Salmon was born in Colón, Panama on December 3, 1940.[1] Salmon graduated from Abel Bravo High School in Colón, Panama where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and track. He later attended Abel Bravo College, where he also played baseball. It was as a college student that Salmon played for the Panamanian baseball team during the 1959 Pan-American Games in Venezuela. Shortly after playing in that tournament, Chico was signed by the Pacific Coast League's Denver club of the Milwaukee Braves organization.[2]
Major league baseball career
Salmon played for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) chiefly as a versatile utility player from 1964 to 1968, both in the outfield and infield. In his rookie year his batting average was .307 in 283 at bats. The most playing time he got with the Indians was 126 games in 1966 (hitting .256 in 422 at bats), playing 90 games or less in his other three seasons. He earned the nickname "Super Sub" in Cleveland.[1][3]
Salmon was selected by the Seattle Pilots in the expansion draft following the 1968 season,[4] but was acquired by the Orioles for Gene Brabender and Gordon Lund on March 31, 1969.[5] He played for the Orioles from 1969 to 1972, retiring after that year. Never a starting level player, he did become the Orioles primary utility player, eventually playing all four infield positions.[3] The most he played was in 1970 (63 games and 172 at bats), never playing in more than 52 games any other year or having more than 91 at bats. His highest Orioles average was .297 in 1969.[1] On August 16, 1969, game against the Pilots, Salmon has the best game of his career, going 4 for 4, with two home runs, and 6 RBI.[3]
The Orioles were American League champions from 1969 to 1971, winning the 1970 World Series over the Cincinnati Reds.[6] In game 2 of the 1970 World Series, Salmon had a critical pinch hit single and scored a run.[7]
Salmon was not particularly well known for his fielding. While he was still with the team, the Orioles had a mock award named the Chico Salmon No Touch Award "to recognize fielding prowess that had all the deftness of a rhinoceros knitting," according to Jim Palmer.[8] He was, however, widely known for his belief in ghosts which caused him to always sleep with the lights on.[9] He had to confront this fear during his 1964 army service, where he could not sleep with lights on, but he never really overcame it later in life.[3]
He retired with a career .249 average, 31 home runs, 202 runs scored and 149 RBI.[1]
Post-career and death
After retiring, he moved to Cleveland and did social work with youth at the Lincoln Recreation Center, discouraging drug abuse. He later returned to Panama, did some baseball scouting there, and also managed the Panamanian team in the World Amateur Baseball Series.[3]
He died from a heart attack on September 17, 2000, at the age of 59.[10]
