Major League Baseball Player. For eight seasons (1971 to 1978), he played at the shortstop position with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Born Enzo Octavio Hernandez, he was scouted and signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent in 1967. He ended up with the San Diego Padres and marked his Major League debut with them on April 17th, 1971. As a rookie, he had the starting shortstop position secured and yielded a career-high 122 hits. Hernandez's greatest assets were his strong defense and speed, as he topped 20 stolen bases four-times including a career-high 37 in 1974. In 714 regular season games, he compiled 522 hits with a lifetime .224 batting average. Hernandez may be best remembered for the unique way the Padres' public announcer pronounced his name as he walked to home plate to bat. After retiring from baseball, he returned to his native Venezuela. In his later years, he suffered from health issues and died from an apparent suicide.
Major League Baseball Player. For eight seasons (1971 to 1978), he played at the shortstop position with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Born Enzo Octavio Hernandez, he was scouted and signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent in 1967. He ended up with the San Diego Padres and marked his Major League debut with them on April 17th, 1971. As a rookie, he had the starting shortstop position secured and yielded a career-high 122 hits. Hernandez's greatest assets were his strong defense and speed, as he topped 20 stolen bases four-times including a career-high 37 in 1974. In 714 regular season games, he compiled 522 hits with a lifetime .224 batting average. Hernandez may be best remembered for the unique way the Padres' public announcer pronounced his name as he walked to home plate to bat. After retiring from baseball, he returned to his native Venezuela. In his later years, he suffered from health issues and died from an apparent suicide.
Bio by: C.S.
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