RIP Orlando Cepeda 1937-2024

August 12, 1973 I saw Orlando Cepeda go 5 for 5 in a Red Sox rout of the California Angels in Fenway Park. I was 15 and dad took me to the game while we (mom, dad, Robin and me) were on our way to my only trip to Ireland. I remember the game, but not that it was just dad and me that went. But that's what it says in mom's scrapbook from the trip (attached). Dad liked sports OK, but I'm sure attending this game was a gesture to me.

I was a huge Orioles fan at that time, and not a fan of the then new designated hitter rule which was just introduced that spring. But Cepeda couldn't field any longer. The man could barely walk. He could still hit, though. That day he had a home run, a double, two of his singles bounced off the famous Fenway left field wall and he scored 4 of Boston's 14 runs. Fenway is part pool table sometimes.

I was in total awe of Cepeda. 

The next two weeks while we were in Ireland I hardly could find a baseball score, which was OK because the Orioles were only doing so-so at the time. The first headline I saw when we returned to the US told me the Orioles had won 16 games in a row while I was away! They won 97 games that season to win the AL East, but lost to the Athletics in the playoffs. 

I haven't followed baseball in many years. It's just a big bucks business nowadays. Occasionally I've been known to watch a minor league game, which still seems to me a fine way spend an afternoon or evening. But the majors are just crazy expensive, to watch boys play a game. We had great seats in 1973 for $3. Correcting for inflation, that should be maybe $18 today, not whatever it does cost.

Thank you Mr. Cepeda. 

https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/august-12-1973-veteran-dhs-orlando-cepe…