Orlando Cepeda
Baseball Hall of Famer

Orlando Cepeda, Orlando Peruchin – “The Baby Bull" Cepeda, son of legendary Puerto Rican baseball star Pedro Perucho "The Bull" Cepeda, was only 20-years-old when he arrived to the Major Leagues in 1958. As a rookie in 1958, Cepeda belted 25 homers, led the National League with 38 doubles, knocked in 96 runs and batted .312. Those numbers won Cepeda Rookie of the Year honors for the San Francisco Giants and his manager for the first two years, Bill Rigney called him "The best young right-handed power hitter I've ever seen." Cepeda appeared in three world series, was a seven-time All-Star (1959-64, 67) and was the National League MVP in 1967 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

After his retirement in 1975, Cepeda was recognized nationally for his humanitarian efforts as an ambassador for baseball. The Ponce, Puerto Rican native served as honorary spokesman for the Crohn's and Colitis foundation of America, and participates in "Athletes against Aids." Cepeda has helped raise more than $10,000 for baseball equipment for the Roberto Clemente Latin American Athletic Club's Baseball League in the mission district. But those good deeds were over-shadowed when Cepeda was arrested at an airport on charges of trying to pick up 160 pounds of marijuana. He was sentenced to 5 years but only did 10 months at a state prison. This obviously worked against him when bids for the Hall of Fame came up.

In 1999, Orlando Cepeda joined the late Roberto Clemente as the only Puerto Ricans in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Between 1984 and 1987, Orlando found two very important things. The first was the Buddhist sect Nichiren Shoshu, which taught him to deal with the bitterness and anger that he was feeling. The second was his third wife, Mirian Ortiz, a Puerto Rican native he had met while in New York. It was she who first suggested that they move to San Francisco to return to a place where Cepeda had shone as a player.  –

Cepeda now works for the Giants Community Relations staff as a goodwill ambassador. www.sgi-usa.org

• Baby Bull: From Hardball to Hard Times and Back, Taylor Trade Publishing 1998
• High & Inside: Orlando Cepeda’s Story, Hardwood Press 1984