Orlando Cepeda, affectionately known as «The Baby Bull,» is a legend in baseball. Cepeda, who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, had a 17-year career that was notable for both his extraordinary achievements and his lasting influence on the sport. His strong batting and consistent performance earned him numerous accolades as a formidable first baseman.
Puerto Rico
- Pedrin Zorrilla signed him for the «Cangrejeros de Santurce» in 1955.
- Cepeda got off to an impressive start in Puerto Rico and the Major Leagues. His first two hits in both leagues were home runs. In Puerto Rico, it was against Ponce’s pitcher, Dick Brodowski, on 10/30/1955, and in the Major Leagues to Don Bessent, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, on 4/15/1958.
- Orlando Cepeda hit .300+ the most times in the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League, with eleven.
- Only four Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League players hit .300+ lifetime and .500+ slugging: Willard Brown, Orlando Cepeda, Bob Thurman, and Buster Clarkson.
- The duo of Perucho and Orlando Cepeda, father and son, exhibited an unmatched performance in baseball by securing 21 offensive leads and two MVP awards in the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League.
- Orlando Cepeda and Juan González are the only MVPs in Puerto Rico and Major League Baseball.
Source (https://www.beisbol101.com/.)
United States
- In 1956, at 18, he won the triple crown with St. Cloud, a branch of the New York Giants. He had an offensive record of .355, 26 home runs and 112 RBI. He showed that he was a complete hitter from early in his career.
- In 1959, he became the first Puerto Rican to start an All-Star Game.
- Orlando Cepeda was the first in the National League to be unanimously selected as Rookie of the Year (1958) and Most Valuable Player (1967).
- Also, in 1961, he led the National League in home runs (46) and RBI (142). At the end of the season, he reported to the Cangrejeros de Santurce, where he also came first in home runs (19) and RBI (53) for a total of 65 home runs and 195 RBI in both tournaments.
- Those 142 RBI are still the highest in the San Francisco Giants franchise’s history.
- No Puerto Rican has been able to match Orlando Cepeda’s first seven years in the Major Leagues, where he hit .300+ in six, and at least 24 home runs and 96 RBI in the seven seasons. In the season he missed, he batted .297.
- Until 1990, he ranked fifth in home runs among first basemen with 379, surpassed by Jimmie Foxx (534), Willie McCovey (531), Ernie Banks (512), and Lou Gehrig (493). Source (https://www.baseball-reference.com/.)
- He has been inducted into 17 Hall of Fame.
Orlando Cepeda’s story is one of triumph over adversity, a narrative that will continue to inspire future generations of baseball players and fans. His remarkable journey serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder that greatness is achieved through talent, unwavering determination, and a passion for the game.
