Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed "Baby Bull" who became a Hall of Famer after being among the early Puerto Rican stars in the major leagues, has died. He was 86. The San Francisco Giants and his family announced the death Friday night, and a moment of silence was held as the scoreboard at Oracle Park displayed his photo midway through a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cepeda died 10 days after Giants great Willie Mays, a teammate. "Man, what another gut punch," said Giants manager Bob Melvin, the AP reports. "Another just incredible personality and just beloved here."
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, "This beloved figure from Puerto Rico was one of the many players of his era who helped turn baseball into a multicultural game." Limited by knee issues, Cepeda became Boston's first designated hitter and credits his time as DH for getting him into the Hall of Fame in 1999. "Orlando Cepeda's unabashed love for the game of baseball sparkled during his extraordinary playing career, and later as one of the game's enduring ambassadors," said Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark. After his playing career ended, Cepeda was convicted in 1976 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, of smuggling marijuana and sentenced to five years in prison. That conviction probably played a part in his not being selected for the Hall of Fame sooner, per the AP.
Cepeda also played first base and outfield during his 17 seasons in the majors, beginning with the Giants. He also spent time with St. Louis, Atlanta, Oakland, Boston, and Kansas City. A seven-time All-Star who played in three World Series, Cepeda was the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year with San Francisco and NL MVP in 1967 with St. Louis. In 1961, Cepeda led the NL with 46 homers and 142 RBIs. He was a .297 career hitter with 379 home runs. It wasn't until after the 1973 season as DH that Cepeda could look back and appreciate all he had accomplished that year—along with the part he played in the sport's change. "I just did it," he said of learning the DH role. "Every day, I say to myself, how lucky I am to be born with the skills to play ball."
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