1968 Profile: Ruben Amaro

"It took Ruben Amaro much of the early spring of 1967 to regain his old fluidity at shortstop, but once he did, he glued the Yankee infield together. There may be shortstops around who hit for a better average and have more flat-away speed, but none is more picturesque than Ruben gliding for a ground ball or light-footing it over the bag on a double play. At the plate, he settled for a .233 mark, but there was a spell at mid-season when he was as high as .276.
Ruben spent six seasons with the Phillies - four of them as their No. 1 shortstop - before being traded to the Yankees after the 1965 season. Early in '66, though, he tore a ligament in his right knee in an outfield spill and missed virtually the whole year. Now he's back in step again."

-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1968

"After missing practically the whole of the '66 season because a knee injury, shortstop Ruben Amaro had a rough time early last year getting his knees to do what he wanted. He had played a lot of games in '65, but few of them at shortstop, the position at which he had won a Gold Glove defensive award with the Phillies in '64.
In exhibition games, Amaro lacked range, booted the ball and threw wild. He was, he says, just plain terrible and amazed that he was still around after the cutdown date. Ruben credits Ralph Houk for his comeback because Houk was patient a little longer than most managers would be.
Convinced that he couldn't play any worse without the knee brace he was wearing, Amaro discarded it and went for broke. Overnight everything seemed to come back at once - his coordination, his timing and his fluid rhythm. Even his bat came alive; when he became a regular he surprised the team with his hitting. At one point in the season his average was .280.
Amaro, who is the son of an outstanding Mexican outfielder and manager, has lived in Veracruz and Philadelphia during recent off-seasons. He is the father of two boys, David (5) and Ruben, Jr. (2).
A good, steady performer whose comeback stabilized the infield last year, Amaro will be a big factor in stiffening the Yankee defense. He is adept at all four infield positions."

-The New York Yankees Official 1968 Yearbook

"1967 was a crucial season for Ruben as he was attempting to come back from a knee injury incurred in the fifth game of the 1966 campaign. Unsteady at first, he finally won the regular shortstop spot on May 14 and never lost top priority. Recovered fully from the injury, Ruben wound up second in the American League in fielding for shortstops with a .973 mark.
He also got off to a great start with the bat. Through June 13 he was probably the most consistent hitter on the club, having a .283 average at that point. He missed getting a hit in only seven of his first 29 games.
Ruben was acquired by the Yankees from the Phillies in November 1965 in exchange for Phil Linz. While with the Phillies in 1964, he received the Gold Glove Award as the [best] fielding shortstop in the National League. His father, Santos Amaro, was a star outfielder and manager in Cuba and Mexico."

-1968 New York Yankees Press-Radio-TV Guide