Félix Mantilla Lamela (July 29, 1934 – January 10, 2025) was a Puerto Rican professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
utility player
In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, basketball, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water ...
, who appeared mostly as an
infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field, between first base and third base.
Standard arrangement of positions
In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns pla ...
. In his 11-year
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) career, Mantilla played for the
Milwaukee Braves
The Milwaukee Braves were a Major League Baseball club that played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1953 to 1965, having previously played in Boston, Massachusetts, as the Boston Braves. After relocating to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1966 they were rename ...
(1956–61),
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
(1962),
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
(1963–65), and
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
(1966). He played
second base
In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the infield, between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must ...
the majority of his big league career (326 games), but also adeptly played
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...
(180),
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
(143),
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In bat and ball games
...
(156) and (in the latter part of his career),
first base
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
(16). Mantilla batted and threw right-handed.
Early life
Mantilla was born on July 29, 1934, in
Isabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela () is a Isabela barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián, Puerto Rico, San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas, Puerto Ric ...
to Juan Mantilla Vendrell and Natividad Lamela de Mantilla.
He began playing organized baseball in Puerto Rico at age 9. In 1951, Mantilla was on the Puerto Rican national team that won the World Amateur Baseball Championship, defeating Cuba 6–5.
Career
Puerto Rican baseball
Mantilla played professionally in the
Puerto Rican Winter League
Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to:
Places
*El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain
*Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
*Puerto Colombia, Colombia
*Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela
*Puerto Galera, Oriental Mi ...
for the
Caguas Criollos and the
San Juan Senadores. His Caguas teams won a number of Puerto Rico league championships and a Caribbean League World Series Championship. One of his Caguas teammates in 1952 was
Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one ...
. Mantilla was ultimately inducted into the Puerto Rico Sports Hall of Fame, the Caguas Criollos Hall of Fame, and the Sports Hall of Fame in Isabela. Isabela's baseball stadium is named in his honor.
Mantilla was nicknamed "El Gato" (the cat), for his fielding agility.
Minor leagues
In 1952, Mantilla's Caguas manager,
Luis Olmo
Luis Francisco Rodríguez Olmo (August 11, 1919 – April 28, 2017) was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter. Olmo played in the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1943–45, 1949) and Boston Braves (baseball), ...
, sent Mantilla to play at a
Boston Braves
The Boston Braves were a Major League Baseball club that originated in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, and played from 1871 to 1952. Afterwards they moved to History of the Atlanta Braves#Milwaukee, Milwaukee (and became the Milwaukee Braves). ...
minor league camp, and he was eventually signed by the Braves. His first minor league season came with the
Evansville Braves
The Evansville Braves was the primary nickname of a minor league baseball team based in Evansville, Indiana 1938–1942 and 1946–1957, playing in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League. Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees Bob Uecker and Warren Spahn pla ...
of the
Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (Three-I League). In 119 games he had a .323
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
.
He was the Three-I rookie-of-the-year and was named to the All-Star team.
In 1953, an 18 year old Mantilla (along with a 19 year old Hank Aaron
and career minor league outfielder Horace Garner
) joined the
Class-A Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
(MiLB)
Jacksonville Braves, of the
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its h ...
(Sally League). They were the first three black players to integrate the team. At that time, Jacksonville was one of the first two integrated baseball teams in the Sally League (along with the
Savannah Indians
The Savannah Pathfinders was the original name of the American minor league baseball franchise that represented Savannah, Georgia, during the 20th century.
While Savannah's minor league teams sported at least ten nicknames during the century, ...
), and one of only a few in the entire
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...
. Mantilla recalled being booed solely because of his color. Aaron, manager
Ben Geraghty, and some of their white teammates helped Mantilla (who did not speak English and had not known segregation in Puerto Rico) navigate his way in difficult circumstances.
In Jacksonville's segregated community, Mantilla, Aaron and Garner lived in the home of a local Afro-Puerto Rican businessman.
Mantilla and Aaron also were roommates.
The 1953 team had the best record in the Sally League's regular season (93-44), but lost in the league championship to the
Columbia Reds in a seven game series. Mantilla played shortstop and had a .278 batting average that year. Aaron was the Sally League MVP, hitting .362, with 22
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
s, 115
runs scored
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted bal ...
, and 125
runs batted in
A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...
(RBI).
In 1954, Aaron became the MLB Braves’
left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
when
Bobby Thomson
Robert Brown Thomson (October 25, 1923 – August 16, 2010) was an American professional baseball player, nicknamed "the Staten Island Scot". He was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants (1946–53, 1957), Milwaukee Brave ...
broke his ankle.
In 1954-55, Mantilla played
Triple-A baseball for the
Toledo Sox, principally playing shortstop. In those two years, he played in 129 and 115 games, with .273 and .275 batting averages, respectively.
