I
know it’s a bit of a stretch here, but I just had to create a
“nickname” card for the great Minnie Minoso, who famously made an
appearance during the decade as an active player in 1976:
Minoso, aka the “Cuban Comet”, is arguably a Hall of Famer, and I always
felt the stunts in 1976 and 1980 may have even hurt his chances of
getting into Cooperstown.
From 1951 to 1961 he had a wonderful Major League career, leading the
league in stolen bases three times, triples three times, and hits and
doubles once each, while also driving in over 100 runs four times and
topping 20 homers four times.
Eight times in that span he would top a .300 batting average, and in
1951 many consider him the true American League Rookie of the Year when
he his .326 split between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox,
while topping the league in triples with 14 and stolen bases with 31.
Along the way he was named to seven All-Star games, winning three Gold
Gloves as well, funny enough finishing fourth in the A.L. MVP race four
times.
Of course, 12 years after his last playing days, in 1976, he ended up
going 1-for-8 at the plate as a 50 year-old, then coming back in 1980 at
the age of 54 and going hitless in two at-bats.
Nevertheless, Minoso finished his career with a .298 average, with 1963
hits over 6579 at-bats, along with 186 homers and 205 stolen bases while
also topping 1000 runs scored and RBIs, 1136 & 1023 respectively.