Pirates Induct Former Catcher Into Hall of Fame
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will honor their rich history when they officially induct a franchise legend into the team's Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Former catcher Manny Sanguillen will be honored alongside Jim Leyland, who's also a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and Barry Bonds when Pittsburgh takes on the Cincinnati Reds at 6:40 p.m. on Saturday, August 24. The three-man class will represent the No. 24, 25 and 26 members of the Pirates' Hall of Fame. The group was first unveiled on May 21 this year.
Sanguillen spent parts of 12 seasons donning the black and gold, first playing for the Pirates from 1967 through 1976 before a brief pit stop in Oakland with the Athletics during the 1977 campaign. He came back to Pittsburgh in 1978 via trade, where he remained through the end of his career in 1980.
Sanguillen appeared in 1,296 games for the Pirates, hitting .299/.329/.403 with 65 home runs and 585 RBIs. He received MVP votes each year from 1970 - 1972 in addition to 1975 while also being named an All-Star in three of those seasons (1971, 1972 and 1975).
He was a key member of the Pirates' World Series-winning team in 1971 when they defeated the Baltimore Orioles four games to three, and later helped Pittsburgh triumph over the Orioles for another title in 1979 as part of the "We Are Family" squad.
According to the team, Sanguillen is third alll-time among Pirates catchers in games caught. He also came in third in the 1970 National League batting title race with a .325 average and owned the fourth-highest average in the N.L. from 1969 through 1971 (.316).
Sanguillen has his own restaurant at PNC Park titled "Manny's BBQ", which has been a staple since the stadium first opened in 2001, and has remained a member of the Pittsburgh community for over 50 years following his playing days.
JACK MARKOWSKI