Longtime big league player and coach Ozzie Virgil Sr. passed away today at age 92. A veteran of nine MLB seasons from 1956-69, Virgil has a historic legacy as the first Dominican-born player to ever appear in Major League Baseball.
Virgil broke into the majors with the New York Giants at the tail end of the 1956 season, appearing in three games for his newfound hometown team. A native of Monte Cristi, Virgil’s family moved to New York when he was a teenager, and he went on to serve in the Marines for three years before beginning his career in pro baseball. After spending his first two seasons with the Giants, Virgil was traded to the Tigers during the 1957-58 offseason, and in 1958 became the first black player in Tigers history.
The big majority of Virgil’s career was spent with the Giants (142 games) and Tigers (131 games), as Virgil also spent his last two seasons back with the Giants after they’d moved to San Francisco. Virgil also played for the Athletics, Orioles, and Pirates over his 324 career games in the Show, with a slash line of .231/.263/.331 over 798 plate appearances.
Upon retirement, Virgil then spent 19 years as a coach, forming a long working relationship with manager Dick Williams. Virgil coached with the Giants for all but one season from 1969-75 before joining the Expos’ staff in 1976, and he then worked as the third base coach on Williams’ staffs with the Expos, Padres, and Mariners from 1977-88.
Virgil’s legacy extended most directly to his son Ozzie Jr., who was a two-time All-Star catcher during a distinguished 11-year run in the majors. In the bigger picture, the elder Virgil was a trailblazer in the history of baseball in the Dominican Republic, the country that has produced more MLB players than any other country besides the United States. We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Virgil’s family, friends, and many fans.