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  4. title => "Celebrating Minnie Mi\u00f1oso: Ted Williams, Barack Obama and so many more on what made the Cuban Comet worthy of the Hall of Fame"
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  6. article_body => "<p>Through the years, I have said and written a lot about Minnie Mi\u00f1oso.&nbsp;I run a Twitter account (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/minoso9hof\" target=\"_blank\">@Minoso9HOF<\/a>) where I state his Hall of Fame case and share stats, quotes, pictures and memories with fellow Mi\u00f1oso fans. On what would have been his 93rd birthday (or his 94th ... or his 96th), I\u2019ll allow others to do most of the talking, though I\u2019ll mix in a few fun facts from an incredible career.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cSooner or later, whenever we talk about hitting, someone will ask me if there will ever be another .400 hitter in the major leagues. Of all the so-called \u2018sluggers\u2019 in the big time today, the only one I can think of who really qualifies in all respects is Minnie Mi\u00f1oso.\u201d \u2014 Ted Williams, \u201cWho Will Hit .400\u201d as told to Paul Gardner in Baseball Stars of 1955<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Five players during the 1950s had at least 3,000 plate appearances with a .300+ batting average and .400+ on-base percentage: Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Minnie Mi\u00f1oso.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cWhen you think about Latinos in baseball, that begins with Minnie Mi\u00f1oso, in terms of integration. Minnie Mi\u00f1oso was literally the bridge, from the era of segregation into integration.\u201d \u2014 Dr. Adrian Burgos Jr., professor, University of Illinois<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mi\u00f1oso was the first black major leaguer in Chicago. He debuted with the White Sox in 1951 \u2014 more than two years before Ernie Banks became the first black player to appear in a game for the Cubs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cOrestes Mi\u00f1oso was the Jackie Robinson for all Latinos ... the first star who opened doors for all Latin American ballplayers. He was everybody\u2019s hero.&nbsp;I wanted to be Mi\u00f1oso. Clemente wanted to be Mi\u00f1oso.\u201d \u2014 Orlando Cepeda<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Two rookies in American League history have had 100+ runs scored, 30+ stolen bases and a .400 on-base percentage: Shoeless Joe Jackson (1911) and Minnie Mi\u00f1oso (1951).<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cThe two facets of his career, the Negro Leagues career and the major league career, they\u2019re not supposed to be incorporated together. Really, you have to appreciate the whole scope of his career, because he lost anywhere from two to five seasons due to the color line. Minnie\u2019s status as a pioneer, which is a big part of the extra credit that he deserves, and rightfully so.\u201d \u2014 Jay Jaffe, Fangraphs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mi\u00f1oso was selected for the Negro League East-West game in 1947 and 1948, representing the New York Cubans, and was an MLB All-Star selection seven times: from 1951 to 1954 and in 1957, 1959 and 1960.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cWhen I was a kid growing up, I had two uncles who played baseball. One of them played professional baseball. Everybody in my family knew about the great feats of Minnie Mi\u00f1oso. When they were talking about the great players in my household, I said, \u2018Oh yeah, Minnie Mi\u00f1oso.\u2019 Even though I never saw him play, I saw him in the eyes of my family.\u201d&nbsp;\u2014 Bernie Williams<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Through 1964 (Mi\u00f1oso\u2019s final \u201cfull\u201d regular season), Minnie Mi\u00f1oso\u2019s 50.7 wins above replacement rank&nbsp;first among all position players&nbsp;born outside of the United States in major league history.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cMinnie Mi\u00f1oso belongs in (the Hall of Fame) on the merits as one of the AL\u2019s five best players in the '50s, not to mention his being Jackie Robinson for the other half of this hemisphere.\u201d \u2014 Christina Kahrl, ESPN<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mi\u00f1oso\u2019s 47.6 wins above replacement were the second most in the American League during the 1950s.&nbsp;Only Mickey Mantle (68.1) had more.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI watched him practice. I shagged his fly balls. For me, that was great. I was there in the same clubhouse as him. The only thing that could be better is if his plaque was in the same room as mine in Cooperstown.\u201d \u2014 Tony P\u00e9rez\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mi\u00f1oso\u2019s No. 9 was retired by the White Sox in 1983.&nbsp;A statue in his honor was unveiled in the outfield concourse at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2004.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI rate him No. 1. I\u2019ve been around baseball some 23 years, and if there\u2019s one thing I know, that\u2019s a ballplayer when I see one. He\u2019s the fastest. That man\u2019s fast as lightning. He\u2019s a flat-footed hitter, so he can get anything. You have to keep the ball away from him.\u201d \u2014 Satchel Paige<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Two players during the 1950s hit .300 or better with at least 100 home runs and&nbsp;100 stolen bases: Minnie Mi\u00f1oso and Willie Mays.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cAll told, when you add together Minnie Mi\u00f1oso's major league (1,963), minor league (429), Cuban League (838), Mexican League (715) and Negro League hits (at least 128 documented), he winds up with a career total of 4,073 professional hits.\u201d \u2014 Scott Simkus, author, Outsider Baseball<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In 1957, the first year Gold Gloves were awarded&nbsp;\u2014 there was one set league-wide, rather than one set each for the American and National Leagues&nbsp;\u2014 the three outfield winners were Willie Mays, Al Kaline and Minnie Mi\u00f1oso.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cI generally stay out of Hall of Fame campaigns, except for one or two players. Minnie Mi\u00f1oso should be in the Hall of Fame, but he did not win an MVP award.\u201d \u2014 Bill James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mi\u00f1oso received Hall of Fame votes in 1969. He collected a hit in a major league game in 1976 at age 50.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cMinnie may have been passed over by the Baseball Hall of Fame during his lifetime, but for me and for generations of black and Latino young people, Minnie\u2019s quintessentially American story embodies far more than a plaque ever could.\u201d \u2014 President Barack Obama, statement on the passing of Mi\u00f1oso<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Hall of Fame Golden Days (1950-69) Committee meets next in December 2020. Will Minnie Mi\u00f1oso\u2019s name be on the ballot? We will have to wait and see. Hopefully the Cuban Comet will at last enter Cooperstown. But how will they manage to fit all of his accomplishments on a single plaque?<\/p>\n"
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White Sox

