For two or three years I’ve been trying to figure out whether or not Luis Padrón batted or threw lefthanded, as the reference books say he did. It’s absolutely clear that Juan Padrón was a lefty; but I’ve yet to see a contemporary reference to Luis Padrón that confirms his lefthandedness, whether in Cuban or U.S. newspapers. In the 1900s and 1910s, lefthanded pitchers, particularly those who received a fair amount of newspaper coverage, were almost always singled out at some point as southpaws; the fact that I’ve never seen this in Padrón’s case is pretty suggestive, as is his frequent play at second and third base. Scott Simkus, who has also investigated Padrón’s U.S career, has told me he thinks “the odds are 95% he was righty/righty.”
Now we are indebted to César López, who has provided this photograph, from a 1917 number of Carteles magazine, of Luis Padrón in a right-handed pitching stance, glove on his left hand, ball in his right.
It’s true that there are no cues here that would absolutely prove that the photo wasn’t accidentally reversed: the team name printed on the uniform would be the most convenient. I’m pretty sure it was not (Luis Padrón was a well-known player), but you never know.
If you haven’t already, check out the photo in this post of Padrón posing as a right-handed batter.
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