In the States, he is Tony Pérez; in the Caribbean, Tany Pérez. He was inducted in the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame (1996); Caribbean Series Hall of Fame (1998); and, Cooperstown (2000). Part IV ended with the 1979-80 Puerto Rico Winter League (PRWL) finals between Santurce and Bayamón. Part V focuses on:
- Tony’s 1980-86 MLB seasons
- 1982-83 PRWL season with Santurce
- 1990 World Series ring as Cincinnati coach
- NL manager with Cincinnati and Florida
- Awards and honors.
Phil Cola’s SABR bio of Tony, at: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/tony-perez/ has other details.
Don Zimmer and 1980 Boston Red Sox
Don Zimmer was fired on October 1, 1980, with Boston at 82-73. Zimmer, a Cincinnati native, managed Boston to a 411-304 (.575 PCT) record since 1976. His last visit to Puerto Rico was for a 1979-80 ceremony honoring Santurce’s 1954-55 Caribbean Series champions, which included Bob Thurman (RF), Willie Mays (CF), Roberto Clemente (LF); Zimmer (SS), pitchers Rubén Gómez, Bill Greason and Sam Jones…Zimmer was MVP, February 10-15, 1955 Caribbean Series in Caracas with a .385 AVG, .808 SLG, 3 HR and 4 RBI, in six games.
The author interviewed (coach) Zimmer pre-1992 Red Sox spring training game. Zimmer managed Johnny Bench, 19-year old catcher with 1967-68 San Juan Senators, before he [Zimmer] was fired that winter. “Johnny [Bench] was just a kid who improved a lot with San Juan but Tony—with 1967-68 Santurce—was a proven big-league hitter,” said Zimmer. “Tony was our best power and clutch hitter, my last [1980] season managing Boston.”
Per Miguel Dupouy Gómez’s blog https://beisbolinmortal.blogspot.com/2020/07/tany-perez-un-bateador-decisivo-y.html, Tony had a 17-game hit streak in 1980. On April 16, he went 4-for-4 versus Sparky Anderson’s Detroit Tigers. Tony drilled a HR versus Milwaukee, May 31, following Carlton Fisk’s blast, pre-Butch Hobson’s homer, for a back-to-back-to-back trifecta. Tony led the 1980 Red Sox in HR/RBI.
Table I: 1980 Boston Red Sox Position Players/Top Reserves
| Player | Pos | AVG | HR | RBI |
| Carlton Fisk# | C | .289 | 18 | 62 |
| Tony Pérez# | 1B | .275 | 25 | 105 |
| Dave Stapleton | 2B | .321 | 7 | 45 |
| Glenn Hoffmann | 3B/UT | .285 | 4 | 42 |
| Rick Burleson | SS | .278 | 8 | 51 |
| Jim Rice# | LF | .294 | 24 | 86 |
| Fred Lynn | CF | .301 | 12 | 61 |
| Dwight Evans | RF | .266 | 18 | 60 |
| Carl Yastrzemski# | DH | .275 | 15 | 50 |
| Jim Dwyer | OF | .285 | 9 | 38 |
| Butch Hobson | 3B | .228 | 11 | 39 |
#Cooperstown inductees. Source: https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1980.shtml
Tony turns 40 with Boston
Boston went 59-49, in 1981 strike-season. In 1982, they were 89-73, behind Milwaukee (95-67) and Baltimore (94-68). Ralph Houk managed Tony, 1981 and 1982. Tony competed against Sparky Anderson’s Detroit Tigers and Earl Weaver’s Baltimore Orioles, his skippers with Cincinnati (1970-76) and Santurce (1966-68). In 1982, 40-year old Tony got MLB career hit #2,500 off LHP Bob McClure of Milwaukee at County Stadium, July 2.
Boston teammate, 23-year old rookie Wade Boggs, starred for 1981-82 Bayamón Cowboys (.354 AVG). The author interviewed Boggs in 1992, same day he conversed with Zimmer. Boggs lived in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, three years, when his dad was stationed at Ramey Air Force Base, early 1960s. Boggs had pleasant PRWL memories, playing alongside SS Dickie Thon, batting title winner. (Boggs did not have required AB.)
