Minnie Miñoso

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Miñoso's journey began on a sugarcane plantation where he managed his own team as a child. After moving to Havana in 1941, he signed with the New York Cubans in 1946, hitting .309 and winning the Negro World Series in 1947. Signed by Cleveland after the 1948 season, he debuted on April 19, 1949, as the first Black Cuban in the majors. However, limited playing time led to a trade on April 30, 1951, sending him to Chicago. On May 1, 1951, he made his White Sox debut—becoming the team's first Black player, as Sam Hairston debuted later that season on July 21. In that game, Miñoso singled in his first at-bat, then later homered off a 1-0 pitch against the Yankees. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting despite leading the league with 14 triples and 31 stolen bases. Known for crowding the plate, he led the American League in hit-by-pitch a record 10 times, and held the career record for total hit-by-pitches from 1959 until 1985.

In Their Own Story

On July 4, 1954, Minnie Miñoso broke up a combined no-hitter by three Cleveland pitchers with two outs in the ninth inning of a 2-1 loss. Later that season on April 23, 1955, he scored five runs in a record-setting 29-6 road victory over the Kansas City Athletics. His resilience was tested on May 18, 1955, when a pitch from Bob Grim caused a skull fracture; yet he returned to post his longest hitting streak of 23 games later that summer, batting .421. In 1976 and 1980, Miñoso made highly publicized returns to the majors, becoming the third player to get a hit after age 50 and the second to play in five different decades. His number 9 was retired in 1983, and a statue was unveiled at U.S. Cellular Field in 2004.

Reader's Guide

Miñoso's primary position shifted from third base in the Negro leagues to left field in the majors, where he led AL left fielders in assists six times. He batted over .300 for eight seasons and held the White Sox career home run record from 1956 to 1974. Alongside Willie Mays, he is credited with leading the resurgence of speed as an offensive weapon in the 1950s. After leaving MLB in 1964, he played and managed in Mexico through 1973 before rejoining the White Sox as a coach. In August 2023, a Chicago elementary school was renamed Minnie Miñoso Academy. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021, alongside fellow Cuban Tony Oliva.

Did You Know?

• Miñoso is one of only two players in history to appear in the major leagues in five different decades.
• He led the American League in hit-by-pitch a record 10 times, and held the career record for total hit-by-pitches from 1959 until 1985.
• As a rookie in 1951, he singled in his first at-bat for the White Sox, then hit a home run later in the same game off a 1-0 pitch.
• He became one of the oldest players ever to get a hit after turning 50 years old.
• His legal surname changed to include 'Miñoso' because people mistakenly called him that while he played with his older brother.