All Felix Mantilla ever wanted was to play Major League ball. As a boy he showed he had the talent to make that dream come true, but it would take more than talent. Along the way he would face the unreasonable hated and prejudices as African Americans, things he had never seen and wouldn’t understand.
While lighter-skinned Puerto Ricans and Cubans appeared in the first half of the 1900s, they were subject to the same kinds of abuse as black players. It wasn’t until the 1950s that Puerto Ricans were allowed to make their mark on the game. The seventh native of Puerto Rico to debut between 1950 and 1956 and went on to have a long career was a sure-handed infielder from Isabela, Felix Mantilla.
Mantilla was a pioneer among pioneers who only wanted to play baseball
Mantilla’s story is similar to that of players who made it to the majors when they were young and had long careers. He began playing in a local police-sponsored league at nine but was so much better that he was quickly promoted to play with much older players.
The following year, he was promoted again, this time to a league 45 miles from home. He continued to excel there, eventually being selected for the Puerto Rican National team and playing on that team when they beat Cuba 6-5 to win the 1951 Amateur World Series.
“I’m indebted to Roberto Clemente, Félix Mantilla, Orlando Cepeda who had to deal with prejudice because of their skin color and Latino roots. It would take time to erase a long history of stigmas and practices, written or unwritten.” – Félix Millan, 1973 NL Champion (N.Y. Mets) pic.twitter.com/7cAIwen9J5
— Talkin’ 21 (@Talkin21podcast) January 16, 2024
Braves Like What They See
Mantilla played for Caguas in the Puerto Rican league. His manager, Luis Olmo, had played for parts of six seasons in the National League, ending his career with the Boston Braves in 1951.
Olmo had a deal with the Braves to send talent their way, and one of the first players he sent was Mantilla. Impressed by Mantilla’s talent and work ethic, Braves scout Hugh Wise offered him a $400 bonus to become a Brave.
““It was for $400, which seems paltry today, but back then, I can assure you, it was a fortune. Of course I grabbed it and signed.” ”
Felix Mantilla
Mantilla was taking batting practice when he was called over to fill in at third base for Evansville. He was supposed to play only a couple of games for the Evansville Braves, but he broke camp with the team and never looked back. He went on to bat .323 and slug .470 on his way to becoming the 1952 Three-I League Rookie of the Year.
Move Over Hank
In 1954, Mantilla moved to Jacksonville, where he, Horace Garner, and Henry Aaron were part of the first integrated team in the city. Aaron led the league in hitting, and Mantilla batted .278/.405/.384 as the J-Braves won the league title. He moved through the system quickly, and in June 1956, the Braves called him up to fill in for the injured Johnny Logan.
Mantilla never returned to the minors. He was a big part of two Braves World Series teams and the runner who ruined Harvey Haddix’s perfect game when he reached first on an error in the top of the 13th and scored on a Joe Adcock double.
Moving On
The Mets selected Mantilla in the expansion draft. With the chance to play every day, he batted .275/.330/.399/.729 for the Mets in 1962, but it was a change from playing on a pennant contender. Fortunately for Mantilla, the Mets traded him to Boston. Manager Johnny Pesky was delighted to have Mantilla on his team.
““I saw him in 1955 when I was coaching at Denver and he looked like a fine shortstop. “They say he plays a good third and second base. I could use Mantilla in three different positions.””
Boston Manager Johnny Pesky
Felix Loved Boston
Pesky didn’t use Mantilla much in 1963 and said he regretted that in 1964 as Mantilla put up career numbers. He loved hitting at Fenway, batting .289/ .357/.553/.910 in 470PA, hitting a triple, 20 doubles, and 30 homers, only five short of the total he’d hit in his earlier career. He backed that up with a .275/.374/.416/.790 and 18 homers in 1965 and earned the start at second base in the All-Star game.
He injured his shoulder in Spring Training but, in an unusual move, was traded to Houston while on the IL. He played only 77 games for Houston, but his last appearance saw him hit a double, a homer, and drive in three in game two of a doubleheader against the Mets as the Astros coasted to an 8-2 win. He signed with the Cubs but tore his Achilles tendon and retired.
Epilogue
Felix Mantilla faced all of the hatred and prejudice bigots and the hard-of-thinking threw at him and had career that spanned six seasons with the Braves, one with the Mets, three with the Red Sox, and one with the Astros.
He retired with 707 hits that included 97 doubles, 10 triples, 89 homers, and a .261/.329/.403/.732 line, walking 256 times and striking out only 252 in 969 games and 3029 PA. Although he came up as a shortstop, Mantilla played every position except pitcher and catcher in his 11 Major League seasons.
That’s a Wrap
Mantilla fell in love with Milwaukee because the crowd – and the city – always treated him well. During the 1966-67 offseason, he, Bob Uecker, and Don Pavletich worked with the Milwaukee police offseason in a program designed to offer kids a safe place to go and keep them out of trouble. When he retired, he went to work for The Boys’ Club there, and they honored him by naming a Little League team after him.
Felix Mantilla passed away on January 25 at 90 years old. The staff here at the House That Hank Built sends out thoughts and condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
