Cuban designated hitter Tony Oliva etched himself in the history of the game after being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday
He was joined by former teammate Jim Kaat, Dominican star David Ortiz, Buck O’Neil, Minnie Miñoso, and the late Bud Fowler.
Now 84, Oliva was one of the premier hitters in the 60s while suiting up for the Minnesota Twins. In his playing days, he became the first and the only player to win batting titles in each of his first two seasons, grabbing the award in 1964 and 1965.
“If you give 100 percent all the time, people are going to care for you. When I first came to Minnesota, I had no money, family, and didn’t know English,” Oliva said in his induction speech.
Oliva was also the 1964 American League (AL) Rookie of the Year, a three-time finisher in the top four of AL MVP voting, a three-time batting champ, and an eight-time All-Star.
