Minnie Miñoso, The 'Cuban Comet' Finally Gets Into The Baseball Hall Of Fame
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The wait for the "Cuban Comet" is finally over.
Minnie Miñoso passed away in 2015 at the age of 89 but his family is still celebrating him being voted into Cooperstown Sunday.
Miñoso, the first Black player for the Chicago White Sox in 1951 and considered the first Black Cuban player in the big leagues, was selected by the Veterans Committee.
He was a 13-time All-Star with a lifetime .848 on base plus slugging percentage. His family reflected on Miñoso finally getting his due.
"Minnie was very humble when it came to something like this," said his wife Sharon Rice-Miñoso. "Honestly, I know Minnie would have cried. He was a very sentimental guy, very humble and never felt he never deserved special recognition."
Minnie Miñoso is Cooperstown-bound.https://t.co/ZUD1VdCphc pic.twitter.com/at9rKu6nJu
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) December 5, 2021
"He was a humble guy from a ranch in Cuba and he went on to accomplish some amazing things," added his son Charlie Rice-Miñoso. "We're just very grateful for his legacy to live on and for his contributions to continue."
A group effort to keep his name in front of the Veterans Committee finally paid off with baseball immortality.