Miñoso worthy of Hall call: 'He belongs there'

CHICAGO -- Minnie Miñoso was more than a nine-time All-Star with a wide array of talents.

He was a trailblazer, becoming the first black Cuban to suit up for the White Sox. On May 1, 1951, in his Major League debut, he homered off the Yankees' Vic Raschi during the first inning of an 8-3 loss at Comiskey Park.

He was a mentor and friend to such White Sox players as fellow Cubans José Abreu and Alexei Ramirez, as well as for countless players who never even suited up in Chicago. He also was a force of nature, a gregarious presence around the ballpark long after he took his final two at-bats in 1980 at the age of 54.

On Sunday, Miñoso could become a Hall of Famer, as he is one of the 10 players under consideration by the 16-member Golden Days Era Committee, which considers candidates whose primary contribution to the game came from 1950-69. Those who know him -- or even just know of him -- believe this honor is long overdue.

“Minnie really was a good person, and he also represented baseball so well,” said his wife, Sharon Rice-Miñoso, who was at Guaranteed Rate Field on Monday to honor her late husband via a special memorial on his birthday and the couple’s anniversary. “We would be honored if he was in the Hall of Fame this year, and we are cautiously optimistic.”

“To me, Minnie was a legend,” said Jose Contreras, who got to know Miñoso while pitching for the White Sox from 2004-09, during a recent Zoom panel discussing Miñoso’s impact. “He was one of the reasons I started playing baseball. When I was a kid and people talked about Minnie, to me, it was, ‘I want to be like him.’ Then, when I had the chance to meet him here, it was incredible. He was one of our best representatives, and he was our Jackie Robinson.”

Contreras is one of the many members of the White Sox Cuban Connection, a group that helped the club win a World Series title in 2005 and sustain a successful organization moving forward. The current squad, which reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history, features Abreu at first base and as the leader of the team, with Yoán Moncada at third base, Yasmani Grandal behind the plate, Luis Robert in center field and Yoelqui Céspedes developing in the Minors.

It all began with Miñoso, who did everything he could to help these new players adjust. That respect was returned to the White Sox legend, with Ramirez switching his jersey number to 9 for the 2015 season home opener in honor of Miñoso, who passed away on March 1 of that year. Miñoso’s number was retired in 1983, so Ramirez asked for and received permission from White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager Rick Hahn to do so.

“Once I got here and I met Minnie, he was a big influence in my life and a role model,” Contreras said. “I had the chance to meet him and spend time with him. It was an incredible time, because you want to be like him.”

“There are too many words to describe Minnie and all he did. He was an exemplary man, a great father and an outstanding baseball player,” said Abreu through interpreter Billy Russo in a statement to MLB.com on the 70th anniversary of Miñoso’s first game with the White Sox. “He did great things for Cuba, for the Cuban players.”

“He knew he had a responsibility as a trailblazer, as a role model,” said Charlie Miñoso, Minnie’s son, who spoke at Monday’s ceremony. “That was something I feel like not just our family really takes to heart and appreciates, but it seems to be emulated in many of the players and community leaders that Dad mentored and befriended over the years.”

In addition to Miñoso, Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Roger Maris, Danny Murtaugh, Tony Oliva, Billy Pierce and Maury Wills were named as the candidates for Golden Days consideration. All are former players except for Murtaugh, who managed the Pirates for 15 seasons during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Any candidate who receives 75 percent of all ballots cast earns induction into the Class of 2022.

The White Sox have long supported Miñoso out of love, respect and a strong belief in his candidacy. They put out an extensive information packet on Miñoso, including 15 reasons why he belongs in the Hall. That list includes his 2,110 hits, 1,946 games played, 195 home runs, 216 stolen bases and .299 batting average, with the addition of Negro League stats. Only six other players in MLB history have reached those milestones, and all are in Cooperstown.

“Being my dad’s hero, I’m going to make sure his name continues to be mentioned as one of the greats of all time, and the greats of all time belong in Cooperstown,” said Eduardo Perez, whose father, Tony, has been enshrined. “And hopefully, that’s where he’ll be on Dec. 5. Minnie belongs there.”