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 (MLB) as a catcher. Manny, as he is known, played from 1967 to 1980.
He is best known for his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the Pirates, he helped his team win the National League East five times. They also won the World Series twice, in 1971 and 1979. He also played one season for the Oakland Athletics.
Manny Sanguillén was chosen for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game three times. His career batting average was .296. This is one of the highest for a catcher since World War II. He was known as one of the best catchers in the early 1970s. While he didn't hit as many home runs as some, he was great at getting hits. He was also a fast runner for a catcher. Plus, he was a good defensive player with a strong throwing arm.
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Manny Sanguillén's Baseball Career
Manny Sanguillén was born in Colón, Panama. He started playing baseball quite late in life. He didn't even touch a baseball until he was 19 years old. He joined a church team and two years later, he signed to play professional baseball.
How Manny Played the Game
Manny was known for being a "bad-ball" hitter. This means he could hit pitches that were outside the normal strike zone. Pitchers would try to trick him into swinging at these pitches. But Manny often surprised them by hitting them for base hits!
He didn't often get walks (when a pitcher throws four balls). In fact, he was the only player since 1900 to have six straight seasons with many plate appearances but very few walks. Even with his high batting average, his on-base percentage was sometimes lower than average. This was because he rarely walked.
Starting in the Major Leagues
After playing for three years in the minor leagues, Manny joined the Pirates in 1967. He played in 30 games that year. He spent another season in the minor leagues in 1968.
He then returned to the Major Leagues in 1969. Manny became the Pirates' main catcher. He had a great batting average of .303. In 1970, he hit even better with a .325 average. This made him one of the top hitting catchers in baseball.
Winning the World Series in 1971
Manny was a very important player for the Pirates when they won the World Series in 1971. This was one of his best years for hitting. He had a .319 batting average, hit 7 home runs, and had 81 runs batted in.
He also played very well defensively that year. He caught 135 games, which was third among National League catchers. He was also very good at catching runners trying to steal bases. The Pirates won their division and then beat the San Francisco Giants. After that, they won the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. In that seven-game series, Manny had 11 hits. Only his teammate Roberto Clemente had more.
Later Career and Return to the Pirates
After Roberto Clemente's sad death before the 1973 season, the Pirates tried Manny in right field. But it was clear by June that he was better as a catcher. So, he moved back to his usual position.
Manny had another strong year in 1975. He had a .328 batting average, which was third best in the National League. In 1977, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He played one season there.
Then, Manny was traded back to the Pirates. In 1978, he played mostly as a first baseman. His playing time became less in 1979. However, he still helped the Pirates win Game 2 of the 1979 World Series. The 1980 season was his last in the Major Leagues. He later played in the Mexican League in 1982.
Manny's Friendship with Roberto Clemente
Manny Sanguillén was a very close friend of his teammate, Roberto Clemente. In 1972, Manny was supposed to go with Clemente on a trip to help people in Nicaragua. Manny missed the plane because he couldn't find his car keys. He was heartbroken when he learned the plane crashed and Clemente died.
Even though the Pirates' General Manager told him not to, Manny insisted on helping to find the bodies of those who died. He wasn't scared by the sharks in the water. His teammate Steve Blass said Manny "dove from dawn till midnight." He was so focused on this 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 .296 career batting average. He also hit 65 home runs and had 585 runs batted in. His fielding percentage was .986, which shows he was a good defensive player.
- He was the catcher for the Pirates on September 20, 1969, when Bob Moose pitched a no-hitter.
- Manny was chosen for the All-Star Game three times.
- He was a key player on two World Series winning teams (1971 and 1979).
- In 1971, he finished eighth in the voting for the Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award.
- He was chosen for The Sporting News National League All-Star Team in 1971. This was the only time between 1967 and 1975 that Johnny Bench, another famous catcher, was not selected.
Today, Manny Sanguillén runs "Manny's BBQ." This is a barbecue food stand at the Pirates' home stadium, PNC Park. He often sits there, greeting fans, signing autographs, and taking pictures.
On August 24, 2019, Manny was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame. This was a special ceremony at PNC Park. In 2024, he was also inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Manny Sanguillén para niños
