Jose Cruz José "Cheo" Cruz (Jose Cruz Sr.) (born August 8, 1947) is a former Major League Baseball player from Arroyo, Puerto Rico. A member of one of Puerto Rico's most famous baseball families, Cruz is the brother of former Major Leaguers Héctor and Cirilo Cruz and the father of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder José Cruz, Jr. Cruz' nickname is "Cheo", and many fans prefer to refer to him as Cheo Cruz. Cruz debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970. It was as a member of the Houston Astros, however, that he became a household name across Puerto Rico and the United States. He made the All-Star Game in 1980 and 1985. During his playing days, he was arguably the most famous baseball player (not counting the late Roberto Clemente) in Puerto Rico.
Cruz was traded to the New York Yankees in 1988, retiring at the end of the season. He had a total of 165 home runs and 1,077 RBI during his career, while hitting for a .284 batting average.
In 1992, José "Cheo" Cruz was honored by the Houston Astros, when the team retired his number, #25. Currently, he is the first base coach for the Astros.
In 2005, Jose Cruz agreed to be a coach for the team representing Puerto Rico in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, which was managed by Jose Oquendo, and included his own son, Jose Cruz, Jr..
