I have no idea how I don’t have Sandy Amoros’s autograph in my collection yet. But just finished Ken Burns’s baseball documentary, and they talk about him quite a bit at one point, which inspired me to pull the trigger on this neat signed photo. It looks much nicer than I expected.
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Sandy Amoros was one of those players who is better remembered by baseball historians than your average fan, which is a real shame. But it’s understandable. Amoros had a short career (1952-1960), and was overshadowed on historic Dodgers teams with nationally recognized stars like Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Jakie Robinson, and Don Newcombe. But it’s still a shame, especially considering his glove work likely resulted in the Brooklyn Dodgers winning the 1955 World Series.
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But Amoros was a huge part of that short-lived Dodgers powerhouse. Used mostly off the bench, his numbers were fantastic: from 1954-1957 he hit .263/.369/.451 with 42 HR. Good for a 112 OPS+.
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He is best known for his amazing defense during Game 7 of the 1955 World Series. Amoros was inserted as a defensive replacement and made an impressive late-inning catch off a Yogi Berra fly ball that, if it would have been fair, would have tied up the game. This play almost certainly assured the Brooklyn Dodgers their first and only World Series win.
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There is another reason he might not be so well known. When he retired from baseball he returned to Cuba. But he was not a big fan of Fidel Castro and refused to manage the National team. As a result, all his property was confiscated and he was essentially trapped on the island. It was not until 1967 that he was able to leave Cuba and return to the States. You have to think he would have remained in the game–a coach–if he had been able.
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Another thing I like about Amoros: his minor-league stats are insane. In his first season as a professional, he had .420 OBP with 19 HR for AAA St. Paul. In 1953 it was a .457 with 23 HR. His career MiLB line is .309/.417/.520. Amoros was just an amazing player, no matter where he played.