Luis Aparicio Ortega (August 28, 1912 – January 1, 1971) was a Venezuelan professional baseball personality for 40 years, serving as a player, coach, field manager, and club organizer. Aparicio was the father of National Baseball Hall of Fame member Luis Aparicio; both father and son were inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame. To distinguish him from his son, the elder Aparicio is known by the nickname El Grande (lit. "The Elder" or "The Great One").

Born and raised in Maracaibo, Zulia, Aparicio came from a family whose name is synonymous with baseball in Venezuela. He was the son of Leónidas Aparicio and Adelina Ortega, who introduced their children to sport activities within the local community at an early age. As a result, the young Luis excelled both in soccer and track and field before deciding to play baseball. His older brother Ernesto developed into a successful baseball manager, coach and team owner, while his son Luis Jr. spent 18 years in the Major Leagues and is a Baseball Hall of Fame member.

Aparicio was never a dominant hitter, but his defense was what made him successful. He is regarded as a notable Venezuelan shortstop of his era. He was known for his range, smooth hands, and a quick and strong arm, while showing his ability to make plays on the move and throw base runners out from all over the infield. He has been described as an intelligent player that possessed exceptional baseball sense and instincts to anticipate the play.

Engaged in any sport activities as a teenager, Aparicio Sr. was introduced to the soccer environment in the late 1920s, playing as a forward for several First Division clubs of Caracas and Maracaibo, but devoted himself to baseball when he was hired to play in the National Baseball Series tournament, where he performed for seven different teams in eleven seasons spanning 1931–1945. A few years before, in 1928, he had founded with his brother Ernesto the baseball team Los Muchachos (The Boys), which was later renamed Gavilanes de Maracaibo. Over time, the Gavilanes (Sparrowhawks) would become the most successful team in Zulian Professional Baseball annals, winning 15 of 20 summer tournaments held between 1932 and 1957.

In between, Aparicio was signed by the Tigres del Licey club of the now extinct Dominican Republic Summer League in 1934, becoming the first Venezuelan ballplayer to play professionally outside of his country. He also gained international exposure as a member of the Venezuela national baseball team during the 1942 Baseball World Cup tournament played in Havana, Cuba.

Although he never appeared in a Major League game, Aparicio received an offer to play for the Washington Senators in 1938 that he could not achieve. At the time, he was walking in the aftermath of a hernia surgery and subsequent operations needed to address complications from previous hernia surgeries.

Following his recovery, Aparicio joined the Navegantes del Magallanes club to become a founding member of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in its inaugural season. The first game of the new league took place on Saturday 12 January 1946 at Cervecería Caracas Stadium, as Magallanes defeated the Patriotas de Venezuela, 5–2, behind a strong pitching performance by big leaguer Alejandro Carrasquel. The first batter in that game was Aparicio, who promptly lined a solid base hit into right field and later scored the first run, becoming the first player to collect both the first hit and run scored in Venezuelan League history.

Aparicio became part of the Sabios de Vargas for the next six campaigns, hitting a career-high .322 average in the 1946–47 season, while leading his team to the Championship title. He retired from active play with Gavilanes in 1953. In a symbolic gesture during the team's home opener, he led off as the first hitter of the game. Aparicio turned to face Howie Fox of the Lácteos de Pastora, then, after taking the first pitch, had Aparicio Jr. take his place at bat. This was the first professional appearance of Aparicio Jr., who previously had served as batboy for his father's team.