RIP - Orlando Cepeda

 

Orlando Cepeda, the 1967 National League MVP, passed away on June 27, 2024 at age 86.

Cepeda debuted with the Giants in 1958, and won the Rookie of the Year award. 

 

He led the league in homers and RBI in 1961, and was an All-Star for his first 7 seasons with the Giants. 

 

After missing much of 1965 with injuries, he was traded to the Cardinals during the following season, and went on to lead the Cardinals to the World Series in 1967, winning the MVP. 

 

(Can you imagine if the Giants had kept Cepeda, eventually giving them a lineup featuring Cepeda, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Bobby Bonds, and Jim Ray Hart?) 

 

Before the 1969 season he was traded to the Braves for Joe Torre, and 3 years later to the Athletics for Denny McLain. 

 

He also played for the Red Sox and Royals.  

 

New York Post obituary  

 

AP obituary

   

1960s Blog Hall of Fame Results (#8)

Orlando Cepeda was the lone inductee this time, joining the 27 others shown below.

Cepeda was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1958, and was an All-Star every season from 1959-64, and again in 1967.  Orlando led the NL in 1961 with 46 home runs and 142 RBI. He topped 30 homers 5 times, and 100 RBI 5 times.

He was the NL MVP in 1967, as the Cardinals were World Series champs that season.  He joined the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

Complete results:

11 voters participated this time. Two players received less that the minimum 15% to be retained for the next ballot.


(Click the "hall of fame ballot" label below to see all past results.)