Chicago White Sox Great Minnie Minoso Passes Aged 89
By Andrew Padyk
On Sunday the baseball world lost another legend as former Chicago White Sox outfielder and third baseman Minnie Minoso passed away early morning at the age of 89.
Known as the Cuban Comet and Mr. White Sox, Minoso’s career lasted for 17 seasons, 12 of those played on the Southside of Chicago at Comiskey Park. He would also play four seasons on and off for the Cleveland Indians, one with the St. Louis Cardinals, and one with the Washington Senators. During his time, he was one of the first major Latino stars in the game.
Born in 1925 or possibly earlier, Saturnino Orestes Armas Minoso Arrieta grew up in Perico, Cuba, where he also began his playing career. Prior to entering the league in 1949, he played three seasons for the New York Cubans in the Negro Leagues from 1946 to 1948, and won the Negro World Series in 1947 as the Cubans beat the Cleveland Buckeyes.
Minoso would break into Major League Baseball two seasons after Jackie Robinson in 1949 with the Cleveland Indians, though his time in Cleveland would be brief as he spent more time in the minors with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. His break came early in the 1951 season, when Minoso was traded from the Indians to the Chicago White Sox. His career finally took off there, as the ’51 season would also be his first full season as a pro.
That season, Minoso batted .326/.422/.500, led the league in both triples (14) and stolen bases (31), and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting to Gil McDougald of the New York Yankees. By the end of that season, the White Sox held a day to salute their new burgeoning star who would be a fixture for years to come, and though he was not on the 1959 “Go-Go Sox” team, when Minoso stepped on the base paths, the chant was most assuredly “Go, go, go!” from the crowd.
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Over the span of his 17 years of MLB service, Minoso would finish with a career slash line of .298/.389/.459. Predominantly an opposite field hitter with a speedster profile, he still managed to belt 186 career home runs. Minoso went on to finish with 1,963 hits, 1,023 runs batted in, and 205 stolen bases. He was nine times an All-Star and won three Gold Glove’s despite playing six different positions throughout his lifetime. The majority of his career was played in the 1950’s and he is only one of two players to finish the decade with 100 home runs, 100 stolen bases, and a .300 batting average. The only other player to accomplish the feat was Willie Mays.
Though Minoso had a great career, Mr. White Sox is yet to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Recently he missed entry by just a few votes on a the Veterans Committee ballot. He’ll now never get the chance to see himself enshrined with those he played alongside in the same era as, but he did get to witness the honor be bestowed upon his former colleagues.
Minnie Minoso will be missed by both White Sox and baseball fans alike. He truly was a great player in his day and he left a mark on the game that will remain always in the memories of fans.