Orlando Cepeda
| Birthdate | 9/17/1937 |
| Death Date | 6/28/2024 |
| Debut Year | 1958 |
| Year of Induction | 1999 |
| Teams | Athletics, Braves, Cardinals, Giants, Red Sox, Royals |
| Positions | First Base, Left Field |
Orlando Cepeda became the first player from Puerto Rico to start an All Star game in 1959; appeared in seven Mid Summer Classics.
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Orlando Cepeda was the Rookie of the Year in '58
Orlando Cepeda was the Rookie of the Year in '58
Orlando Cepeda finished his first big league season with 25 homers, 96 runs batted in and a .312 average on his way to winning the Rookie of the Year Award. He also led the league with 38 doubles.
It was a fitting start to a Hall of Fame career for the first baseman. Cepeda finished with 379 homers, 11 All Star appearances and one MVP Award.
In 1969 Cepeda was traded straight up for Joe Torre
In 1969 Cepeda was traded straight up for Joe Torre
This official document dated March 17, 1969 formalizes the trade of Orlando Cepeda for Joe Torre. In the St. Patrick’s Day swap, the Braves gained Cepeda who two years earlier was the National League’s Most Valuable Player.
The Cardinals in return gained Torre who won the MVP two years later.
This is a piece of baseball history, a rare document trading two MVPs straight up for each other. The bottom of the document is signed by Hall of Fame candidate, GM Bing Devine.
Two years before the trade Cepeda was the MVP
Two years before the trade Cepeda was the MVP
Orlando Cepeda was traded to the Braves just two seasons removed from his MVP year of 1967. The ’67 season marked the last of Cepeda’s 11 All Star appearances.
After the deal he did have productive seasons. In ’69 and ’73 he received support in MVP balloting. In 1970 he hit .305, finishing with 34 homers and 111 RBI.
Shown here are a pair of signed baseball cards before and after the Cardinals’ trade with the Braves.
Joe Torre is the only man in baseball history with 2,000 hits and 2,000 managerial wins
Joe Torre is the only man in baseball history with 2,000 hits and 2,000 managerial wins
Traded straight up for Cepeda before the 1969 season, Joe Torre enjoyed his best years with the Cardinals. In his first three campaigns in St. Louis, Torre averaged 204 hits and more than 112 runs batted in each season. His finest season came with the Cards in 1971 when he was the league’s batting champ and Most Valuable Player.
Cepeda was near the downside of his career by the time of the trade but did enjoy an outstanding 1970 season with Atlanta when he hit 34 homers with 111 runs batted in and a .305 average.
Seen here is his Topps rookie card from 1961, and his 1965 Topps card. Torre broke in as a catcher before moving out from behind the plate in 1971, the year he won the NL MVP Award.
Torre gained induction into the Hall of Fame for his years at the helm of the Yankees. He guided New York to six pennants and four World Series titles in a dozen years in the Big Apple.
Torre is the first in baseball history to gain at least 2,000 hits as a player and at least 2,000 wins as a manager.
Orlando Cepeda was inducted into the Hall of Fame with three others in 1999
Orlando Cepeda was inducted into the Hall of Fame with three others in 1999
Orlando Cepeda was given baseball’s highest honor on July 25, 1999 when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Sunday ceremony included three other immortals, Robin Yount, George Brett, and Nolan Ryan. Each of the three played played against Cepeda.
Orlando played for the Boston Red Sox in Brett’s first year in the bigs in 1973. The following season the two were Kansas City teammates in Cepeda’s final season as a major leaguer. That coincided with Yount’s first season at baseball’s highest level.
The 1958 Rookie of the Year, Cepeda earned the MVP Award in Ryan’s debut season of 1966. In 32 career at bats against Ryan, Cepeda hit .188 with three homers, seven RBI and five strikeouts in 32 at bats.
Shown here is Ryan’s autograph on a ticket to Game 3 of the 1969 World Series. The game proved to be The Express’ only Fall Classic appearance. He made the most of it, earning the save.
