About Tony Martínez
Lived 1940 – 1991 (aged 51). Tony Martínez was a Cuban baseball player.
Gabriel Antonio Martínez Díaz (March 18, 1940 – August 24, 1991) was a Cuban-born Major League Baseball shortstop who played in parts of four seasons for the Cleveland Indians (1963–66), appearing in 73 career games. The native of Perico threw and batted right-handed, stood and weighed .
Martínez' professional career began at the Class C level in 1960, but by his third pro season he was an All-Star shortstop in Triple-A, winning the 1962 Most Valuable Player Award in the International League at age 22 as a member of the pennant-winning Jacksonville Suns. He was named the Indians' first-string shortstop coming out of spring training and started the Tribe's first 35 regular-season games. But he hit only .167 with 21 hits. Finally, on May 26, Cleveland optioned Martínez back to Jacksonville and acquired his replacement at shortstop, Dick Howser, in a trade with the Kansas City Athletics. Martínez continued to struggle at Jacksonville, but was recalled in September for another eight-game trial. He spent the remainder of his pro career in the minors, apart from 30 more games with the Indians during sporadic call-ups from 1964–66.
He was traded along with Jerry Buchek and Art Mahaffey from the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Mets for Ed Bressoud, Danny Napoleon and cash on April 1, 1967.
Martínez' 30 big-league hits included five doubles. He drove in ten runs.
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Important facts
People in Tony Martínez's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Tony Martínez's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Tony Martínez?
Cuban-born Major League Baseball shortstop (1940-1991)
When was Tony Martínez born?
Tony Martínez was born on 18 March 1940 in Perico.
When did Tony Martínez die?
Tony Martínez died on 24 August 1991 in Miami.
What was Tony Martínez's occupation?
Tony Martínez was a baseball player.
What nationality was Tony Martínez?
Tony Martínez was Cuban.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tony Martínez. https://biography.guide/tony-martinez-baseball-player/
MLA: "Tony Martínez." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tony-martinez-baseball-player/.
Chicago: "Tony Martínez." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tony-martinez-baseball-player/.
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