For Pérez, becoming the “Big Dog” took time

In preparation for a scheduled doubleheader versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 26, 1964, the Cincinnati Reds called up hard-hitting minor-league prospect Tony Pérez. The Cuba native had impressed team officials with his play for the San Diego Padres, the Class AAA team in the Pacific Coast League.

With the strong record of accomplishments Pérez had compiled in the minor leagues, the Reds made the call to their prospect. Pérez, they hoped, was ready for his first bit of Major League Baseball action.

There was a lot to like about Pérez. The muscular Cuban had hit for power and for average in his minor league stops in Lake Geneva and Rocky Mount before he was assigned to San Diego after spring training 1964. The Reds appreciated his mental makeup. He had seemingly handled quite well the cultural adjustment of being a Latin America native in the United States.

Additionally, he kept improving as a ballplayer even while dealing with not being able to return to Cuba each winter after diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba were severed.

Twice the Fun

A doubleheader used to mean twice the fun for fans. One paid admission got fans entrance for two games. This meant an afternoon at the ballpark could stretch into the evening with lots of baseball, food and drink to digest.

Doubleheaders had a different feel for most ballplayers. Chicago Cubs icon Ernie Banks’ cheerful “Let’s Play Two” mantra arguably made him an exception. Many players prefer not to play both ends of a doubleheader.

It is a long day at the ballpark for them. In recognition of this, team managers often decide to rest a few everyday starters for the second game.

But after calling up Pérez, Reds manager Fred Hutchinson penciled his rookie first baseman right into the starting lineup batting fifth versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Game On

Walking into a major league ballpark after earning your first promotion can be both special and a bit intimidating. Pérez was entering a clubhouse where Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson were already National League All-Stars and where Pete Rose and Leo Cardenas were soon to join them.

Their opponents at Crosley Field also had a star-studded lineup. What’s a bigger reality check than to see the Pirates Roberto Clemente taking his cuts in the batting cage or firing balls in from right field during pregame drills?The Pirates’ starting nine also included future Hall of Famers Willie Stargell and Bill Mazeroski.

After the Pirates failed to score in the top half of the opening frame, the Reds threatened to break the game wide open. Rose led off with a home run. Robinson reached on an error after Tommy Harper had struck out. Cleanup hitter Deron Johnson singled, moving Robinson to third and bringing Pérez up to the plate for his first time. The Cuban rookie worked a five-pitch walk to load the bases. However, the inning was stymied by a 6-4-3 double play.

Pérez’s first turn at the plate was his most productive appearance in the batter’s box that day. He ended up going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout as the Reds took the first game 7-2. Pérez took the collar again in the second game, going 0-for-4 with another strikeout as Pittsburgh took the nightcap 5-1 to earn the split.

Perez didn’t have to wait too much longer to collect his first hit. The next day Cincinnati traveled to Milwaukee’s County Stadium to face the Braves. There he doubled off Denny Lemaster in his first turn at the plate as Cincinnati’s offensive attack propelled the Reds to a 11-2 win.

Down for More Seasoning

Surprisingly, the powerfully built Pérez did not connect often in his first taste of big league action. In the 12 games he appeared with the Reds during the 1964 season, he did not hit a single home run in his 25 at-bats. In fact, he collected just two hits, batting .080.

Pérez’s performance in the PCL with the Padres throughout the 1964 campaign proved promising, however. Pérez hit .308 with 34 home runs and 107 RBI and was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player.

The power came quickly for Pérez the following year. In the second game of the 1965 season he hit the first of his 379 career home runs as a major leaguer. Two seasons later he would truly come into his own while playing third base for the Reds. In 1967 Pérez would make his first All-Star team as he hit .290 with 26 home runs and driving in 102 runs.

Over his 23 seasons he would demonstrate great durability and reliability as an elite run producer. Not once did Pérez spend time on the disabled list. He also accumulated seven seasons of 100 or more RBI, driving in 1,652 for his career.

In 1999 Pérez got another call-up, one for which he had long awaited. This time it was the call up to Cooperstown, N.Y., to join fellow players from the Big Red Machine Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan as members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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