Mantilla began the 1956 season with the
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a Minor League Baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods (1903, 1905, 1909–1914, 1918–1960, 1974–1976). The current Sacramento River Cats began ...
of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, but was called up to the Braves in June. He again played the majority of his games at shortstop, with a career minor league best .957 field percentage, and a .272 batting average. He ended his minor league career with a .286 batting average, 45 home runs, and a .942 fielding percentage at shortstop.
Major leagues
Milwaukee Braves
After being called up to the Braves in 1956, Mantilla played in only 35 games, hitting .283 in 53
at-bats
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, b ...
. He was one of the first Puerto Rican players to reach the major leagues.
He played more in 1957, starting 44 games, and playing shortstop, second base, third base and in the outfield. He had a .236 batting average with four home runs.
The Braves were National League champions and defeated the New York Yankees 4 games to 3 in the
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 1957 season. The 54th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the American League (AL) champion and defending World Series champion ...
. Mantilla played in four World Series games, but had no hits in 10 at-bats.
He started the final two games at second base for an injured
Red Schoendienst
Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst ( ; February 2, 1923 – June 6, 2018) was an American professional baseball second baseman, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB), and is largely known for his coaching, managing, and playing years wi ...
.
In 1958, he started 52 games, with his most starts in centerfield, while also paying shortstop, second base and third base. He hit only .221 with seven home runs.
The Braves were again National League champions, but lost to the Yankees 4 games to 3 in the
1958 World Series. Mantilla played in four games, without an at-bat.
In 1959, playing winter baseball at Caugus, manager Ben Geraghty realized the Braves would have a need at second base in 1959, due to Schoendienst being seriously ill, so he moved Mantilla to second base.
Mantilla did start 44 games at second base for the Braves that year, along with 23 at shortstop, nine at third base, and seven in the outfield; but he hit only .215 with three home runs in 251 at-bats.
After playing in 103 games in 1959, he played in 63 games in 1960 and only 45 games in 1961.
In 2010, Mantilla was inducted into the
Milwaukee Braves Wall of Honor at Miller Park. He has been selected to the Wisconsin Old Time Baseball Players Hall of Fame.
New York Mets
The Braves left Mantilla exposed in the October 1961
expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or sports franchising, franchises. This occurs mainly in Sports in North America, North American sports and closed leagues. O ...
, and Mantilla was selected by the New York Mets with the 12th pick.
In their first year of existence (1962), Mantilla became the Mets regular third baseman (95 games — 88 as a starter). He also started 17 games at shortstop and nine games at second base. He established career statistical highs in batting average, home runs, and RBI (.275/11/59). His 466 at bats were over 200 more than any season with the Braves.
During the December 1962 Winter Meetings, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for
Pumpsie Green,
Tracy Stallard, and
Al Moran.
Boston Red Sox
Mantilla's numbers improved dramatically in the hitter-friendly
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a ballpark located in Boston, Massachusetts, less than one mile from Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home field of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Boston Red Sox. While the stadium was built in 1912, it was substantia ...
, where he could see pitched balls particularly well.
In 1963, his batting average was .315 in 66 games and 178 at bats, with six home runs. The following year he played in 133 games with 425 at bats. Mantilla hit .289 with 30 home runs (five fewer than he had hit in his entire major league career prior to that season). He started 46 games at second base, 42 games in the outfield, while also starting games at second base and shortstop.
The Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association selected Mantilla as the Comeback Player of the Year.
1965 was another strong year with the Red Sox. He had career-highs in games played (150),
plate appearance
In baseball, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner. This ha ...
s (629), and at bats (534). He hit .275, with 18 home runs and a career-high 92 RBI. He started 120 games at second base and 26 in the outfield.
That season, he was also named to the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
(AL)
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
team for the only time in his career, and was 29th in MVP voting.
As the starting second baseman in the All-Star game, he went hitless in two at-bats before being replaced by
Bobby Richardson
Robert Clinton Richardson, Jr. (born August 19, 1935) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees from 1955 through 1966. Batting and throwing right-handed, he fo ...
.
Final years
Prior to the start of the season, the Red Sox traded Mantilla to the Houston Astros for
Eddie Kasko, after Mantilla hurt his arm in spring training.
Mantilla spent that year as a utility player before being released on November 28, 1966.
He only played in 77 games for the Astros, starting in only 33, chiefly at first base, third base, and second base. He hit .219 with six home runs in only 151 at bats.
The
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
signed Mantilla as a free agent before the start of the season;
however, during spring training he suffered an
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcane ...
injury that required surgery. Mantilla never played a game for them and was released on July 6.
He went to spring training with the Cubs in 1968 as a non-roster player; at the end of camp the Cubs signed him to a minor league contract, but he never appeared in another professional game.
