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Matty Alou

( 1938 Births )

Baseball career
Playing career
Death and Legacy
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Alou Baseball Giants Players

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Mateo "Matty" Rojas Alou (December 22, 1938 – November 3, 2011) was a Dominican professional baseball player and manager. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Taiheiyo Club Lions from 1974 through 1976. "Former batting champ Alou passes away at 72" Associated Press, Saturday, November 5, 2011 Alou was a two-time All-Star and the 1966 National League batting champion.

Baseball career

Alou was the middle of a trio of baseball-playing brothers that included the older Felipe Alou and younger Jesús. They were the first set of three to all bat in the same half-inning in the majors (September 10), and play together in the same outfield (on September 15), accomplishing both with the Giants in 1963. The latter achievement happened in the last two innings of a 13–5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field, with starting right fielder Felipe first moving to left in the seventh inning when Jesús entered the game in right and then to center in the eighth when Matty was inserted in left. Alonso, Nathalie. "60 years ago, the Alous formed the first all-brother outfield," MLB.com, Friday, September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023. Matty had been teammates with Felipe during the prior three campaigns, and was likewise with Jesús for the following two. Matty and Felipe later reunited with the Yankees in 1973. Dittmeier, Bobbie. "Matty Alou, middle brother, batting champ, dies", MLB.com, Thursday, November 3, 2011.

Alou's best years as a player were spent with the Pirates, where he won the National League (NL) batting title in 1966 and was a two-time All-Star in 1968 and 1969. He was a member of a World Series Champion with the Athletics in 1972 and a NL pennant winner with the Giants in 1962.

Playing career

Alou was born in Haina, Dominican Republic. He was a platoon player for the Giants for several years and was mostly unremarkable. His finest moment in San Francisco came in 1962 when his pinch-hit bunt single in the final game of a three-game tie-breaking playoff against the Los Angeles Dodgers began the rally that won the game and the pennant for the Giants. He batted .333 in the Giants' losing effort against the Yankees in the 1962 World Series. While he was primarily an outfielder, Alou also appeared in one game in 1965 as a pitcher, pitching two scoreless innings.

After being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 1966 season Alou received instruction from expert hitting instructor Harry Walker that helped turn him into a high-average contact hitter. This earned him a starting job as an integral member of a Pirates team which included future Baseball Hall of Fame members Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell. The Pirates fought the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in a tight pennant race and were in first place on September 10, before they faltered to finish the season in third place for a second consecutive year. Alou won the 1966 NL batting title with a .342 average, with his brother Felipe finishing second, and finished in the top five in hitting four more times - in –, .

His contract was sold by the St. Louis Cardinals to the San Diego Padres on October 24, 1973, "Royals, Red Sox Trade Pitchers," The Associated Press (AP), Wednesday, October 24, 1973. Retrieved April 29, 2020

In 1969 Alou led the major leagues in at-bats (698), doubles (41), and hits (231). His 231 hits in 1969 remain the highest total by any National League player since Joe Medwick's 237 in 1937.

After leaving the Major Leagues following the season, he played three seasons in Japan (Taiheiyo Club Lions) and managed in the Dominican Professional Baseball League.

Death and Legacy

On June 23, , the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame inducted Alou into their Hall of Fame during an on-field, pre-game ceremony at AT&T Park before a game between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees.

Alou died in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as the result of diabetic complications, according to his former Dominican team, Leones del Escogido. The Giants confirmed Alou had had variety of health issues for several years.

Alou was honored in New York City by the naming of Matty Alou Way in Upper Manhattan's Inwood Hill Park neighborhood in October 2015.

See also