After hitting .326 in 19 Grapefruit League video games, Pedro González stood close to residence plate at Fort Lauderdale Stadium and humbly accepted the reward of his supervisor, Ralph Houk. Jerry Coleman, starting his first full season as a Yankees broadcaster, helped current the 1963 James P. Dawson Award — bestowed yearly since 1956 to essentially the most excellent rookie in Yankees spring camp — to González, whom he had mentored at second base a number of years earlier.
Issues have been trying up for the 25-year-old, who was on the cusp of seeing his first Main League motion. Even the Topps baseball card firm checked out him as the subsequent marquee attraction in New York, inserting him immediately above Cincinnati’s Pete Rose on a “1963 Rookie Stars” card.
Whereas Rose went on to win 1963 NL Rookie of the 12 months honors and turn out to be baseball’s all-time hits chief — details that impressed some deep-pocketed investor to shell out $717,000 at a 2016 public sale for the mint-condition rookie card — González didn’t pan out as anticipated within the massive leagues. His place in baseball historical past, although, can by no means be taken away: On April 11, 1963, he grew to become the primary Dominican Republic native to play for the New York Yankees.
A half century after Angelina Mill — the primary mechanized sugar mill within the Dominican Republic — was constructed on the outskirts of San Pedro de Macorís, Pedro González was born there on Dec. 12, 1937. Sugar and baseball dominated the area, and whereas González excelled on the latter, he by no means forgot his roots. Though early reviews listed González as hailing from Ciudad Trujillo (because the capital, Santo Domingo, was then recognized), he was, the truth is, a proud Macorísta who donated baseball tools to space youth as soon as he had the means to take action.
As a teen, González served two years within the Dominican Air Power, honing his abilities as a member of its baseball workforce below the watchful eye of proprietor Ramfis Trujillo, the son of dictator Rafael Trujillo. At the moment, the game itself was reaching new heights. The nation’s skilled league, often called LIDOM, held its first winter season in 1955-56, and on Sept. 23, 1956, when Ozzie Virgil began at third base for the New York Giants on the Polo Grounds, it marked the primary time a participant from the Dominican Republic had reached the Majors.
Large league groups rapidly ramped up their scouting efforts throughout the Caribbean nation and established working relationships with the skilled golf equipment there, usually sending gamers to the Dominican Winter League to organize for the upcoming MLB season. When González requested to go away his army workforce and be a part of the Licey Tigers — who had connections with the Yankees and Cardinals — Trujillo gave his blessing, however he despatched considered one of his different gamers, a younger right-handed pitcher named Juan Marichal, to the Escogido Lions, with whom the Giants had solid ties.
A strong 1957-58 rookie season with Licey led to a contract provide from the Yankees for a reported $1,500, far under the going charge for American-born “bonus infants.” González reported to spring camp in Florida, the place the newly retired Coleman — “greatest man I ever noticed on a double play,” Casey Stengel as soon as mentioned — imparted a few of his second-base knowledge. “He confirmed me find out how to flip the ball,” González mentioned. “He was a giant assist.”
He grew to become one of the best second baseman within the Florida State League in 1958, an All-Star who led the league in hits (162), runs (117) and stolen bases (31), which naturally earned him the nickname “Speedy.” González rejoined Licey that winter and helped the Tigers upset the powerhouse Lions for the league championship. Considered one of González’s teammates was a 23-year-old right-hander from Nebraska named Bob Gibson, whose 2-6 document and 5.00 ERA in 11 video games hardly portended the Corridor of Fame profession to come back.
Bumped as much as Modesto of the California League for 1959, González was as soon as once more an All-Star, and though his .371 common topped the league, his aggressive fashion of play finally value him the batting crown: A violent home-plate collision with Visalia catcher John Edwards left González’s proper leg in a solid for a number of weeks that summer time, and though he used that point to assist coach an area Little League workforce, he finally fell 60 plate appearances in need of the minimal required to qualify for the batting title.
