fell in his final three years in Cleveland to .224, .268, and .253 respectively. In 1957, Harry Grayson wrote a syndicated column on "The Sudden Fall of Bobby Avila", a matter that was "a national calamity in Mexico." Cleveland manager Kerby Farrell observed: "They just pitch Avila close to the hands and nothing happens. The ball no longer travels when he hits it." In his final season in the major leagues, he played for three different teams. He was traded by the Indians on December 2, 1958, to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Russ Heman and $30,000. He was shifted to right field by the Orioles, starting nine games at the position. He compiled a .170 batting average in 47 at bats. On May 21, 1959, the Orioles sold Ávila to the Boston Red Sox. He returned to second base and hit .244 in 45 at bats for Boston. On July 21, 1959, the Red Sox sold Ávila to the Milwaukee Braves. In his first game for the Braves, he hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning for a Milwaukee victory. He started 45 games at second base for the Braves and hit .238 in 172 at bats. Dealt three times in the last season of his career, Ávila returned to Mexico for the 1960 season. In his final season as a professional baseball player, he played for the Mexico City Tigers, compiled a .333 batting average and set a Mexican League record with 124 walks. Career statistics In 11 major league seasons, Ávila compiled a .281 batting average and a .359 on-base percentage with 1,296 hits, 80 home runs, 467 RBIs, 725 runs, 185 doubles, 35 triples, and 78 stolen bases in 1,300 games. Later years and legacy As the first Mexican-born player to have success in Major League Baseball, Ávila became a national hero in Mexico. Fernando Valenzuela said: "Everyone knows who Avila was in Mexico. He was an inspiration, of course, for Mexican ballplayers to follow to the States and play in the major leagues." Hall of Fame broadcaster called Ávila "a tremendous source of pride for the Mexican ballplayers." The Estadio Universitario Beto Ávila in Veracruz was named in his honor. After retiring from baseball, Ávila purchased the Veracruz Eagles and later became president of the Mexican League. In 1971, he was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1980,