Ozzie Virgil Sr., a longtime player and coach in Major League Baseball, passed away today at the age of 92. He had a nine-season MLB career from 1956 to 1969 and is remembered as the first Dominican-born player to compete in the league.
Virgil made his MLB debut with the New York Giants at the end of the 1956 season, playing in three games for the team. Born in Monte Cristi, his family relocated to New York when he was a teenager, and he served three years in the Marines before starting his professional baseball career. After two seasons with the Giants, he was traded to the Tigers during the 1957-58 offseason, becoming the first Black player in Tigers history in 1958.
Most of Virgil’s career was spent with the Giants (142 games) and the Tigers (131 games), and he finished his playing days back with the Giants after their move to San Francisco. He also played for the Athletics, Orioles, and Pirates, accumulating 324 career games with a batting line of .231/.263/.331 over 798 plate appearances.
Following his playing career, Virgil coached for 19 years, establishing a strong partnership with manager Dick Williams. He was a coach with the Giants for most of the years from 1969 to 1975, then joined the Expos’ staff in 1976, later serving as third base coach under Williams with the Expos, Padres, and Mariners from 1977 to 1988.
Virgil’s legacy continued through his son, Ozzie Jr., who enjoyed an 11-year MLB career and was a two-time All-Star catcher. More broadly, the elder Virgil was a pioneer in Dominican baseball, contributing to a country that has produced more MLB players than any nation except the United States. We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to Virgil’s family, friends, and fans.
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