The
Life of Minnie
Minoso
Saturnino Orestes Armas Minoso commonly referred to as Minnie Minoso,
was born on November 29, 1925 in Havana, Cuba. Minnie Minoso
started out as a standout third baseman in the Negro Leagues and later
played several seasons in Mexican baseball. He is a former star
left fielder in Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The
Cuban Comet" as well as "Mr. White Sox," and while playing in Mexico
was "El Charro Negro" ---"The Black Cowboy." He is one of just
two players in major league history to play in five separate decades
(1940's-80's). Minnie Minoso had brief appearances with the independent
Northern League's St. Paul Saints in 1993 and 2003, which allowed him
to become the only player to have played professionally in seven
different decades. He was the last major leaguer to have played
in the 1940's .
Minoso was signed by the Cleveland Indians as a
free agent in 1948. Between 1949 and 1964 he played for the Tribe
(1949, 1951, 1958-59), Chicago White Sox (1951-1957, 1960-61, 1964,
1976, 1980), St. Louis Cardinals (1962) and Washington Senators
(1963). Minoso become the first black player to wear a White Sox
uniform in a game against the New York Yankees in Comiskey Park on May
1, 1951. Minoso did not enter the major leagues until the age of
28 because of his race. Minoso hit for a .298 batting average
with 186 homeruns, and 1023 runs batted in. He was a gold glove
winner three times for his excellence in left field. He made
seven all star appearances. He led the league in triples and
stolen bases.
Minoso returned to Mexico and played baseball there for many
years. In 1976 he returned to play three games with the Chicago
White Sox. At the age of 53, Minoso became the second oldest
player ever to get a base hit in the major leagues. In 1980,
Minnie Minoso returned to appear in two more games with the White
Sox. His five stints with the Chicago White Sox cemented his
image as a local baseball icon for at least three generations of
Chicago White Sox fans. At the age of 57 in 1980, Minoso returned
back to baseball and became the oldest player ever to bat in the majors
and the second oldest ever to play, behind only Satchel Paige. At the
age of 80, however, in 2003, Minoso appeared in a professional baseball
game which allowed him to become the only player to appear
professionally in seven differerent decades.
Minnie Minoso is an Illinois hero because he helped break the color
barrier in Major League Baseball and he was one of the first African
Americans to play in the Major Leagues in Illinois. Without the
help of Minnie Minoso and other African Americans, Major League
Baseball would not be the same.