After an 0-for-13 begin in 1960, González set the Jap League ablaze for the Binghamton Triplets, swinging at all the things as he raised his batting common north of .375 by mid-Might whereas recording simply two walks. “He’s lacking some pitches by a foot,” his supervisor, Dee Phillips, mentioned, “however I wouldn’t wish to contact him, the way in which he’s going.” The native newspaper, the Press and Solar-Bulletin, referred to him as “the Central Caribbean folks’s Yogi Berra,” however added that “even the bad-ball-lovin’ Yogi often takes 4 and strolls.” After González completed the season with a league-leading 179 hits and .327 common, the paper famous that “the Dominican Dandy, a stressed soul, is the world’s least picky pitch-observer. In 582 journeys to the plate this yr, he walked solely 18 occasions, not even one every week.”
That winter, González set a document for Licey that also stands. 4 days after turning 23, on Dec. 16, 1960, Speedy collected three triples in a single sport. He was LIDOM’s RBI chief that season, and as Yankees Spring Coaching was set to start, new supervisor Ralph Houk remarked, “Who is aware of what a teenager like González will accomplish if given the prospect? There’s nothing Pedro doesn’t do nicely. He’s quick on his ft, quick along with his pondering.” But, with 1960 World Collection MVP Bobby Richardson entrenched at second base, the Yanks have been nicely set at González’s place.
Incomes an opportunity with the juggernaut Yankees wasn’t the one problem González confronted. Whereas gamers of coloration have been changing into extra prevalent throughout Main League Baseball within the early Nineteen Sixties, discrimination in some communities was nonetheless gradual to dissipate. In St. Petersburg, Florida, the place the Yankees educated till 1961, “González is considered one of 4 Negroes whom proprietor Dan Topping didn’t drive the Soreno Lodge, powerful as issues are reported in St. Pete, into housing and feeding,” reported Press and Solar-Bulletin sports activities editor John W. Fox.
González confronted comparable hardships in Virginia, the place — regardless of being regarded by Yankees basic supervisor Roy Hamey as “one of the best prospect we have now in our total group” — he spent the vast majority of the subsequent three seasons as a member of the Yankees’ Triple-A farm workforce, the Richmond Virginians. However González was by no means one to dwell on the obstacles earlier than him, whether or not on the sector or off. Speedy saved on swinging, staying prepared for the day when his quantity could be known as. “All he does is eat, sleep and suppose baseball,” Milton Richman wrote for UPI, including that “González’s rise in skilled baseball thus far has been on the meteoric aspect.”
In the course of the spring of ’61, Joe Schabo, assistant sports activities editor for the Fort Lauderdale Information, noticed González intently, describing him as a “youthful baseball craftsman who takes such large delight in his commerce.” Schabo pointed to the vigor with which González shagged flies, making everybody else on the sector seem like working in gradual movement.
“There is just one option to play baseball within the Minor Leagues: You play it such as you already are within the Main League,” González mentioned. “Since you by no means can inform when a giant league scout is sitting within the stands, and if he occurs to see you on a day if you find yourself not doing all your greatest, you could have missed the massive likelihood.
“Someday, I do know I might be a giant league second baseman. … I’ll be prepared after they want me.”
Greater than two years would move earlier than González acquired his massive likelihood. He spent all the 1961 and ’62 seasons with Richmond, usually garnering reward and being talked about as commerce bait. He additionally married Esther, a schoolteacher from San Pedro de Macorís, and continued to attend church usually, however life was tough. With no eating places in that space prepared to welcome him and no actual social life to talk of, “I don’t play glad,” he informed Newsday’s Steve Jacobson. “After a sport, I am going residence, watch tv and go to mattress. It was higher for me with my spouse final yr. I had anyone to be with. I had anyone I can discuss with. The yr earlier than, I used to be very lonely.”
