René Cárdenas, the first Spanish-language play-by-play broadcaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers after the team moved to California, passed away on Sunday at the age of 96.
Los Angeles Dodgers, talks about pitching strategy, Los Angeles, California, 1959. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images) | Getty Images” />
Cárdenas began his career with the Dodgers in 1958, and he played a key role in training Jaime Jarrín, who joined him in the booth a year later. After four seasons in Los Angeles, he left to work for the expansion Houston Colt .45s, and later called games for the Texas Rangers for one year. He returned to the Dodgers booth from 1982 to 1998.
Born in Managua, Nicaragua in 1930, Cárdenas covered multiple sports, including baseball, before moving to the United States.
Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrín, the legendary former Spanish voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, paid tribute, saying, “Rene was a true pioneer in our industry. 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.”
During his initial run with the Dodgers, Cárdenas called games for the Astros from 1962 to 1975, and again in 2007 and 2008, including some television broadcasts in 2008. In 2024, he was inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame.
Over his illustrious career, Cárdenas also provided commentary for major events in other sports, including the famous Muhammad Ali–Jimmy Ellis heavyweight boxing match held at the Astrodome in 1971.
Cárdenas was a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence by the National Baseball Hall of Fame last year but did not win induction. He was also a finalist in 2011 and 2012, and his case for Cooperstown had been discussed for decades. In 1995, Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times wrote about Cárdenas and his Hall of Fame chances. Cárdenas reflected on his nomination: “It was an honor just to be nominated. 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 enshrined in the Nicaragua Baseball Hall of Fame.