Zoilo Versalles

Infobox MLB retired
name=Zoilo Versalles
position=Shortstop
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1939|12|18
Vedado, Cuba
deathdate=death date and age|1995|6|9|1939|12|18
city-state|Bloomington|Minnesota
debutdate=August 1
debutyear=by|1959
debutteam=Washington Senators
finaldate=September 28
finalyear=by|1971
finalteam=Atlanta Braves
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.242
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=95
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=471
teams=
* Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins (by|1959-by|1967)
* Los Angeles Dodgers (by|1968)
* Cleveland Indians (by|1969)
* Washington Senators (by|1969)
* Atlanta Braves (by|1971)
highlights=
* 2x All-Star selection (1963, 1965)
* 2x Gold Glove Award winner (1963, 1965)
* 1965 AL MVP

Zoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez (December 18 1939–June 9 1995) was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, considered to be a great fielder, a solid leadoff man, and a brilliant baserunner.Fact|date=September 2008 He was the sparkplug that led the 1965 Minnesota Twins to their first World Series. He was voted the American League Most Valuable Player in by|1965.

Versalles had a hard time adjusting to life in the U.S., and was eternally homesick for his native Cuba. In 1967 he was traded by Minnesota; leading to his decline as a major talent. From that point, Versalles went from team to team, until he formally retired in 1972. He was born in El Vedado, Havana, Cuba and died in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Versalles played for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins from 1959 through 1967, the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968, the Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators in 1969, and the Atlanta Braves in 1971. During his 1965 MVP season, he led the American League in at-bats, runs scored, doubles and triples. He had a batting average of .252 during his six years with the Twins. Baseball statistician/historian Bill James points out that Versalles' MVP season makes him the player with the fewest career win shares (134) to win an MVP award.JamesAbstract|pages=pp. 631-632] He had career totals of 1,046 hits, 564 runs, 86 homers, 401 RBI, and 84 stolen bases in 1,065 games. He was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2006.

Versalles is the subject of one of the most famous errors in baseball card history: his 1961 Topps card (#21) mistakenly spells his first name as "Zorro".

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* List of Major League Baseball triples champions

References

External links

*baseball-reference|id=v/versazo01
* [http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Versalle.Zoilo.Obit.html The Deadball Era]
* [http://www.cooloftheevening.com/zoilo_versalles.htm Biography from author of book on 1965 Minnesota Twins]