One shiny spot was his Minor League double-play associate, shortstop Tom Tresh, a supportive teammate who helped González be taught English. “Pedro is terrific; he does all the things nicely and is an asset to any membership,” Tresh informed The Richmond Information Chief’s Laurence Leonard in April 1961. “He’s a heck of a man personally. You may’t assist however like him.” Tresh acquired the 1962 James P. Dawson Award as essentially the most excellent rookie in Yankees camp, then went out and gained the 1962 AL Rookie of the 12 months Award. So, when González gained the Dawson Award the next yr and Topps pictured him amongst its “1963 Rookie Stars,” a giant league debut lastly felt imminent.
The Yankees had gained their twentieth World Collection with an exhilarating seven-game victory over San Francisco in 1962 — a Collection wherein the Giants’ Felipe Alou, his brother Matty and Marichal grew to become the primary Dominicans to look within the Fall Traditional — and González was certainly invited to come back north with the defending champs. Within the April 11 residence opener towards Baltimore, pinch-hitter Dale Lengthy drew a seventh-inning stroll off Milt Pappas, and Houk despatched González, sporting the No. 42 that his mentor Coleman had worn, in to pinch-run. Earlier than the importance of being the primary Dominican Yankee might sink in, although, shortstop Tony Kubek grounded out to finish the inning, and González was changed by pitcher Hal Reniff.
A Yankee Stadium crowd of 30,374 had witnessed historical past, however there was seemingly no point out of González’s groundbreaking achievement within the press. His subsequent sport motion got here 5 days later when Houk pinch-hit González for Whitey Ford within the backside of the fourth after the Tigers had knocked the Chairman of the Board round for seven runs. Speedy doubled to left, transferring Joe Pepitone to 3rd, then scored on a Kubek double.
As veterans akin to Berra and Mickey Mantle approached the twilight of their careers, the Yankees gave youthful gamers, such because the 22-year-old first baseman Pepitone and the 24-year-old Tresh, who took over center-field duties, the prospect to play almost every single day in 1963. However with Richardson, Kubek and third baseman Clete Boyer dealing with the majority of the infield duties, González was as soon as once more relegated to Richmond, the place he batted .307 in 83 video games and was named an Worldwide League All-Star. After homering within the IL All-Stars’ 5-0 win over the Yankees in entrance of a document crowd of 28,524 in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 19, González earned a September callup and completed the ’63 marketing campaign with 5 hits in 28 massive league plate appearances. He additionally pulled the outdated hidden-ball trick on Sept. 20 by politely asking the Kansas Metropolis A’s Ken Harrelson if he would step off second base for a second in order that he might kick off some mud. “I mentioned ‘please,’ and he did, so I tagged him,” González defined to reporter Bob Kurland of The File (Hackensack, N.J.). “Simply earlier than I did, I winked on the umpire to get him in on the play.”
The play drew bemusement from Houk, who would quickly go away the dugout to turn out to be Yankees basic supervisor, however because the 1963 season closed and González approached his twenty sixth birthday, Speedy was nonetheless blocked at second base by the excellent Richardson.
Berra took over as Yankees skipper in 1964, and he had different concepts about find out how to deploy González. After having the 6-foot, 175-pounder be taught the outfield and first base, Berra saved the dear and versatile González on the massive league roster all the season by utilizing him as a “tremendous sub,” usually inserting him into the sport as a pinch-runner within the later innings after which having him play almost anyplace on the sector.
“You’ve acquired to have the ability to do multiple factor,” González informed The Sporting Information that season. “I knew this after I got here up right here, and for a participant like me who can’t count on to interrupt into the beginning lineup straight away, you’ve acquired to determine methods of staying round and making your self helpful.” Speedy appeared in 80 contests, batting .277 and incomes sufficient belief to be added to the postseason roster. He could be known as into motion simply as soon as throughout the ’64 World Collection towards Berra’s hometown St. Louis Cardinals, however it was a second González would always remember.
