June 30: On this date in 1915, Roberto Ortiz was born in Camaguay, Cuba.
The 6-foot-4 first baseman, El Gigante, "The Giant" as he was known in Cuba, played six major-league seasons -- mostly with the Washington Senators -- between 1941-50.
He was a star for Almendares in the Cuban League, so much so he was the subject of a 1952 movie, Honor y Gloria: La Vida de Roberto Ortiz, starring Ortiz as himself.
It's pretty cheesy, but it does have brief footage from actualy Cuban League games.
Ortiz died in Miami on Sept. 15, 1971 at the age of 56.
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