White Sox

Through the years, I have said and written a lot about Minnie Miñoso. I run a Twitter account (@Minoso9HOF) where I state his Hall of Fame case and share stats, quotes, pictures and memories with fellow Miñoso fans. On what would have been his 93rd birthday (or his 94th ... or his 96th), I’ll allow others to do most of the talking, though I’ll mix in a few fun facts from an incredible career.

“Sooner or later, whenever we talk about hitting, someone will ask me if there will ever be another .400 hitter in the major leagues. Of all the so-called ‘sluggers’ in the big time today, the only one I can think of who really qualifies in all respects is Minnie Miñoso.” — Ted Williams, “Who Will Hit .400” as told to Paul Gardner in Baseball Stars of 1955

Five players during the 1950s had at least 3,000 plate appearances with a .300+ batting average and .400+ on-base percentage: Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Minnie Miñoso.

“When you think about Latinos in baseball, that begins with Minnie Miñoso, in terms of integration. Minnie Miñoso was literally the bridge, from the era of segregation into integration.” — Dr. Adrian Burgos Jr., professor, University of Illinois

Miñoso was the first black major leaguer in Chicago. He debuted with the White Sox in 1951 — more than two years before Ernie Banks became the first black player to appear in a game for the Cubs.

 

“Orestes Miñoso was the Jackie Robinson for all Latinos ... the first star who opened doors for all Latin American ballplayers. He was everybody’s hero. I wanted to be Miñoso. Clemente wanted to be Miñoso.” — Orlando Cepeda

Two rookies in American League history have had 100+ runs scored, 30+ stolen bases and a .400 on-base percentage: Shoeless Joe Jackson (1911) and Minnie Miñoso (1951).

“The two facets of his career, the Negro Leagues career and the major league career, they’re not supposed to be incorporated together. Really, you have to appreciate the whole scope of his career, because he lost anywhere from two to five seasons due to the color line. Minnie’s status as a pioneer, which is a big part of the extra credit that he deserves, and rightfully so.” — Jay Jaffe, Fangraphs

Miñoso was selected for the Negro League East-West game in 1947 and 1948, representing the New York Cubans, and was an MLB All-Star selection seven times: from 1951 to 1954 and in 1957, 1959 and 1960.

“When I was a kid growing up, I had two uncles who played baseball. One of them played professional baseball. Everybody in my family knew about the great feats of Minnie Miñoso. When they were talking about the great players in my household, I said, ‘Oh yeah, Minnie Miñoso.’ Even though I never saw him play, I saw him in the eyes of my family.” — Bernie Williams

Through 1964 (Miñoso’s final “full” regular season), Minnie Miñoso’s 50.7 wins above replacement rank first among all position players born outside of the United States in major league history.

“Minnie Miñoso belongs in (the Hall of Fame) on the merits as one of the AL’s five best players in the '50s, not to mention his being Jackie Robinson for the other half of this hemisphere.” — Christina Kahrl, ESPN

Miñoso’s 47.6 wins above replacement were the second most in the American League during the 1950s. Only Mickey Mantle (68.1) had more.

“I watched him practice. I shagged his fly balls. For me, that was great. I was there in the same clubhouse as him. The only thing that could be better is if his plaque was in the same room as mine in Cooperstown.” — Tony Pérez​​​​​​​

Miñoso’s No. 9 was retired by the White Sox in 1983. A statue in his honor was unveiled in the outfield concourse at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2004.

“I rate him No. 1. I’ve been around baseball some 23 years, and if there’s one thing I know, that’s a ballplayer when I see one. He’s the fastest. That man’s fast as lightning. He’s a flat-footed hitter, so he can get anything. You have to keep the ball away from him.” — Satchel Paige

Two players during the 1950s hit .300 or better with at least 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases: Minnie Miñoso and Willie Mays.

 

“All told, when you add together Minnie Miñoso's major league (1,963), minor league (429), Cuban League (838), Mexican League (715) and Negro League hits (at least 128 documented), he winds up with a career total of 4,073 professional hits.” — Scott Simkus, author, Outsider Baseball

In 1957, the first year Gold Gloves were awarded — there was one set league-wide, rather than one set each for the American and National Leagues — the three outfield winners were Willie Mays, Al Kaline and Minnie Miñoso.

“I generally stay out of Hall of Fame campaigns, except for one or two players. Minnie Miñoso should be in the Hall of Fame, but he did not win an MVP award.” — Bill James

Miñoso received Hall of Fame votes in 1969. He collected a hit in a major league game in 1976 at age 50.

“Minnie may have been passed over by the Baseball Hall of Fame during his lifetime, but for me and for generations of black and Latino young people, Minnie’s quintessentially American story embodies far more than a plaque ever could.” — President Barack Obama, statement on the passing of Miñoso

The Hall of Fame Golden Days (1950-69) Committee meets next in December 2020. Will Minnie Miñoso’s name be on the ballot? We will have to wait and see. Hopefully the Cuban Comet will at last enter Cooperstown. But how will they manage to fit all of his accomplishments on a single plaque?