Antonio Muñoz (baseball)

Antonio Nicolás Muñoz Hernández (born January 17, 1949) is a Cuban former baseball player who spent his 24-year career as a first baseman in the Cuban National Series (SNB). Known as "El Gigante del Escambray" (The Giant of Escambray), he played with Azucareros, Las Villas, Sancti Spíritus, and Cienfuegos.

Muñoz won eight home run titles, and was the first player in the history of the National Series to reach 300 home runs. At the time of his retirement, he was the league's all-time leader in nine offensive statistics, including runs scored, doubles, home runs, total bases, walks and intentional walks. His career home run record stood until it was surpassed by Lazaro Junco in the 1980s.

Muñoz was selected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, and was awarded the Hero of the Republic of Cuba by Miguel Díaz-Canel in 2024. Historian Peter C. Bjarkman described Muñoz, along with national team star Agustín Marquetti, as Cuba's version of the M&M Boys (Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle). Sports Illustrated writer Ron Fimrite described him as a "left-handed Tony Pérez." After Major League Baseball manager Preston Gómez visited Cuba in 1977, he reportedly said that the only thing he wanted to take back with him was "that big hillbilly in my suitcase," referring to Muñoz.