San Francisco Giants and Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda has died at 86 years old, his family confirmed in a statement via the team on Friday night.
The cause of death was not announced.
Cepeda’s death comes just 11 days after his teammate, Willie Mays, died at 93 years old.
“We lost a true gentleman and legend,” Giants chairman Greg Johnson said in a statement, according to MLB.com “Orlando was a great ambassador for the game throughout his playing career and beyond. He was one of the all-time great Giants and he will truly be missed.”
Cepeda’s wife, Nydia, said he was surrounded by his family and “listening to his favorite music” as he passed away at home.
Born in Puerto Rico, Cepeda, known as “The Baby Bull,” came up to the big leagues in 1958 and quickly established himself as one of the premier players in the game, winning National League Rookie of the Year honors during the Giants’ first year in San Francisco after leaving New York.
Cepeda, also named National League MVP with the Cardinals in 1967, did it all with the bat during his career that saw him reach 11 All-Star teams.
Arguably his finest season came in 1961 when he led the NL in homers (46) and the majors in RBIs (142).
Cepeda, who also played with the Braves, A’s, Royals and Red Sox, finished his 17-year career with 379 home runs and a .297/.350/.499 slash line.
In 1999, five years after falling off the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
“This is truly a sad day for the San Francisco Giants,’’ Giants president and chief executive officer Larry Baer said in a statement, per MLB. “For all of Orlando’s extraordinary baseball accomplishments, it was his generosity, kindness and joy that defined him. No one loved the game more.”
