Orlando Cepeda, the Hall of Fame baseball player who was the first designated hitter in Boston Red Sox history, died Friday at the age of 86.The Puerto Rico native nicknamed "Baby Bull" and "Cha-Cha" was plagued by chronic knee problems throughout his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, but still finished with a career .297 batting average, 379 home runs, 1,365 runs batted in, and 11 All-Star Game selections.Shortly after the American League voted in December 1972 to adopt the designated hitter rule, the Red Sox called Cepeda to inquire whether he’d like to be their first DH. Cepeda, who was coming off a tough season, accepted the job on the spot.“Boston called and asked me if I was interested in being the DH, and I said yes,” Cepeda recalled in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press in the 40th year of the DH. “The DH got me to the Hall of Fame. The rule got me to the Hall of Fame.”Cepeda played just one season with the Red Sox and batted .289 with 25 doubles, 20 home runs and 86 RBI, earning MLB's inaugural Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in 1973."We join our baseball family in mourning the loss of Orlando Cepeda, who gave so much to the game," the Red Sox posted on social media. "Our thoughts are with the Cepeda family."Cepeda played his first eight-plus major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants, splitting time between left field and first base. He was unanimously named National League Rookie of the Year at the age of 20 after batting .312 with 25 homers and 96 RBI.In 1961, Cepeda led the NL with 46 home runs and 142 RBI, becoming the first foreign-born player post-1800 to lead his league in home runs. He finished second in the Most Valuable Player vote.Cepeda helped the Giants win the National League pennant in 1962 and he continued to perform at an All-Star level until 1965, when he injured his right knee diving for a ball in left field.He played alongside fellow Giants legend Willie Mays, who died 10 days before Cepeda at the age of 93.“Man, what another gut punch,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin, who grew up in the Bay Area cheering for the team. “Another just incredible personality and just beloved here. Statue out front. The numbers he put up, there are a lot of legends here and he’s certainly right in the middle of that. To have it so close in proximity to Willie, it’s kind of staggering.”The Giants traded Cepeda to the St. Louis Cardinals in May 1966 after he appeared in just 19 games for San Francisco early in the season. Following the trade, Cepeda hit .303 in 123 games for the Cardinals.Cepeda then helped St. Louis win the 1967 World Series title, as the Cardinals defeated the Red Sox in seven games following Boston's "Impossible Dream" run to the Fall Classic.He batted .325 with 25 home runs and a National League-leading 111 RBI. Those numbers won Cepeda the 1967 NL MVP award by a unanimous vote, becoming the first unanimous NL MVP since 1936.Despite helping the Cardinals win a second straight National League pennant in 1968, Cepeda was traded to the Atlanta Braves the following year for Joe Torre, who went on to win the 1971 NL MVP with St. Louis and was later elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 2014.Cepeda played for six different teams in his major league career: the Giants (1958-1966), Cardinals (1966-68), Braves (1969-72), Oakland Athletics (1972), Red Sox (1973) and Kansas City Royals (1974).He was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 by the Veterans Committee.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
BOSTON — Orlando Cepeda, the Hall of Fame baseball player who was the first designated hitter in Boston Red Sox history, died Friday at the age of 86.
The Puerto Rico native nicknamed "Baby Bull" and "Cha-Cha" was plagued by chronic knee problems throughout his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, but still finished with a career .297 batting average, 379 home runs, 1,365 runs batted in, and 11 All-Star Game selections.
Shortly after the American League voted in December 1972 to adopt the designated hitter rule, the Red Sox called Cepeda to inquire whether he’d like to be their first DH. Cepeda, who was coming off a tough season, accepted the job on the spot.
“Boston called and asked me if I was interested in being the DH, and I said yes,” Cepeda recalled in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press in the 40th year of the DH. “The DH got me to the Hall of Fame. The rule got me to the Hall of Fame.”
Cepeda played just one season with the Red Sox and batted .289 with 25 doubles, 20 home runs and 86 RBI, earning MLB's inaugural Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in 1973.
"We join our baseball family in mourning the loss of Orlando Cepeda, who gave so much to the game," the Red Sox posted on social media. "Our thoughts are with the Cepeda family."
Getty ImagesLouis Requena/MLB
Orlando Cepeda of the Boston Red Sox poses for a 1973 season portrait.
Cepeda played his first eight-plus major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants, splitting time between left field and first base. He was unanimously named National League Rookie of the Year at the age of 20 after batting .312 with 25 homers and 96 RBI.
In 1961, Cepeda led the NL with 46 home runs and 142 RBI, becoming the first foreign-born player post-1800 to lead his league in home runs. He finished second in the Most Valuable Player vote.
Cepeda helped the Giants win the National League pennant in 1962 and he continued to perform at an All-Star level until 1965, when he injured his right knee diving for a ball in left field.
He played alongside fellow Giants legend Willie Mays, who died 10 days before Cepeda at the age of 93.
“Man, what another gut punch,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin, who grew up in the Bay Area cheering for the team. “Another just incredible personality and just beloved here. Statue out front. The numbers he put up, there are a lot of legends here and he’s certainly right in the middle of that. To have it so close in proximity to Willie, it’s kind of staggering.”
Getty ImagesFred Hermansky/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal
Orlando Cepeda and Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants are pictured before a game against the New York Mets at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York, on Sept. 11. 1963.
The Giants traded Cepeda to the St. Louis Cardinals in May 1966 after he appeared in just 19 games for San Francisco early in the season. Following the trade, Cepeda hit .303 in 123 games for the Cardinals.
Cepeda then helped St. Louis win the 1967 World Series title, as the Cardinals defeated the Red Sox in seven games following Boston's "Impossible Dream" run to the Fall Classic.
He batted .325 with 25 home runs and a National League-leading 111 RBI. Those numbers won Cepeda the 1967 NL MVP award by a unanimous vote, becoming the first unanimous NL MVP since 1936.
Getty Images
Orlando Cepeda of the St. Louis Cardinals and Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox stand together before the start of Game 2 of the 1967 World Series on Oct. 5, 1967. Cepeda went on to win the 1967 National League Most Valuable Player award while Yastrzemski went on to win the 1967 American League MVP award.
Despite helping the Cardinals win a second straight National League pennant in 1968, Cepeda was traded to the Atlanta Braves the following year for Joe Torre, who went on to win the 1971 NL MVP with St. Louis and was later elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 2014.
Cepeda played for six different teams in his major league career: the Giants (1958-1966), Cardinals (1966-68), Braves (1969-72), Oakland Athletics (1972), Red Sox (1973) and Kansas City Royals (1974).
He was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 by the Veterans Committee.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
