- Item
- 1960-04-16
Part of Richards Studio Photographs
Being met at home plate is young Tacoma Giants player Matty Alou in this April 16, 1960, Pacific Coast League opener between the Giants and the visiting Portland Beavers. One of three Alou brothers from the Dominican Republic who went on to play major league baseball, Matty Alou was the best hitter for average and probably the fastest. His 15-year major league career included lengthy stints with the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. He led the league in batting, .342, in 1966 as a Pittsburgh Pirate and would help Oakland to its first World Series championship in 1972. Centerfielder Alou was sent down just days before the season opened by the big league San Francisco Giants so that he could play regularly. Groomed as the successor to Willie Mays, this would help to keep his baseball skills sharp. (baseballlibrary.com) (Additional identification by a reader)
Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Alou, Matty; Cheney Stadium (Tacoma);