Sandy Valdespino---1968
Oh what an April it was… 1968. It was
a month that made Sandy Valdespino
smile; which was obviously after this
picture was taken for his 1968 card.
Even hough Valdespino won the
1964 International League batting
title, hitting at a .337 clip for the
Atlanta Crackers, the outfielder
couldn’t crack into the group of
Harmon Killebrew, Jimmie Hall and
Tony Oliva. He did join the Twinkies
for their American League Pennant
of ’65, hitting .261 in 108 games off
the bench. That was followed by two
more seasons of part-time work,
hitting under the yet-to-be-
determined Mendoza Line.
Picked up by the Braves in the Rule
5 Draft prior to the ’68 season; the 5’
8”, 170-pound Valdespino had a
homecoming of sorts with his return
to Atlanta. With Rico Carty sidelined
for the season with tuberculosis,
Valdespino collected hits in 10 of 14
April contests, batting a familiar .333
for Atlanta.
So inspiring was his play, The
Sporting News dedicated their May
11, 1968 Atlanta column on the hot-
hitting left fielder. A smiling
Valdespino is pictured with the
following quotes splattered
throughout the article:
“This is the first time I really have had
a chance to play as a regular. In
Minnesota I never was anything but a
utility player… in and out of the
lineup.”
While he added that his success was
nothing new to him.
“I can hit, I know I can hit up here.
And by playing everyday, I stay
sharp. My timing is good. So I am not
surprised that I am hitting well.”
And he loved the Atlanta weather.
“I am happy here. I have many
friends here. I like it, too because it is
warm, the way it was in Cuba where I
grew up.”
“In Minnesota, it was very cold much
of the year. I could never get used to
it.”
Even Atlanta manager Luman Harris
joined in on the quotes: “I’m not
surprised. I knew he could hit. I like
Sandy’s attitude, too. On the bench,
he is always saying, ‘Let’s win… let’s
get some runs now.’”
Well, in marched May and the singles-
hitter began a slump that chased him
to the bench just as the article came
to publication. By late June, Harris
surprised Valdespino with a ticket
back to Triple-A for what would be
the rest of the 1968 campaign.
We understand that throughout the
remainder of the ’68 season a
muffled voice could be heard from
the Richmond Braves bench: “Let’s
win… let’s get some runs now.”
(Editor’s note: Valdespino would
hit .230 in 765 major league at-
bats over parts of seven seasons for
Minnesota, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle,
Milwaukee and Kansas City.)
(10/14/08)
a month that made Sandy Valdespino
smile; which was obviously after this
picture was taken for his 1968 card.
Even hough Valdespino won the
1964 International League batting
title, hitting at a .337 clip for the
Atlanta Crackers, the outfielder
couldn’t crack into the group of
Harmon Killebrew, Jimmie Hall and
Tony Oliva. He did join the Twinkies
for their American League Pennant
of ’65, hitting .261 in 108 games off
the bench. That was followed by two
more seasons of part-time work,
hitting under the yet-to-be-
determined Mendoza Line.
Picked up by the Braves in the Rule
5 Draft prior to the ’68 season; the 5’
8”, 170-pound Valdespino had a
homecoming of sorts with his return
to Atlanta. With Rico Carty sidelined
for the season with tuberculosis,
Valdespino collected hits in 10 of 14
April contests, batting a familiar .333
for Atlanta.
So inspiring was his play, The
Sporting News dedicated their May
11, 1968 Atlanta column on the hot-
hitting left fielder. A smiling
Valdespino is pictured with the
following quotes splattered
throughout the article:
“This is the first time I really have had
a chance to play as a regular. In
Minnesota I never was anything but a
utility player… in and out of the
lineup.”
While he added that his success was
nothing new to him.
“I can hit, I know I can hit up here.
And by playing everyday, I stay
sharp. My timing is good. So I am not
surprised that I am hitting well.”
And he loved the Atlanta weather.
“I am happy here. I have many
friends here. I like it, too because it is
warm, the way it was in Cuba where I
grew up.”
“In Minnesota, it was very cold much
of the year. I could never get used to
it.”
Even Atlanta manager Luman Harris
joined in on the quotes: “I’m not
surprised. I knew he could hit. I like
Sandy’s attitude, too. On the bench,
he is always saying, ‘Let’s win… let’s
get some runs now.’”
Well, in marched May and the singles-
hitter began a slump that chased him
to the bench just as the article came
to publication. By late June, Harris
surprised Valdespino with a ticket
back to Triple-A for what would be
the rest of the 1968 campaign.
We understand that throughout the
remainder of the ’68 season a
muffled voice could be heard from
the Richmond Braves bench: “Let’s
win… let’s get some runs now.”
(Editor’s note: Valdespino would
hit .230 in 765 major league at-
bats over parts of seven seasons for
Minnesota, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle,
Milwaukee and Kansas City.)
(10/14/08)
