Background
Santos Conde Alomar was born in the southern fishing town of Salinas, Puerto Rico, on October 19, 1943.
Santos Conde Alomar was born in the southern fishing town of Salinas, Puerto Rico, on October 19, 1943.
Even though he grew up to become an accomplished and well-known baseball player, very little has been documented about his early years. It is known that he was reared and went to school in the town of Salinas, where baseball was a family affair. Three of his brothers Rafael, Demetrio, and Antonio also played professional baseball in Puerto Rico's winter league.
Although baseball can be played year round on the island, winter November to February is considered the best season because winter is when local-hero baseball players come from the U.S. major leagues to play before island crowds. Alomar Sr. was an idol in Puerto Rico. He is one of the few players who reached 1,000 hits in his winter league career, and he was batting champion in 1970-1971. Throughout his career Alomar Sr. played every position but pitcher and catcher, and undoubtedly, was his sons' first baseball role model. He was known as a very disciplined player who took pride in his job.
During his five years as a second baseman with the California Angels, he played 648 consecutive games from 1969 to 1973, after having led the league with 689 at-bats. In 1971 he set a big league record by going to the plate 739 times (689 at-bats) without getting hit by a pitch. He was sold to New York in 1974; while playing for the New York Yankees, he led the American League in fielding at second base during the 1975 season. He stole 20 or more bases in seven seasons 227 during his career.
In 1978, to the disappointment of his sons, Alomar Sr. retired to his off-season home in Salinas, Puerto Rico, after his last season with the Texas Rangers. While living in Salinas he played in the winter league. Following his retirement as a major league player, he coached the Puerto Rican national team from 1979 to 1984. He joined the San Diego Padres as a minor league coach in 1985 and was a coach on the major league staff from 1986 to 1990. He has managed teams in Puerto Rico, most recently as the offseason general manager of the winter league San Juan club. He earned Manager of the Year honors with Santurce in 1986 and with Ponce in 1993.
He has served as the Chicago Cubs Latin coordinator (1991-1994) and the manager of the Cubs' short-season Fort Myers (Rookie) club (1995-1996). His face is painted on the outside wall of the Manuel González Baseball Stadium in Salinas, the park where all three of the Alomars played as amateurs. During the regular season, he is also a coach with the Padres, the team that initially signed his sons Roberto, an infielder, and Sandy Jr., a catcher. Their baseball careers have clearly benefited from their genetic lineage and a childhood spent in professional baseball parks. Alomar Sr. is currently the bullpen coach for the Chicago Cubs.
Alomar Sr. is remembered mostly as an infielder, but his ability and control as a switch-hitter were instrumental in his becoming a regular player with the White Sox in 1968.