Tony Pérez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Pérez |
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Pérez with the Cincinnati Reds, c. 1976
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| First baseman / Third baseman / Manager | |||
| Born: May 14, 1942 Ciego de Ávila, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| July 26, 1964, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 5, 1986, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .279 | ||
| Hits | 2,732 | ||
| Home runs | 379 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,652 | ||
| Managerial record | 74–84 | ||
| Winning % | .468 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As manager
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2000 | ||
| Vote | 77.2% (ninth ballot) | ||
Atanasio "Tony" Pérez Rigal (born May 14, 1942) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball player. He also worked as a coach and manager. Tony played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and third baseman from 1964 to 1986.
He is best known for playing with the Cincinnati Reds. This team was a powerful group that won four National League titles and two World Series championships between 1970 and 1976. Tony also played for the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Tony Pérez was a seven-time All-Star. From 1970 to 1976, he often had over 100 runs batted in (RBIs) each season. His team, the Cincinnati Reds, was so strong they were called the Big Red Machine. Fans loved Tony, calling him "Big Dog" or "Doggie."
After his playing days, Tony became a coach and manager for the Reds and the Florida Marlins. He also worked as a special assistant for the Marlins until 2017. In 2000, Tony Pérez was honored by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Tony's Early Life and Baseball Start
Tony Pérez was born in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba in 1942. His parents were José Manuel and Teodora Pérez. Tony and his family lived in a small house near a sugar mill where his father worked. Tony also worked at the sugar mill and played baseball for the mill's team, Central Violeta.
In 1960, when he was 17, a scout for the Cincinnati Reds signed Tony to a professional contract. His "bonus" was just $2.50 for a visa and a plane ticket to Miami, Florida. He joined the Reds' minor league team in Geneva, New York.
Starting His Professional Career
Tony arrived in Florida in the spring of 1960 for Reds' spring training. He played his first minor league game on May 1, 1960, for the Geneva team. He was 17 years old. In that game, he played second base and got his first professional hit, a triple.
In 1961, playing for Geneva again, Tony had a great season. He hit .348 with 27 home runs in 121 games. He then moved up to higher minor league teams, playing third base and later first base. In 1964, playing for the San Diego Padres in the minor leagues, Tony was named the Most Valuable Player. He hit .309 with 34 home runs and 107 RBIs.
Joining the Cincinnati Reds
Tony Pérez was called up to the Cincinnati Reds in 1964. He played his first two MLB games on July 26, 1964, in Cincinnati. The next day, he got his first major league hit, a double, and his first RBI.
From 1964 to 1966, Tony shared playing time at first base. His first career home run was a grand slam in 1965 against the Milwaukee Braves. In 1967, Tony became the Reds' full-time third baseman. That year, he was chosen for his first All-Star team.
The 1967 All-Star Game was very long, going 15 innings. Tony hit a home run that helped the National League win 2–1. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
In 1970, Tony had one of his best years. He hit 40 home runs, scored 107 runs, and had 129 RBIs. He finished third in the Most Valuable Player voting that season. Tony also played baseball in Puerto Rico during the off-season for 10 years. He won the batting title and was named league MVP there in 1966–67.
The Big Red Machine Era
Tony Pérez was a key player for the Cincinnati Reds during their "Big Red Machine" years. He was known for driving in runs, getting 100 or more RBIs seven times in his career. From 1967 to 1977, he had 90 or more RBIs every year. In the 1970s, Tony had the second-most RBIs in all of Major League Baseball, with 954.
Starting in 1970, the Reds went to the World Series four times in seven years. They won two championships in a row in 1975 and 1976. Tony was the starting first baseman for both of those championship teams.
After the Reds won the 1976 World Series, Tony was traded to the Montreal Expos. Many people, including the Reds' manager Sparky Anderson, believed Tony was the true leader and "heart and soul" of those championship teams. After Tony left, the "Big Red Machine" was not as dominant.
Later Career and Return to Cincinnati
Tony played three seasons for the Montreal Expos, hitting 46 home runs. In 1980, he joined the Boston Red Sox. In his first year with Boston, he hit 25 home runs and had 105 RBIs.
In 1983, Tony reunited with his former "Big Red Machine" teammates Pete Rose and Joe Morgan on the Philadelphia Phillies. He was a reserve player for the Phillies when they went to the World Series that year. After that season, he returned to the Cincinnati Reds as a free agent. He played for the Reds until he retired in 1986.
In 1984, at age 42, Tony hit a walk-off pinch-hit home run. This means he hit a home run that won the game in the last inning while batting as a substitute. On May 13, 1985, at age 44, he became the oldest player to hit a grand slam. He was named National League Player of the Week in the final week of his career.
His last career hit and RBI was a solo home run on October 4, 1986. The next day, he played his final game.
Tony's Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Tony Pérez became a coach for the Reds. In 1993, he was hired as the Reds' manager. However, he was fired early in the season with a record of 20 wins and 24 losses.
Soon after, Tony joined the Florida Marlins as a special assistant. In 2001, he became the Marlins' manager for the rest of that season. He stayed with the Marlins organization until 2017.
Tony Pérez's Legacy and Honors
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| Tony Pérez's number 24 was retired by the Cincinnati Reds in 2000. |
Tony Pérez was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1998. On May 27, 2000, the Reds retired his jersey number, 24, in a special ceremony.
In 2000, Tony was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. He received enough votes to be inducted. He was inducted in July 2000 along with Sparky Anderson, Carlton Fisk, Bid McPhee, and Turkey Stearnes. Tony often attends the Hall of Fame ceremonies each year.
Tony has received many other honors. He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2001. He also threw out the first pitch at the 2001 All-Star Game. In 1998, he was inducted into the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame. He was also one of the first people inducted into the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.
In 2014, the Cincinnati Reds announced they would build a statue of Tony Pérez outside their stadium, Great American Ball Park. The statue was unveiled in August 2015 during "Tony Pérez Weekend." Many of his former "Big Red Machine" teammates were there to celebrate with him.
Tony's Family Life
While playing baseball in Puerto Rico in 1964, Tony met Juana de la Cantera. They married in 1965. Both Tony and Juana became American citizens in 1971. They have two sons, Victor and Eduardo Pérez, both born in Cincinnati.
Victor played one season in the Reds' minor league system. He later became an actor. Eduardo was also a talented baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for 13 seasons. After retiring as a player, Eduardo became a baseball commentator and coach.
Tony's parents lived in Cuba. Tony was able to visit them in 1972 and again in 2002. His family in Cuba would listen to the radio to hear updates about Cuban players in the major leagues. Tony's father passed away in 1979, and his mother passed away in 2008.
Tony Pérez always looked up to Cuban-born baseball player Minnie Miñoso. Tony worked for many years to help get Miñoso elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. A book about Tony's life, Tony Pérez: From Cuba to Cooperstown, was published in 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Tony Pérez para niños
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders
- Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame
