debutleague hofdate finalyear death_date death_place bats birth_place debutyear hoflink hoftype position finalteam birth_date image article_title debutteam name throws
cuban league 2006 1926 31 october 1928 havana , cuba right cardenas , matanzas , cuba 1907 national baseball hall of fame national pitcher kansas city monarchs 19 march 1887 mendez_jose_1920 . jpg josé méndez
 almendares josé méndez right
josé méndez

josé de la caridad méndez -lrb- march 19 , 1887 -- october 31 , 1928 -rrb- was a cuban right-handed pitcher and manager in baseball 's negro leagues .
born in cárdenas , matanzas , he died at age 41 in havana .
known in cuba as `` el diamante negro '' -lrb- the `` black diamond '' -rrb- , he became a legend in his homeland .
he was one of the first group of players elected to the cuban baseball hall of fame in 1939 .
he was elected to the u.s. national baseball hall of fame in 2006 .
