Manny Sanguillen

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Lore & Background

Sanguillén was born in Colón, Panama. He grew up in a tough barrio and didn't touch a baseball until he was nineteen, when he heard a pastor preaching sermons on a street corner, joined the Evangelical Baptist Church, and became a member of the church team. Two years later he was signed to play professional baseball. After playing for three years in the minor leagues, Sanguillén joined the Pirates in 1967, playing in 30 games. He played another season in the minor leagues in 1968, before returning to the Major Leagues in 1969. He replaced Jerry May as the Pirates starting catcher and posted a .303 batting average. After the tragic death of Roberto Clemente before the 1973 season, the Pirates slated Sanguillen to take Clemente's place in right field. By mid-June, it was apparent that Sanguillen couldn't adapt to playing the outfield and he was moved back to the catcher's position. Sanguillen was a close friend of his teammate Roberto Clemente. In 1972, Sanguillen, who had been playing winter baseball with the San Juan Senators, spoke to Clemente about accompanying him on a relief mission to Nicaragua. Sanguillen missed the plane because he had misplaced his car key and was totally devastated when he learned the plane had crashed, killing Clemente. Against the advice of Pirates General Manager Joe Brown, Sanguillen insisted on helping to recover the bodies of those who died in the crash. The sight of many sharks swimming in the water did not stop Sanguillen. As Pirates teammate Steve Blass told The Sporting News, 'Manny dove from dawn till midnight.' So focused on this task was he that he missed the January 4 memorial service attended by his Pirates teammates.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Three Rivers Stadium hummed with tension on a September evening in 1971. Manny crouched low, his mitt steady as the Pirates faced the Baltimore Orioles in Game 7 of the World Series. The crowd held its breath; this was not just another game. As the final out was recorded, Sanguillen stood tall, raising his glove to the sky before turning to high-five his teammates. He had posted a .379 batting average with 11 hits in the series, second only to Roberto Clemente's 12 hits. It was a quiet moment of triumph in a loud stadium, cementing a memory that would echo through Pirate history.

Reader's Guide

A three-time All-Star, Sanguillén's lifetime batting average of .296 is the fourth-highest by a catcher since World War II, and tenth-highest for catchers in Major League Baseball history. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary Johnny Bench, Sanguillén was considered one of the best catchers in Major League baseball in the early 1970s. While he didn't possess Bench's power hitting ability, Sanguillen hit for a higher batting average. He was an integral member of the Pirates teams that won three consecutive National League Eastern Division pennants between 1970 and 1972, and a World Series victory in 1971. Sanguillen was also a fast baserunner for a catcher and was a good defensive player with a strong throwing arm. On the field, Sanguillen was notorious for being a 'bad-ball' hitter. He rarely walked, and was the only player since 1900 with at least six straight seasons with 475 plate appearances and fewer than 22 walks. This was also why, in spite of his high batting average, his on-base percentage was lower than the league average over his career. In 1970 he posted a .325 batting average, finishing third in the National League batting championship behind Rico Carty and Joe Torre. In 1971 he had his best year offensively, hitting for a .319 batting average, 7 home runs and 81 runs batted in, and finished third among National League catchers in games caught (135), second in base runners caught stealing (37), caught stealing percentage (51.4%), fielding percentage (.994) and first in assists (72). In 1975 he posted a .328 batting average, third in the National League batting championship behind Bill Madlock and Ted Simmons. In 1977, Sanguillen was traded by the Pirates to the Oakland Athletics for the services of then-A's manager Chuck Tanner and $100,000 as a settlement of Tanner's contract with the A's. After one season with the A's, Sanguillen was traded back to the Pirates for Miguel Diloné and Elías Sosa. He played in only 85 games in 1978, mostly as a first baseman. His playing time diminished further in 1979, playing in only 56 games, although he contributed a two-out, game-winning single and RBI for the Pirates in Game 2 of the 1979 World Series against the Orioles. The 1980 season was Sanguillen's last in the majors, although he returned in 1982 to play in the Mexican League.

Did You Know?

• Sanguillen was the Pirates' catcher on September 20, 1969 when Bob Moose pitched a no-hitter.
• He edged out Johnny Bench on The Sporting News National League All-Star Team in 1971, the only time between 1967 and 1975 that Bench was not selected.
• Sanguillen currently operates 'Manny's BBQ', a barbecue-style concession stand at the Pirates' current home, PNC Park.
• Before the Pirates' win over the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on August 24, 2019, Sanguillen was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.
• Sanguillen was inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame in 2024.