- Ozzie Virgil Sr. opened the door for many Dominicans to play in the MLB
- He made his MLB debut in 1956 and played in the majors for nine seasons.
Ozzie Virgil Sr., the first Dominican to play in the MLB, passed away.
He was 92 years old.
Virgil Sr. began his nine-year career in 1956 with the (then New York) Giants, who remembered him Sunday with a tribute in X.
He later spent time with the Tigers, Athletics, Orioles and Pirates before concluding his career with the Giants in separate stints in 1966 and 1969.
The MLB wrote on its official X account that it was “deeply saddened” to learn of his death.
Ozzie Virgil Sr. was remembered by the MLB in a post on the league’s official X account
Ozzie Virgil Sr was named honorary captain of the New York Mets in 2018
“Our thoughts are with his son, two-time All-Star catcher Ozzie Virgil Jr., and the rest of the Virgil family,” they wrote.
Virgilio’s presence in the MLB opened the door for many other Dominican players to follow his example.
Today, Dominican players make up 9.83% of all MLB rosters according to World Population Review – the highest figure of any country except the United States.
Virgil served as a utility player in the major leagues and had a .231 batting average with 14 home runs in his career.
After ending his playing career, he spent 19 years as a coach with the Giants, Expos, Padres and Mariners.
He was born in Monte Cristo, Dominican Republic on May 17, 1932.