Harvey Haddix's near perfect game
On May 26, 1959, in the 13th inning of a game against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
at
Milwaukee County Stadium
Milwaukee County Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Opened in 1953 Milwaukee Braves season, 1953, it was primarily a baseball park for Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Braves and later the Milwaukee Brewers. It was also ...
, Mantilla ruined
Harvey Haddix
Harvey Haddix Jr. (September 18, 1925 – January 8, 1994) was an American professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1952–1956), Philadelphia Phillies (1956–57), ...
's
bid for a perfect game.
Leading off the inning, he hit a ground ball to third baseman
Don Hoak, whose throw to first pulled
Rocky Nelson
Glenn Richard "Rocky" Nelson (November 18, 1924 – October 31, 2006) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played in Major League Baseball for all or parts of nine seasons between and for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh P ...
off the bag for an error. (Mantilla had not even been in the starting lineup; he entered the game in the 11th after
Del Rice
Delbert Rice Jr. (October 27, 1922 – January 26, 1983) was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played for 17 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1961, most notably for the St. Louis Cardinals ...
had pinch-hit for
Johnny O'Brien.) Mantilla was sacrificed to second by
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee Mathews (October 13, 1931 – February 18, 2001) was an American professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 17 seasons for the Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1952–1966); Houston Astros (19 ...
, followed by an intentional
walk
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an "inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults over ...
to Hank Aaron. The following batter,
Joe Adcock
Joseph Wilbur Adcock (October 30, 1927 – May 3, 1999) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1950 to 1966, most prominently as a member of the Milwaukee Braves team ...
, hit one over the right-center field wall, just beyond the reach of right fielder
Joe Christopher (who was making his Major League debut), for an apparent 3–0 victory. Mantilla scored the winning run, but Aaron, thinking the ball was still in play and that the game ended when Mantilla scored the winning run, rounded second and then headed for the dugout. Adcock, running out his home run, passed Aaron on the bases; as a result, the ruling from
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
(NL) president
Warren Giles
Warren Crandall Giles (May 28, 1896 – February 7, 1979) was an American professional baseball executive. Giles spent 33 years in high-level posts in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league comp ...
was that Adcock's hit was a double (not a home run), only Mantilla's run counted and the final score was 1–0.
Career
Looking upon Mantilla‘s major league career stat line, he posted solid numbers, including a lifetime batting average of .261, with 89 home runs, and 330 RBI.
Personal life
Mantilla was dedicated to promoting youth baseball in Milwaukee, Isabela, and Puerto Rico. Along with Latino leaders in the Milwaukee community, Mantilla created the Félix Mantilla Little League in 1972, which has existed for over 50 years as a cornerstone of youth baseball, and promotes academic development initiatives for underprivileged children. Mantilla was personally involved in working with the children on their baseball skills and qualities necessary to be successful. He also worked to improve youth baseball in Puerto Rico, serving as both a coach and a mentor to young players. In 2017,
Cardinal Stritch University
Cardinal Stritch University was a private Catholic university with its primary campus in Fox Point and Glendale, Wisconsin, United States. Its enrollment as of fall 2021 was 1,365. The university closed in May 2023 due to financial challenges a ...
awarded Mantilla an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
In popular culture
Mantilla's
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc. is an American company that manufactures trading cards and other collectibles. Formerly based in New York City, Topps is best known as a leading producer of Baseball card, baseball and other sports and Non-sports tradi ...
1962
baseball card
A baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on cardboard, silk, or plastic. In the 1950s, they came with a stick of gum and a limited number of cards. These cards feature one or more baseball players, teams, s ...
was featured in the 2000 film ''
Skipped Parts'' as the top card in a stack being thrown into a fire as part of a right of passage/growing up event between a stern grandfather (
R. Lee Ermey
Ronald Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018) was an American actor and United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine drill instructor. He achieved fame for his role as Gunnery sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film ''Full Met ...
) and his grandson (
Bug Hall
Brandon "Bug" Hall (born February 4, 1985) is an American former actor. He is best known for his childhood roles as Alfalfa Switzer in ''The Little Rascals'' (1994), Newt Shaw in '' The Big Green'' (1995), and Buster Stupid in '' The Stupids'' ...
).
Death
Mantilla died on January 10, 2025, at the age of 90.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico currently has the fourth-most active baseball positions, players in Major League Baseball (MLB) among Latin American jurisdictions, behind the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba. More than four hundred players from the archipelago ...
References
External links
*
Félix Mantillaat SABR (Baseball BioProject)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mantilla, Felix
1934 births
2025 deaths
American League All-Stars
Boston Red Sox players
Evansville Braves players
Houston Astros players
Jacksonville Braves players
Major League Baseball infielders
Major League Baseball outfielders
Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico
Milwaukee Braves players
New York Mets players
People from Isabela, Puerto Rico
Sacramento Solons players
Toledo Sox players