The Collection was tied at two video games apiece, and Gibson was engaged on a Sport 5 gem at Yankee Stadium. The Yanks had managed simply 4 singles and have been trailing, 2-0, after eight innings. Mantle reached on an error to start the ninth, however Gibson rapidly retired the subsequent two batters. As Tresh entered the batter’s field, González stepped into the on-deck circle and eyed the intimidating man on the mound, questioning if he’d get a crack at his former Licey teammate. Shockingly, Tresh launched a house run into the right-field seats (simply as he had executed two years earlier towards San Francisco’s Jack Sanford in Sport 5), tying the sport, 2-2.
The euphoria didn’t final lengthy. González popped out to first baseman Invoice White to finish the ninth, Tim McCarver hit a three-run homer within the tenth, and the Cardinals went on to win the sport and the Collection, with Gibson incomes MVP honors. The loser’s share of $5,309.29 that González acquired certainly was a pleasant bonus on high of his $8,000 wage, although.
Speedy’s Yankees profession comprised simply seven extra video games in 1965 earlier than he was traded to Cleveland, the place he grew to become that group’s first Dominican participant. After 101 video games with the Yanks, González performed in 306 with Cleveland from 1965 to 1967, a tenure marred by a September 1965 mound-charging incident whereas carrying a bat that resulted in his first profession ejection and a suspension for the remainder of the season.
“One pitch is all proper. Generally one pitch can get away. However not two,” González mentioned in protection of his actions towards Tigers pitcher Larry Sherry. “There have been fastballs right here — at my face. … I don’t suppose it’s proper for pitchers to have the ability to throw at batters and get away with it.”
“Look, I’ve two kids and a spouse to assist,” González informed Cleveland Plain Vendor sportswriter Russell Schneider. “What if he hits me within the head and I can’t play anymore? Or if he kills me? What occurs to my household then?”
González remained in Cleveland’s farm system by means of 1971, by no means fairly making the mark that scouts had predicted early in his profession. Again residence, it was a special story. He performed 13 seasons within the Dominican Winter League, 10 of them with Licey, whose blue uniforms led followers to dub González “El Gran Capitán Azul” — the Nice Blue Captain. His No. 2 is considered one of 11 numbers retired by Licey, and he stays among the many franchise’s all-time leaders in hits, runs, RBIs, steals and several other different classes. Together with Julián Javier (who made a late-inning look in Sport 1 of the ’64 World Collection for St. Louis), González was considered the best second baseman of his period — and probably the greatest of all time — within the Dominican Republic.
He spent many extra years in baseball, changing into the primary Dominican to handle a Minor League workforce in america when he took over as skipper of the Braves’ Gulf Coast League affiliate in Bradenton, Florida. He held that job from 1976 to 1986, aiding within the improvement of future Braves stars akin to Ron Gant, Tom Glavine and plenty of others. A 1982 inductee of the Dominican Republic’s Sports activities Corridor of Fame, González continued to handle and scout in his residence nation each winter.
When González handed away on Jan. 10, 2021, at age 83, it barely registered a blip in American information protection. A blurb on NJ.com — revealed greater than every week after his dying — failed to say his place in Yankees historical past. However in his homeland, there have been many tributes and prolonged accounts of his profession. Tom Van Hyning of Beisbol101.com authored a three-part collection on González and reached out to a number of of his former winter ball teammates to assemble their recollections. “Speedy was a superb ballplayer, however an beautiful and higher human being,” José “Palillo” Santiago informed Van Hyning. “He was quiet, humble and low-key; did his job effectively.”
From Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Canó to Jasson Domínguez and Juan Soto, a few of the best and most celebrated Dominican ballplayers have proudly worn the pinstripes. And whereas Pedro “Speedy” González may not have reached the identical heights as a few of these stars, the fleet-footed, free-swinging likable fellow who waved goodbye to the sugarcane fields surrounding San Pedro de Macorís as a teen and blazed a path towards america will at all times be the primary Dominican to have worn the long-lasting Yankees uniform.
Nathan Maciborski is the manager editor of Yankees Journal. This story seems within the September 2024 version. Get extra articles like this delivered to the doorstep by buying a subscription to Yankees Journal at www.yankees.com/publications.
