René Cárdenas, the Dodgers first Spanish-language play-by-play broadcaster when they moved to Los Angeles, died on Sunday at age 96.
Cárdenas started with the Dodgers in 1958, and helped train Jaime Jarrín, who joined him in the booth one year later. After four years in Los Angeles, Cárdenas moved to the expansion Houston Colt .45s, and also called one year of games for the Texas Rangers before returning to call Dodgers games from 1982-1998.
Born in Managua, Nicaragua in 1930, Cárdenas covered several sports, including baseball, before moving to the United States.
From José de Jesus Ortiz at La Esquina:
“Rene was a true pioneer in our industry,” said Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrin, the legendary former Spanish voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “He played a predominant role in my start as a baseball broadcaster.
“I learned a lot from him and from Jose el Fat Garcia, both of the land of Ruben Dario. Rest in peace, my maestro and friend Chelito Cardenas.”
After the initial run with the Dodgers, Cárdenas called games for the Astros from 1962-75 and again in 2007-2008, including some television broadcasts in 2008. In 2024, he was inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame.
Per his profile in the Astros Hall of Fame: “During his illustrious career, Cardenas also called high-profile events in other sports, including the famous Muhammad Ali-Jimmy Ellis heavyweight boxing match that took place in the Astrodome in 1971.”
Cárdenas was a finalist last year for the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence by the Hall of Fame, but did not get inducted. He was also a finalist in 2011 and 2012, but his consideration for Cooperstown has been discussed for decades. Back in 1995, Kevin Baxter wrote about Cardenas and his Hall of Fame chances at the Los Angeles Times:
“It was an honor just to be nominated,” Cardenas says of his consideration for a place in baseball’s shrine. “There are a lot of people who would like to be in. It’s a very exclusive club.
“[But] I’d love to be elected while I’m alive, not after I’m dead. That’s no fun.”
Cárdenas was inducted into the broadcasters wing of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002 and is also in the Nicaragua Baseball Hall of Fame.
