The injury-prone Calderon, a native Puerto Rican, was gunning for 1985 AL Rookie of the Year honors when he hurt his hand in August. Rated below-average defensively, he was sent by Seattle to the White Sox for catcher Scott Bradley the next June. In 1987 he hit 28 homers -- many of them tape-measure shots -- and led Chicago in ten offensive categories. But his 1988 season, already marred by a ribcage pull, was ended in July by surgery on his chronically ailing shoulder.
Calderon's power dropped off over the next few seasons, but he was a key member of the 1990 White Sox squad that won 94 games after finishing in last place the year before. Traded to Montreal in December 1990 as part of the deal that brought Tim Raines to Chicago, Calderon put together one of his best seasons for the Expos in 1991, batting .300 with 19 home runs, 75 RBIs and 31 steals in 134 games. He was finished with baseball, though, after hitting .209 in 82 games for Boston and the White Sox in 1993. (RL/AGL)
Contribute your recollections of Ivan Calderon by clicking here.
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»July 1, 1990: Yankees Andy Hawkins throws the season's 6th no-hitter, but still loses 4–0 to the White Sox. With two out in the bottom of the 8th, New York's Mike Blowers misplays Sosa's routine grounder for an error, and Hawkins walks two to load the bases. Outfielders Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield drop back-to-back fly balls to allow all four runs to score. Barfield loses Ivan Calderon's fly ball in the sun and the ball bounces off his mitt. Ken Johnson in 1964 was the last pitcher to lose a no-hitter.
»December 24, 1990: The Expos trade Tim Raines and a pair of minor leaguers to the White Sox for OF Ivan Calderon and reliever Barry Jones.
BALLPLAYERS | TEAMS | CHRONOLOGY | TODAY | BOOKS | NEWSLETTER | ERRATA | FAQ
