page_title: Francisco "Paquito" Montaner
section_title: Baseball career
hierarchical_section_title: Francisco "Paquito" Montaner / Baseball career
caption_attribution_description: English: Main Entrance to Paquito Montaner Stadium in Barrio Canas, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
context_page_description: Francisco Montaner García was a Puerto Rican pitcher from Ponce. He was the first baseball player to throw a "no-hitter" in Puerto Rican baseball, an event that took place on 10 December 1911. He is honored with the name of one of the largest stadiums in Puerto Rico, the professional baseball league's Francisco Montaner Stadium in Ponce. In 1955, he was inducted into the Puerto Rico Sports Hall of Fame and, in 1983, into the Galeria de los Inmortales del Deporte Ponceño.
context_section_description: Montaner García predated professional baseball in Puerto Rico, which was not organized until 1926. He was one of the greatest Puerto Rican pitchers of all times. He also played ball performing brilliantly as an infielder. Prior to this, he was responsible for raising the name of his alma mater Ponce High School to the summit of Puerto Rican sports.
  On one occasion Montaner García pitched two games on the same day without allowing the opposing team, Santurce's Central High School, to score a single run.  On another occasion Montaner scored all strikeouts against 15 batters in succession and, in 1914, Montaner eliminated the All-American team as he threw a no-hitter against a team made up exclusively of American players belonging mostly to major league teams. After this game, the All-American team extended Montaner an offer to play for their team.  Montaner's parents refused, however, given that Montaner was still a very young man. "Had the contract materialized, Montaner would have been the first Puerto Rican ever to have played in the major leagues with the New York Yankees, then known as the All-American team". On January 22, 1912, while playing for Ponce's Liga del Castillo, Montaner García threw another no-hitter against San Juan's Capital Pope team. Montaner García was a right-hand pitcher.
  Montaner García and his team, the Ponce Baseball Club, played at the Campo Atlético Charles H. Terry located on Calle Lolita Tizol in Ponce. Among the players in his team were Vicente Laborde, Octavio Rodriguez, "Ciqui" Faberlle, Carlos Bonet, Angel Pou, Cayetano Pou, Cosme Beitia, "Pellin" Alicea, Leopoldo Martinez and Lorenzo Roque. Montaner García retired from baseball in 1923 when he hurt his right arm.
caption: Main entrance to the stadium named after Francisco Montaner
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