Orlando Cepeda Marquee Hall of Fame 1999

San Francisco brought him up at twenty and he was Rookie of the Year in 1958, leading the National League in doubles with 38. In 1961 he led it in home runs with 46 and in runs batted in with 142. His father Perucho had starred in Puerto Rico and never played in the United States.

A knee gave out in 1965 and held him to 33 games, and the Giants traded him to St. Louis. There he hit .325 with 111 runs batted in for the 1967 club that won the World Series, and was named Most Valuable Player. Boston made him its designated hitter in 1973, the position's first season, and he won the new award for it.

The writers considered him on fifteen ballots and never elected him; a drug-smuggling conviction after his playing days stood against him. His best showing came in 1994, when he drew 335 of the 456 votes cast and needed 342. The Veterans Committee elected him in 1999, the second Puerto Rican player to reach the Hall, after Roberto Clemente.