Bayamón’s Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium became home to the Crabbers, 1982-83. Santurce owner Poto Paniagua was rewarded when 200,414 fans paid to see first-place Crabbers play 31 home games. Luis Tiant (age 41) and Tony (age 40) were two Cuban legends on Santurce’s roster, one with Eduardo Figueroa, first Puerto Rico-born MLB 20-game winner (1978 Yankees). LHP Ken Dayley started, as did White Sox prospect Reggie Patterson. The bullpen was anchored by José Alvarez; Guillermo “Willie” Hernández, 1984 AL MVP and Cy Young winner; Mark Brown, Carlos Díaz and Mark Smith.
Pat Tabler, Santurce IF, called Tony the “most influential guy on the team for his leadership abilities.” Tiant was another veteran Tabler looked up to. He once asked Tiant how he could still pitch so well past 40. Tiant ate a daily rattlesnake concoction, powdery thing, that if sprinkled on food, could prolong one’s career. Tabler took one sniff of it, licked and tasted it, before throwing it away.
Santurce was no-hit by Bayamón’s Andy Hawkins, November 2, 1983. Tony Pérez Day was held at Loubriel, December 12. Tony, his wife Pituka, sons Víctor and Eduardo, and teammates, enjoyed gift giving and other amenities. Tiant, with relief help from Willie Hernández, bested Bayamón. In mid-December, Santurce traded Rogelio Moret to Caguas for a player to be named later. Tony and Juan José Beníquez—1977 Gold Glove winner with Texas—were the only Crabbers left from their 1972-73 championship team. Dayley started, and won, the League All-Star Game for the Metro squad (Caguas, Santurce, San Juan) versus the Island team—Arecibo, Mayagüez and Ponce. Iván de Jesús, Crabbers SS, got the game-winning hit, in the Metros 3-2 victory.
Tony’s last Santurce regular season game was January 17, 1983. His three RBI against Ponce were decisive in that first-place tie-breaker, a 7-6 win, behind Figueroa and Dayley. Tony got a standing ovation. “Poto Paniagua was great…gave me the opportunity to play for Santurce as a veteran and I wanted to do something for him and the Santurce franchise,” said Tony. “Puerto Rico had helped me a lot and I owe a debt to the Island and its fine people.” Tony went 49-for-169, a .290 AVG, 6 HR, 30 RBI, his last Crabbers season.
Arecibo bested Santurce in six semi-final games, with a January 25, 1983, series-ending 9-6 win. They won the 1983 Caribbean Series in Venezuela. Carlos Lezcano recalled: “A number of us [Candy Maldonado, Onix Concepción, René Quiñónes] had been with Arecibo during the tough times. It was something else to win it all.”
Table II: 1982-83 PRWL Standings
| Team | W-L | PCT | GB |
| Santurce Crabbers | 35-26 | .574 | — |
| Ponce Lions | 34-27 | .557 | 1 |
| Bayamón Cowboys | 32-28 | .533 | 2.5 |
| Arecibo Wolves | 28-32 | .467 | 6.5 |
| Caguas Criollos | 26-34 | .433 | 8.5 |
| Mayagüez Indians | 26-34 | .433 | 8.5 |
Source: The Santurce Crabbers (1999), T.E. Van Hyning.
Tony’s successful Caribbean Series career comprises Tables III-V.
Table III: Tony Pérez Hitting Stats, Caribbean Series, 1970-79
| Series | Venue | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | AVG | SLG |
| 1970^ | Caracas | Ponce | 8 | 30 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .367 | .533 |
| 1971# | San Juan | Santurce | 5 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .429 | .714 |
| 1973 | Caracas | Santurce | 6 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .353 | .647 |
| 1979 | San Juan | Caguas | 6 | 24 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .458 | .500 |
| Totals | 25 | 85 | 14 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 10 | .400 | .576 |
^16 total bases led series. #Two SB led series. Source: Tony Piña Campora file, June 12, 2021.
