Orlando Cepeda, a Hall of Famer who was one of the first Puerto Ricans to play in the major leagues, has died at the age of 86.
The San Francisco Giants and his family announced his death on Friday evening, and a minute of silence was held at Oracle Stadium during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His wife, Nydia, said in a statement issued through the team: “Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones.” “We are relieved that he is at peace.”
Cepeda’s death comes just ten days after fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays died at the age of 93.
“Man, what a hit,” said New York Giants manager Bob Melvin, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area cheering for the team. “Another incredible, beloved character right here. A statue in front of us. The numbers he’s put up, there’s a lot of legends here and he’s definitely in the middle of that. To be so close to Willie, it’s kind of amazing.”
Cepeda, a slow baserunner nicknamed “Baby Bull,” played for the Giants as well as St. Louis, Atlanta, Oakland, Boston, and Kansas City. In the spring of 1969, Cepeda was traded by the Cardinals to the Braves for Joe Torre.
Cepeda, a seven-time All-Star who played in three World Series, was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1958 with San Francisco and the NL MVP in 1967 with St. Louis.
“Orlando Cepeda’s unwavering love for baseball shone through his extraordinary playing career and later as one of the game’s most enduring ambassadors,” said Hall of Fame President Jane Forbes Clark. “We will miss his brilliant smile at Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, where his spirit will forever shine, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Cepeda family.”
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