Manny Sanguillén facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manny Sanguillén |
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Sanguillén in July 2008
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: March 21, 1944 Colón, Panama |
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| debut | |||
| July 23, 1967, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 5, 1980, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .296 | ||
| Home runs | 65 | ||
| Runs batted in | 585 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan (born March 21, 1944) is a former professional baseball player from Panama. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1967 to 1980. Manny is best known for his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He helped the Pirates win five division titles and two World Series championships in 1971 and 1979. He also played one season for the Oakland Athletics.
Manny Sanguillén was chosen for the All-Star team three times. His career batting average was .296. This is one of the highest for a catcher since World War II. Many people thought Sanguillén was one of the best catchers in baseball during the early 1970s. He was a fast runner for a catcher and had a strong throwing arm.
Contents
Manny Sanguillén's Baseball Journey
Early Life and Start in Baseball
Manny Sanguillén was born in Colón, Panama. He started playing baseball later than most professional players. He didn't touch a baseball until he was 19 years old. He joined a church team and two years later, he signed to play professional baseball.
Playing Style and Skills
Sanguillén was known for being a "bad-ball" hitter. This means he could hit pitches that were outside the normal strike zone. He often surprised pitchers by hitting these difficult pitches for base hits. He didn't walk very often, but he made up for it with his strong hitting.
Joining the Major Leagues
After playing for three years in the minor leagues, Sanguillén joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1967. He played 30 games that year. He spent another season in the minor leagues in 1968. In 1969, he returned to the Major Leagues and became the Pirates' main catcher. He had a great year, hitting for a .303 batting average. In 1970, he hit .325, which was the third-highest in the National League.
World Series Champion with the Pirates
Manny Sanguillén was a very important player for the Pirates when they won the World Series in 1971. He had his best year offensively, hitting .319 with 7 home runs and 81 runs batted in. He also played excellent defense. He was among the top catchers in the National League for caught stealing percentage and fielding percentage.
The Pirates won their division and then beat the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. They went on to win the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. In that seven-game series, Sanguillén had 11 hits, which was the second-most on the team.
Changing Positions and Teams
After his teammate Roberto Clemente passed away in 1972, the Pirates tried Sanguillén in right field. However, he found it hard to adjust to playing in the outfield. By June, he moved back to his usual position as catcher.
In 1975, Sanguillén had another strong season, hitting .328. This was the third-highest batting average in the National League. In 1977, the Pirates traded Sanguillén to the Oakland Athletics. He played one season there before being traded back to the Pirates in 1978.
Final Years and Friendship with Clemente
In his later years with the Pirates, Sanguillén played less often. He sometimes played first baseman. In 1979, he played in only 56 games but still made a big play in the 1979 World Series. He got a game-winning hit in Game 2 against the Orioles. The 1980 season was his last in the Major Leagues.
Manny Sanguillén was a very close friend of his teammate, Roberto Clemente. In 1972, Sanguillén was supposed to go with Clemente on a flight to deliver aid to Nicaragua. He missed the plane because he couldn't find his car keys. He was very sad when he learned the plane had crashed and Clemente had died. Sanguillén bravely helped search for those lost in the crash, even though there were sharks in the water. He was so focused on this important task that he missed Clemente's memorial service.
Manny Sanguillén's Career Highlights
In his 13-year career, Manny Sanguillén played in 1,448 games. He had 1,500 hits and a career batting average of .296. He hit 65 home runs and had 585 runs batted in. His fielding percentage was .986.
- He was the catcher for Bob Moose's no-hitter in 1969.
- He was selected for the All-Star Game three times.
- He was a member of two World Series champion teams (1971 and 1979).
- In 1971, he finished eighth in the voting for the Most Valuable Player Award.
- He was chosen for The Sporting News National League All-Star Team in 1971, beating out famous catcher Johnny Bench.
- Manny Sanguillén was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2019.
- He was also inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame in 2024.
Where is Manny Sanguillén Now?
Today, Manny Sanguillén runs "Manny's BBQ" at PNC Park, which is the Pirates' current home stadium. He often sits there, greeting fans, signing autographs, and taking photos with them.
See also
In Spanish: Manny Sanguillén para niños
