional baseball right handed pitcher. His friends and fans affectionately called him Chino, a moniker that he proudly used throughout his life.

Daniel Canónico is best known as the man who anchored the pitching staff for the Venezuela national baseball team which captured the 1941 Amateur World Series in Havana. A short, stocky sort of pitcher with a wicked curveball, Canónico became an instant celebrity in his country, as he was undefeated through five games in the tournament, including the series-tying and deciding games, both against host country Cuba, while placing Venezuela for the very first time among the world baseball elite. But plagued by shoulder and elbow ailments for most of his career, he was solid yet unspectacular over almost two decades in Venezuelan baseball. After retiring, he became a successful manager and coach in amateur baseball.

Early life Canónico was born in Guarenas, Miranda and was raised in Caracas. He was one of two sons of Agostino Canónico, an Italian musician and composer. Mr. Canónico taught his sons music theory at an early age and encouraged them to experiment with diverse instruments. As a young man, Daniel was leading his own little group playing popular tunes and then tried to pursue a professional career as a drummer, but he was not destined to be one of them, as he grew up playing sandlot ball and his passion for baseball led him to neglect his musical education. in contrast, his brother Benito became a notable composer, musician, orchestrator and teacher. For the fifth Amateur World Series, the Cuban national team was selected by a fan poll, and Marrero was the top vote-getter. The series featured a rematch between Marrero and Venezuela's Canónico. This time the Cubans won 8–0, and the Cuban team regained the Cup.

Professional career Furthermore, Canónico was one of the founding members of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in 1946, playing the dual role of pitcher and manager for the Sabios de Vargas club that won the championship title in the league's inaugural season. But soon thereafter his arm problems re-emerged and Canónico never regained his form. Consequently, when he was able to pitch was ineffective and suffered from bouts of wildness and elbow tendinitis.

Canónico later pitched for the Cervecería Caracas, Patriotas de Venezuela and Leones del Caracas, for whom he worked as a reliever and spot starter before retiring in 1953. Overall, he gathered a record of 4–9 with a 3.76 ERA in 60 pitching appearances, including 20 starts and seven complete games in 218 innings. He later managed the Indios de Oriente in the 1957-58 and 1961-62 VPBL seasons.

After retiring, Canónico moved to Barquisimeto, the capital city of Lara state. In his new environment, he worked as an instructor and manager of several amateur baseball teams, including the state's representing team that won three national consecutive titles from 1955 through 1957. His merits began to be recognized widely when he gained induction into the Venezuela Sports Hall of Fame in 1971. In addition, the former Olympic Stadium of Barquisimeto was renamed Estadio Daniel 'Chino' Canónico.

Way back in 1999, the VSL Chino Canónico baseball club was named after him and became a member of the Venezuelan Summer League, serving as a rookie-level circuit for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2000. Based in Barquisimeto, the VSL Chino Canónico won the league's title in its first season and finished in second place the next year.

31 years after his death, Canónico, along with his former teammates of the 1941 Baseball World Champion team, received recognition when the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum inducted the entire team in its 2006 class.