Orlando Cepeda, San Francisco Giants legend, dies at 86
The San Francisco Giants recently lost one of the biggest legends in baseball history in Willie Mays. He passed away at the age of 93 years old. And on Friday evening, the franchise was unfortunately dealt some more tragic news, as they lost another icon. Orlando Cepeda, a man that was inducted into the Hall of Fame after his groundbreaking career, passed away on Friday evening at the age of 86 years old.
Cepeda was known as the “Baby Bull” a nickname that was passed down to him from his father. Cepeda’s father had the nickname “Perucho”, which translated to “Bull”, and Orlando Cepeda took on the nickname of the “Baby Bull”.
The Giants announced the news late on Friday evening on their Twitter page.
They also shared the news at the Giants-Dodgers game on Friday night at Oracle Park, as well as the MLB Twitter page.
“Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones,” Cepeda’s wife, Nydia, said in a statement issued by the Giants. “We take comfort that he is at peace.”
“We lost a true gentleman and legend,” Giants chairman Greg Johnson said in the statement. “Orlando was a great ambassador for the game throughout his playing career and beyond. He was one of the all-time great Giants, and he will truly be missed. Our condolences go out to the Cepeda family for their tremendous loss, and we extend our thoughts to Orlando’s teammates, his friends, and to all those touched by his passing.”
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Once he wrapped up his Hall of Fame career, Cepeda slugged 379 home runs, batted .297, and made 11 All-Star appearances over 17 seasons.
He was unanimously voted as the NL Rookie of the Year in 1958 with the Giants after he batted .312 with 25 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a league-leading 38 doubles. The 13 home runs he cranked before the end of May were the most ever by a rookie, a mark that stood until Albert Pujols hit 16 in 2001. Cepeda also won the NL MVP Award in 1967, after he guided the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series Championship.
Cepeda put up the best numbers of his career in his fourth year, leading the league with 46 home runs and 142 RBIs.