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PR HERALD
Serrano Salutes Puerto Rican Baseball Star for Induction
into the Hall of Fame
March 2, 1999
©Copyright 1999 The Puerto Rico Herald. All Rights Reserved.
Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) today
praised Puerto Rican baseball star Orlando Manuel Cepeda on his
induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Cepeda is the second Puerto Rican elected to the Hall of Fame,
behind baseball legend Roberto Clemente who was admitted in 1973.
"I am thrilled that Orlando Cepeda is in the Hall of Fame,
because he deserves it!," Serrano said.
"Cepeda has been waiting for this for so long... I am
very proud of him, and I know this means a lot to him," Serrano
added.
Serrano called Cepeda at his San Francisco home hours before
the officialannouncement. "I wanted to wish him luck. While
he was waiting for theVeterans Committee's decision, he was calm
but at the same time extremely excited," Serrano said, adding,
"This is indeed a great day for him and for all of the baseball
community."
Cepeda, 61 and who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, played 17
major league seasons. He remains the only player unanimously
selected as both the Rookie of the Year in 1958 and the
National League Most Valuable Player with the St. Louis
Cardinals in 1967.
Cepeda, nicknamed "Baby Bull" and "Cha-Cha",
hit .297 with 379 career home runs and 1,365 RBI. He hit
better than .300 in nine seasons and hit at least 25 homers
eight times. Cepeda's father, Pedro, was called "The Bull"
and also the "Babe Ruth of Puerto Rico."
"Cepeda is a baseball glory!," praised Serrano, asserting
that, "He put up impressive numbers during his stellar
17-year career and I congratulate him for what he means
to baseball.
I am honored to have a friend who has now become one of baseball's
immortal figures."
Cepeda's entrance into the Hall of Fame was announced today
2 p.m. ET. by the 12-member Veterans Committee, which
held its annual election in Tampa, Florida. Cepeda's induction
ceremony will be held July 25 at Cooperstown, N.Y.
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