René Cárdenas, a trailblazer in Spanish-language broadcasting for Major League Baseball, passed away at his home in Houston on Sunday at the age of 96, as confirmed by the Houston Astros on Monday.
Pioneering Career in Spanish-Language Broadcasting
Cárdenas made history in 1958 when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers after their move from Brooklyn, becoming the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history. He went on to call games for the Dodgers for 21 years, including the first Spanish-language broadcast of the World Series in 1959 and the All-Star Game in 1961.
The Dodgers paid tribute on social media, stating: "We mourn the passing of René Cárdenas, who in 1958 with the Dodgers became the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history and would ultimately spend 21 years behind the mic for Los Angeles."
Contributions to the Astros and Rangers
In 1961, the expansion Houston Colt .45s (renamed the Astros in 1965) hired Cárdenas for their inaugural 1962 season. He spent 14 seasons with the franchise, becoming a beloved voice in Houston's Hispanic community. The Astros released a statement: "With yesterday’s passing of Rene Cardenas, we lost a true legend and pioneer in broadcasting. As the franchise's first Spanish broadcaster, Rene had a tremendous impact on the success of the Colt .45s/Astros in Houston’s large Hispanic community and beyond."
After a brief return to his native Nicaragua in 1975, Cárdenas came back to MLB in 1981 as the first Spanish-language broadcaster for the Texas Rangers, according to former Rangers PR executive John Blake. He later rejoined the Dodgers for nearly two decades starting in 1982 and returned to the Astros in 2008 to become the first to call Astros games in Spanish on television.
Legacy Beyond Baseball
Cárdenas also broadcast other sports, including the Muhammad Ali-Jimmy Ellis heavyweight boxing match at the Astrodome in 1971. After retiring, he wrote for the Astros' Spanish-language website and La Prensa, a Nicaraguan newspaper.
His accolades include induction into the Nicaragua Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, the Broadcasters Wing of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Astros Baseball Media Wall of Honor in 2013.
René Cárdenas leaves behind a legacy as a pioneer who brought baseball to millions of Spanish-speaking fans across the United States and beyond.
