Orlando Cepeda
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Orlando Cepeda (born September 17, 1937) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and right-handed batter who played with the San Francisco Giants (1958-66), St. Louis Cardinals (1966-67), Atlanta Braves (1969-72), Oakland Athletics (1972), Boston Red Sox (1973) and Kansas City Royals (1974).
Cepeda was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His father, slugger Pedro Cepeda, was a baseball legend in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Some called Cepeda the Babe Ruth of Latin America. Pedro's nicknames were Perucho and The Bull. Orlando became known as Peruchin and Little Bull.
In his first season in 1958, Cepeda batted .312 with 25 home runs and 96 runs RBI, led the National League in doubles (38), and was named Rookie of the Year. In 1967, he was named the National League MVP by hitting .325 and driving in 111 RBIs. The Cardinals won the pennant that year and then went on to become World Champions by beating the Red Sox.
Cepeda was a 7-time All-Star (1959-64. 1967). He retired in 1975 after hitting a .297 BA with 379 homers and 1365 RBI in 17 seasons.
Cepeda faced problems with drugs during his playing career, specially during the period he was with the Giants. This, in turn, caused him to have an extremely difficult time getting voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. By the early 1990s, when his time of eligibility was beginning to run out, many Puerto Ricans, commons and celebrities alike, began to campaign for his induction. Many of his backers alleged that other members of the Hall of Fame had done things equal or worse than drug use and were still inducted. Some international celebrities, former teammates and others also joined in the campaign to have Cepeda elected. In 1996, his last year of eligibility by voting, he came within two votes of becoming elected. Finally, in 1999, he was elected by the Hall's Veterans Committee, joining along with Roberto Clemente as the only other Puerto Rican in Cooperstown.
Cepeda was recognized nationally for his humanitarian efforts as an ambassador for baseball. He served as an honorary spokesman for the Crohn's and Colitis foundation of America, and participated in Athletes against AIDS.
See also
External links
- Orlando Cepeda at:
- Baseball Hall of Fame (http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/cepeda_orlando.htm)
- Baseball Library (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/C/Cepeda_Orlando.stm)
- Baseball-Reference (http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cepedor01.shtml)
Categories: Baseball Hall of Fame | 1959 National League All-Stars | 1960 National League All-Stars | 1961 National League All-Stars | 1962 National League All-Stars | 1963 National League All-Stars | 1964 National League All-Stars | 1967 National League All-Stars | Atlanta Braves players | Boston Red Sox players | Kansas City Royals players | Oakland Athletics players | San Francisco Giants players | St. Louis Cardinals players | Major league first basemen | Major league designated hitters | Puerto Rican sportspeople | 1937 births