Jose " Joe " Olivares ( born August 1 , 1906 in La Habana , Cuba ) was a professional baseball shortstop . 9 of his 14 professional seasons , from 1927 to 1935 , were spent with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association . According to Milwaukee Journal reporter Sam Levy , Olivares was the first Cuban star in the American Association . In 1930 he won the American Association Most Valuable Player Award as the Colonels were surprise contenders for the American Association Championship . He had a batting average of .296 and a slugging percentage of .414 that season . He partnered with future Hall of Famer Billy Herman at second base to form the Colonels ' double play combination that season , and 1920 World Series hero Bill Wambsganss was also a second baseman on that team . Olivares was noted for his defense at shortstop . Levy considered him the " game 's greatest exponent of the hidden ball trick . " With the Chattanooga Lookouts in 1936 , Olivares successfully used the hidden ball trick seven times . In 1936 former Major Leaguer Jimmy Adair , who played second base for the Colonels with Olivares from 1932 to 1935 , claimed that Olivares would be one of the top four defensive shortstops in the Majors , stating that while Leo Durocher was probably the best , Olivares " does not have to take a back seat to him . " Adair also expressed surprise that Olivares had not been picked up by a Major League team . In 1934 , Olivares and Adair had a collision behind second base as a result of which both had to be hospitalized
American Association Most Valuable Player Award
American Association (20th century) Most Valuable Player Award
Joe Olivares