CARACAS, Venezuela -- Alfonso "Chico" Carrasquel, a former shortstop with the Chicago White Sox and one of Venezuela's most venerated baseball legends, died Thursday, hospital authorities said. He was 77.
Carrasquel, the third Venezuelan baseball player to make it to the major leagues, died of a cardiac arrest before arriving at a hospital, said Humberto Sarraga, public relations director of Caracas Clinics.
Carrasquel began his career in 1946 with Venezuela's Caracas Brewers. In 1950, he moved up to the major leagues to play with the Chicago White Sox.
The former All-Star shortstop remained with Chicago until 1955. He had 3,116 at bats with the White Sox during those five major league seasons, hitting .265 with 32 homers and 307 RBI.
Luis Aparicio, a fellow Venezuelan who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, replaced Carrasquel as the team's everyday shortstop. Carrasquel then went on to play three years with the Cleveland Indians.
Carrasquel, who was born on Jan. 23, 1928, in Caracas, worked during the 1980's as a sports commentator for the White Sox.
During his later years, he suffered from diabetes.