Bear
07-18-2008, 06:23 PM
07/18/2008
By David Biderman
MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- While Orlando Cepeda's statistical feats immortalized him in the minds of all Giants fans, the ballclub announced Friday it plans to further cement Cepeda's Bay Area legacy -- literally.
On Saturday, Sept. 6, the Giants will dedicate a bronze statue in honor of the Hall of Famer at 3 p.m. PT at the 2nd Street entrance to AT&T Park.
One of 10 players in franchise history to have his jersey number retired, Cepeda will join the likes of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal as the few Giants to receive the life-sized honor.
Renowned American sculptor William Behrends will design the statue, which will stand nine feet tall and will sit on a five-foot base. The towering size is befitting a player of Cepeda's caliber.
In his 17-year playing career, Cepeda was a seven-time All-Star, the 1967 National League MVP and the 1958 Rookie of the Year. A lifetime .297 hitter, he tallied 397 home runs and 1,364 RBIs.
Cepeda's first big league game was April 15, 1958 -- the first-ever Major League game played on the West Coast. Naturally, the game was against the rival Dodgers and Cepeda hit a home run and drew a walk in an 8-0 victory.
In 1999, he became the second-ever Puerto Rican-born player to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame, joining the late Roberto Clemente.
The sculpture will be unveiled on the Giants' third-annual Fiesta Gigante, a day the club pays tribute to its rich Hispanic tradition. There will be live music, food, arts and crafts, entertainers and community resource booths highlighting the Bay Area's Hispanic influence that day at AT&T Park.
This is all very nice, but a winner on the field would be better!
Oh, and by the way they better be planning a statue of Barry Bonds down the road because without him there would be no AT&T Park!!
By David Biderman
MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- While Orlando Cepeda's statistical feats immortalized him in the minds of all Giants fans, the ballclub announced Friday it plans to further cement Cepeda's Bay Area legacy -- literally.
On Saturday, Sept. 6, the Giants will dedicate a bronze statue in honor of the Hall of Famer at 3 p.m. PT at the 2nd Street entrance to AT&T Park.
One of 10 players in franchise history to have his jersey number retired, Cepeda will join the likes of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal as the few Giants to receive the life-sized honor.
Renowned American sculptor William Behrends will design the statue, which will stand nine feet tall and will sit on a five-foot base. The towering size is befitting a player of Cepeda's caliber.
In his 17-year playing career, Cepeda was a seven-time All-Star, the 1967 National League MVP and the 1958 Rookie of the Year. A lifetime .297 hitter, he tallied 397 home runs and 1,364 RBIs.
Cepeda's first big league game was April 15, 1958 -- the first-ever Major League game played on the West Coast. Naturally, the game was against the rival Dodgers and Cepeda hit a home run and drew a walk in an 8-0 victory.
In 1999, he became the second-ever Puerto Rican-born player to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame, joining the late Roberto Clemente.
The sculpture will be unveiled on the Giants' third-annual Fiesta Gigante, a day the club pays tribute to its rich Hispanic tradition. There will be live music, food, arts and crafts, entertainers and community resource booths highlighting the Bay Area's Hispanic influence that day at AT&T Park.
This is all very nice, but a winner on the field would be better!
Oh, and by the way they better be planning a statue of Barry Bonds down the road because without him there would be no AT&T Park!!