Forty-four years ago today, September 1, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates fielded the first all minority team. It was the team of Roberto Clemente. The charismatic Puerto Rican was soft spoken but had the complete respect of his team. With Clemente leading the offense, the Pirates would win the World Series. This important sports milestone has been largely neglected.
An article on MLB.com sets the scene, "On Sept. 1, 1971, twenty-four seasons after Jackie Robinson officially broke baseball's color barrier, the Pirates became the first Major League franchise to field an all-minority starting nine. Witnessed by just 11,278 fans in attendance, the game did not receive a great deal of recognition at the time."
The line-up would consist of:
Rennie Stennett 2ndB
(Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
Stennett played 8 years with the Pirates 71-79 and was a .274 career hitter with 41 hr and 432 RBIs.
2. Gene Clines CF
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Gene Clines played with the 1970-1974. Clines hit .277 with 5 hrs and 187 RBIs for his career.
3. Roberto Clemente RF
Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)
Roberto Clemente spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, (1955-1972). The Hall-of-Famer hit .317, blasted 240 home runs and batted in 1305 runs in that time.
4. Willie Stargell LF
Photo by Bill Pierce/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)
Nicknamed Pops, Stargell would be the Kingpin of the 1979 World Series winning Pittsburgh team. For the 1971 team, Pops would just have to content himself with leading the team in home runs. Stargell would play his whole career with the Pirates 1962-1982. He was a career .282 hitter with 475 home runs 1540 RBIs.
5. Manny Sanguillen
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Manny Sanguillen spent his entire career, except the 1977 season with Pittsburgh. From 1967-1980, Sanguillen batted .296, hit 65 home runs and collected 585 RBIs.
6. Dave Cash 3rd B
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Dave Cash was a major leaguer from 1969 until 1980. He hit .283 for his career, while banging out 21 home runs and 483 RBI.
7. Al Oliver 1st B
Photo by Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
Al Oliver plied his trade from 1968 until 1985. For the Pirates, Oliver began his career in 1968 and stayed there until the end of the 1977 season. All told, Al Oliver batted .303 with 219 home run and 1326 RBIs.
8. Jackie Hernandez SS
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Cuban born Jackie Hernandez played in the MLB from 1965 until 1973, only three of those with the Pirates. For his career, Hernandez hit .208, smashed 12 home runs and drove in 121 RBIs.
9. Dock Ellis P
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
From 1968 to 1979, you could see Dock Ellis pitch. From 1968 until 1975, he played for the Pirates. Ellis went 138-119 with a 3.46 ERA.
As for the game itself, by the end of the third inning, the score was 8-6 Pittsburgh. Ellis would only last 1 1/3 and Phillies starter Woodie Fryman 1/3. Clemente, Stargell, and Sanguillen would all drive in 2 runs. Pittsburgh would win 10-7.
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