News Americas, New York, NY, October 3, 2024: Ozzie Virgil Sr., the first Dominican Republic born player in Major League Baseball (MLB) when he debuted at third base for the New York Giants in 1956, and later the Detroit Tigers’ first Black player, passed away on Sunday at his home in Monte Cristi, near the Dominican Republic’s border with Haiti. He was 92.
His son, Ozzie Virgil Jr., a former Major League player himself, confirmed the cause of death as pancreatitis. Virgil’s death was announced by Major League Baseball.
Virgil enjoyed a nine-season career in the major leagues, primarily as a third baseman. While his fielding was exceptional, his hitting struggles limited his opportunities to secure regular spots in starting lineups. After his playing days, he continued his career in baseball as a coach and scout.
When Virgil made his major league debut on September 23, 1956, playing against the Philadelphia Phillies, little attention was paid to his skin color or Dominican heritage. By then, the Giants already had prominent players like Willie Mays in center field and Puerto Rican pitcher Ruben Gomez, and other Latin American players from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela had already made their mark in the league.
However, Virgil was a trailblazer for the wave of Dominican talent that would follow him into Major League Baseball, including Hall of Fame pitchers Juan Marichal and Pedro Martinez, and outfielder Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
Virgil played only three games with the Giants in 1956 and 96 games in 1957, the franchise’s final season in New York before relocating to San Francisco. The Giants were aggressive in signing talent from Latin America, which included stars like Marichal and the Alou brothers—Felipe, Jesus, and Matty.
In January 1958, Virgil was traded to the Detroit Tigers, a team, along with the Boston Red Sox, that had yet to field a Black player. Virgil recalled to Michigan History in 1997 that he was uncertain of his role with the Tigers, as they had never previously invited a Black player to spring training.
Facing pressure from activists to integrate their roster, the Tigers called Virgil up from the minors in June 1958. Yet, his reception from Detroit fans, both white and Black, was lukewarm. He later noted that Latino players were not always accepted as Black by the African American community. Larry Doby, who integrated the American League in 1947 with the Cleveland Indians, would join the Tigers as their first African American player in 1959.
Virgil played 49 games for the Tigers in 1958, batting .244 before returning to the minors. He appeared with the Tigers again in 1960 and split the 1961 season between Detroit and the Kansas City Athletics. His last MLB appearances came in brief stints with the Baltimore Orioles in 1962 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1965.
Following a trade back to the Giants in 1965, Virgil had limited playing time before retiring from the field in 1969 after a brief pinch-hitting appearance. He transitioned into coaching, first as a third-base coach for the Giants and later as a coach for the Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners.
Over his MLB career, Virgil played in 324 games, finishing with a .231 batting average and 14 home runs.
Born Osvaldo Jose Virgil Pichardo on May 17, 1932, in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, he moved to the Bronx with his family as a teenager. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School but played baseball with a local Puerto Rican team instead of the school team. His professional baseball journey began when the Giants signed him for a $300 bonus in 1953.
Virgil is survived by his son, Ozzie Jr., a two-time All-Star catcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Toronto Blue Jays, as well as another son, Marcus; four daughters, Linda, Justine, Ruth, and Santina; and nine grandchildren.
He spent many years as an instructor at the New York Mets’ Dominican baseball academy, and in 2006, the Osvaldo Virgil National Airport was named in his honor in Monte Cristi.
Reflecting on his pioneering role, Virgil said in a 2015 interview with Simonetti Sports, “I may not have been the most talented, and I may not hold the records or any huge numbers, but I’ll always have a special number: number one.”