Table IV: Highest AVG, Phase I (1949-1960), Phase II (1970-2021), Caribbean Series
| Phase II (1970-2021) | Country | AB | H | AVG | Phase I (1949-1960) | Country | AB | H | AVG |
| Tony Pérez | PR | 85 | 34 | .400 | Bob Thurman | PR | 63 | 24 | .381 |
| Armando Ríos | PR/MX | 97 | 37 | .381 | Wilmer Fields | PR/VZA | 56 | 21 | .375 |
| Manny Mota | DR | 105 | 38 | .362 | Hector Rodríguez | Cuba | 84 | 30 | .357 |
| David Ortiz | DR | 121 | 43 | .355 | Pedro Formental | Cuba | 60 | 21 | .350 |
| Juan González | PR | 75 | 26 | .347 | Willard Brown | PR | 67 | 23 | .343 |
| Neifi Pérez | DR | 94 | 32 | .340 | Sandy Amorós | Cuba | 80 | 27 | .338 |
| Candy Maldonado | PR | 75 | 25 | .333 | Roberto Clemente | PR | 49 | 16 | .327 |
| Darryl Brinkley | MX | 118 | 39 | .331 | Angel Scull | Cuba | 49 | 15 | .306 |
| Alfonso H. Jiménez | DR | 100 | 33 | .330 | Luis R. Olmo | PR | 76 | 23 | .303 |
| José Offerman | DR | 86 | 28 | .326 | Joe Tuminelli | PAN | 84 | 25 | .298 |
| Jesús Alfaro | VZA | 80 | 26 | .325 | Héctor López | PAN | 105 | 31 | .295 |
Note: 49+ AB, Phase I; 75+ AB, Phase II. In Phase I, Orlando Cepeda, PR (15/45), .333 AVG; Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso, Cuba, (16/45), .356 AVG; Lou Limmer, PR/VZA (15/41), .366 AVG; Jim Gilliam, PR (18/47), .383 AVG; Solly Drake, Cuba (18/46), .391 AVG. Source: Tony Piña Campora, Historia de la Confederación, 2014.
Table V: Highest SLG, Phase I (1949-1960), Phase II (1970-2021), Caribbean Series
| Phase II (1970-2021) | Country | AB | TB | SLG | Phase I (1949-1960) | Country | AB | TB | SLG |
| Armando Ríos | PR/MX | 97 | 63 | .649 | Wilmer Fields | PR/VZA | 56 | 38 | .679 |
| Carmelo Martínez | PR | 112 | 66 | .589 | Willard Brown | PR | 67 | 42 | .627 |
| David Ortiz | DR | 121 | 70 | .579 | Roberto Clemente | PR | 49 | 29 | .592 |
| Tony Pérez | PR | 85 | 49 | .576 | Bob Thurman | PR | 63 | 37 | .587 |
| Candy Maldonado | PR | 75 | 43 | .573 | Héctor Rodríguez | Cuba | 84 | 49 | .583 |
| Juan González | PR | 75 | 42 | .560 | Pedro Formental | Cuba | 60 | 34 | .567 |
| Miguel Tejada | DR | 270 | 151 | .559 | Angel Scull | Cuba | 49 | 24 | .490 |
| Miguel Flores | MX | 84 | 46 | .548 | Luis R. Olmo | PR | 76 | 37 | .487 |
| Héctor Villanueva | PR | 124 | 67 | .540 | Héctor López | PAN | 105 | 51 | .486 |
| Jesús Alfaro | VZA | 80 | 43 | .538 | Elías Osorio | PAN | 62 | 30 | .484 |
Source: Tony Piña Campora, Serie del Caribe: Historia de la Confederación, 2014.
End of the Road and Honors
Tony concluded his big-league career with 1983 Phillies and 1984-86 Reds. He was reunited with Joe Morgan and Pete Rose, 1983 Philadelphia. On May 13, 1985, one day shy of 43, his pinch-hit grand-slam gave Cincinnati a 7-3 win over the Phillies. He was the oldest major-leaguer to accomplish this. Tony’s minor-league and big-league stats are at https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=perez-001ata His PRWL stats are at: https://beisbol101.com/atanasio-tany-perez/
In 1990, he earned a third World Series ring as Cincinnati’s 1B coach. He managed the 1993 Reds to a 20-24 record, and the 2001 Florida Marlins to a 54-60 mark, under GM Dave Dombrowski.
