Connie Marrero
A crafty Cuban pitcher who baffled Major League hitters with his guile and control well into his forties.
1911–2014 (age 103)·Cuban baseball player·Birthday: April 25·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Connie Marrero’s path to the big leagues was anything but ordinary. For years, he was a star in the Cuban winter leagues, a master of changing speeds and locating pitches with uncanny precision. When he finally reached the Washington Senators in 1950, he was already 39, a compact, mustachioed figure who looked more like a friendly uncle than a professional athlete. Yet his baseball intelligence was immense. He didn't overpower hitters; he outthought them, using a deep arsenal of off-speed pitches and a deceptive windup. Marrero became a fan favorite and a reliable starter, representing a direct bridge from the rich baseball culture of Cuba to the American majors. His career, though brief in MLB, cemented his status as a national hero in Cuba, where he remained a beloved ambassador for the game until his death at 102.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Connie was born in 1911, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Connie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1911
Connie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1911Born
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1916Started school
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Became a teenager
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Could drive
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1929Could vote
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1932Turned 21
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1941Turned 30
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 40
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 50
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 60
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 70
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 80
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2014Died at 103
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Earned an All-Star selection in 1951 as a rookie for the Washington Senators at age 40.
- Pitched a complete-game, 3-hit shutout against the powerful Boston Red Sox in 1951.
- Posted a winning record (11-8) and a 3.90 ERA in his first full MLB season in 1951.
- Enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the Cuban winter leagues before and after his MLB stint.
Did You Know?
He was listed at 5'5" and 158 pounds, making him one of the smallest pitchers in MLB history.
Marrero lived to be 102 years old, becoming one of the oldest living former Major League players.
He was known for his unique, high-kicking pitching delivery.
After his baseball career, he worked as a youth coach and a physical education teacher in Cuba.
“I threw slow, slower, and slowest, and they still couldn't hit it.”
