Orlando Cepeda poses for a photo in 1970. He is 86 years old.
AP/Associated Press
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AP/Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed “Little Bull” who became a Hall of Famer and one of the early Puerto Ricans to rise to prominence in the major leagues, has died. He is 86 years old.
The San Francisco Giants and his family announced his death on Friday night, with his photo on the scoreboard and a moment of silence during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park.
“Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully tonight at home, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones,” his wife Nydia said in a statement released through the team. “He is at peace now and we take comfort in that. “
It’s been a heartbreaking month for the Giants, as Cepeda’s death comes on the heels of Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who died 10 days ago on June 18 at the age of 93 .
“Man, that’s another kick in the butt,” said Giants coach Bob Melvin, who grew up in the Bay Area and cheered on the team. “Another incredible personality who is loved here. There’s a statue out front. From what he’s gotten, there are a lot of legends here and he’s definitely among them. It’s so close to Willie, it’s Kind of shocking.
Cepeda was a regular at Giants home games during the 2017 season until he encountered some health issues. In February 2018, he was hospitalized in the Bay Area after suffering a heart attack.
One of the first Puerto Rican stars to reach the major leagues, but limited by knee problems, he became Boston’s first designated hitter and thanks to his experience as a DH, he was drafted by the Veterans Committee in 1999. Enter the Hall of Fame.
“Orlando Cepeda’s unabashed love for the game of baseball shone through throughout his extraordinary career, and he went on to become one of the game’s enduring ambassadors,” said Hall of Fame President Jane Forbes Clark. “We will miss his wonderful smile at Cooperstown Hall of Fame Weekend, his spirit will always shine through and our deepest sympathies go out to the Cepeda family.”
When the Red Sox called Cepeda in December 1972 to ask if he would be their first designated hitter, the unemployed player accepted on the spot.
“Boston called me and asked me if I was interested in being Surgeon General, and I said yes,” Cepeda recalled in an interview with The Associated Press in 2013 on the occasion of the Department of Health’s 40th anniversary. “The DH put me in the Hall of Fame. This rule put me in the Hall of Fame.
He had no idea what it would mean for his career, admitting, “I didn’t know anything about DH.” The experiment worked so well for Cepeda, who played in 142 games that season — which The second-to-last of his 17-year major league career. The Athletics acquired Cepeda from Atlanta on June 29, 1972, but waived him a few months later.
On May 8, 2013, a ceremony was held at Fenway Park to celebrate Cepeda’s appointment as the designated hitter. The Red Sox invited him to the first home series of the season, but his former Giants also paid tribute to the defending World Series champions.
“It means a lot,” Cepeda said at the time. “Amazing. Just when you think it’s over, it’s just the beginning.
He said then-A’s owner Charlie Finley sent him a telegram asking him to call him within 24 hours or he would be released. Cepeda failed to meet the deadline and was fired in December 1972. game. Cepeda was placed on the disabled list with a left knee injury. He had a total of 10 knee surgeries, which sidelined him for four years.
Cepeda served as a first baseman and outfielder before joining Baseball’s designated hitter class under the American League’s new rules.
“They said it would only be three years,” he said. “People still don’t like the idea of the Department of Health. They say it won’t last long.
The addition of the DH opens up new opportunities for Cepeda and other players of his era who can still produce at the plate later in their careers but no longer play with the defensive precision of their primes.
Cepeda is excited for another opportunity.
He hit .289 with 20 home runs and 86 RBIs in 1973, and started strong in April with a .333 average and five home runs. In August, he drove in 23 games and earned DH of the Year honors. On August 8 in Kansas City, Cepeda had four doubles.
“It was one of the best years,” Cepeda recalled, “because I was hitting .289 with one leg. I had four doubles in one game. Both of my knees were broken. Injured, I was named batsman of the year.
Cepeda beat out Baltimore’s Tommy Davis (.306, 7 homers, 89 RBIs) and Minnesota’s Tony Oliva (.291, 16 homers, 92 RBIs) for the DH top spot honor.
“Winning this award was not easy for me,” Cepeda said. “They had some great years.”
Cepeda knew little English when he entered the minor leagues in the mid-1950s, making him one of the first Spanish-speaking players to enter a different culture, play professional baseball, build a new life and send money back home.
As long as he can overcome the daunting challenges off the field, it’s an opportunity to succeed in the sport he loves.
Earlier, a manager told Cepeda to return home to Puerto Rico and learn English before returning to the United States to continue his career.
“The first year I came here, everything was new and surprising to me,” Cepeda recalled in a 2014 interview with The Associated Press. “When I came to Virginia, I was there for a month and my dad passed away. My dad said, ‘I want to see my son play professional basketball,’ and he was there when I played No. 1 at Virginia. Passed away the day before a game.
“From there I went to Puerto Rico, and when I came back here, I had to come back because we had no money, and my mother said, ‘You have to go back and send me money, we didn’t have money to eat,'” he said.
Cepeda continues to be inspired to see so many young players from Latin America coming to the U.S. with better English skills, thanks in large part to the increased emphasis by all 30 major league organizations on playing through the Dominican Republic. Such training is provided at academies in the Republic of Canada and Venezuela.
English classes are also offered to young players during spring training and spring extensions, as well as at all levels of the minor leagues.
“Orlando overcame a lifetime of challenges to build a Hall of Fame career,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Orlando was a beloved player from Puerto Rico. was one of many players of his era who helped make baseball a multicultural sport.
He also has his troubles.
In May 2007, Cepeda was arrested after being pulled over for speeding after police found drugs in the car.
California Highway Patrol troopers arrested Cepeda after finding a “usable” amount of a white powdery substance, possibly methamphetamine or cocaine, along with marijuana and a syringe.
After his career ended, Cepeda was sentenced to five years in prison in 1976 for marijuana smuggling in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
This belief may be one of the reasons he was not elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Cepeda was eventually elected in 1999 by the Veterans Council.
Cepeda played first base in 17 major league seasons, starting with the Giants. He also spent time in St. Louis, Atlanta, Oakland, Boston and Kansas City. In the spring of 1969, Cepeda was traded from the Cardinals to the Braves for Joe Torre.
Cepeda was a seven-time All-Star and appeared in three World Series, winning the 1958 National League Rookie of the Year award with San Francisco and the 1967 National League MVP with St. Louis, which the city was sad to watch. By the time he was part of the trade that brought Torre to the United States. In 1961, Cepeda led the National League with 46 home runs and 142 RBIs. Cepeda was a .297 career hitter with 379 home runs.
It wasn’t until after the 1973 DH season that Cepeda was able to look back and appreciate everything he accomplished that year, as well as the important role he played in history and how the sport had changed.
“That’s what I did,” he said of studying the Department of Health. “Every day, I tell myself how lucky I am to be born with the skill to play.”