Tables VI-IX, per various sources, include special honors/Hall of Fame Inductions. Tony was in the last (1996) Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame Class, with ex-Crabbers Raymond Brown, Buster Clarkson, Joshua Gibson, Satchel Paige and manager George Scales.
Table VI: Partial List of Tony Pérez Awards/Honors, 1980-2000
| Award/Inductions | Year |
| Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | 1980 |
| Roberto Clemente Memorial Award | 1982 |
| Pedrín Zorrilla Award | 1992 |
| Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame | 1996 |
| Caribbean Series Baseball Hall of Fame | 1998 |
| Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame | 1998 |
| National Baseball Hall of Fame (Cooperstown) | 2000 |
Table VII: Santurce Crabbers in Caribbean Series Hall of Fame
| Player# | Positions | Induction |
| Willard Brown | OF | 1996 |
| Tony Pérez | 1B/3B/DH | 1998 |
| Rubén Gómez | P | 1999 |
| Juan “Terín” Pizarro | P | 2000 |
| Guigo Otero Suro | Executive | 2003 |
| José “Pantalones” Santiago | P | 2003 |
| Luis R. Olmo | OF | 2004 |
| Willie Mays | OF | 2005 |
| Pedrín Zorrilla | Owner/GM | 2007 |
| Dickie Thon | SS/DH | 2008 |
| Roberto Alomar | 2B | 2011 |
| Roberto Clemente | OF | 2015 |
| Juan González | OF | 2015 |
| Héctor Villanueva | C/1B/DH | 2015 |
| James “Buster” Clarkson | SS/3B/MGR | 2020 |
| Bob Thurman | OF | 2020 |
#Played for Santurce at least one regular season.
Table VIII: Santurce Crabbers in Cooperstown
| Player | Positions | Santurce Seasons | Induction |
| Roy Campanella | C | 1944-45 | 1969 |
| Satchel Paige | P | 1947-48 | 1971 |
| Joshua Gibson | C | 1939-40, 41-42, 45-46 | 1972 |
| Roberto Clemente | OF | 1952-56 | 1973 |
| Willie Mays | OF | 1954-55 | 1979 |
| Bob Gibson | P | 1961-62 | 1982 |
| Frank Robinson | MGR | 1968-71, 72-75, 1978-80 | 1982 |
| Ray Dandridge | 3B | 1941-42, 1953-54 | 1987 |
| Jim Palmer | P | 1968-69 | 1990 |
| Reggie Jackson | OF | 1970-71 | 1993 |
| Leon Day | P | 1949-50 | 1995 |
| Earl Weaver | MGR | 1966-68 | 1996 |
| Tommy Lasorda | P | 1953-54 | 1997 |
| Orlando Cepeda | 1B | 1955-62, 63-65, 66-68, 71-72, 74-75 | 1999 |
| Robin Yount | SS | 1974-75 | 1999 |
| Tony Pérez | 1B/3B/DH | 1964-68, 69-71, 72-73, 78-80, 82-83 | 2000 |
| Raymond Brown | P/OF | 1940-41, 46-47 | 2006 |
| Willard Brown | OF | 1946-1954, 56-57 | 2006 |
| Roberto Alomar | 2B | 2004-05 | 2011 |
| Lee Smith | P | 1980-81 | 2019 |
Table IX: Santurce Crabbers—
300+ MLB Career HR
| Player | HR |
| Willie Mays | 660 |
| Frank Robinson | 586 |
| Reggie Jackson | 563 |
| Carlos Delgado | 473 |
| Juan González | 434 |
| Orlando Cepeda | 379 |
| Tony Pérez | 379 |
| Don Baylor | 338 |
| Darryl Strawberry | 335 |
| Ron Cey | 316 |
| Rubén “El Indio” Sierra | 306 |
Source: https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HR_career.shtml
Special thanks to Tony Pérez; to Tony Piña Campora, for Tony’s Caribbean Series stats; Miguel Dupouy Gómez, July 23, 2020 blog; Germán J. Rivas; Wade Boggs, Ken Dayley, Carlos Lezcano, Pat Tabler, Luis Tiant, Don Zimmer and Jorge Colón Delgado, official historian, Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League.
