50 Years Ago

[MFS62]

50 years ago this week, the first player born in the Dominican Republic made the major leagues.
It was Ozzie Virgil, with the New York Giants.

Who is your all-time favorite Dominican Dandy (any team)?
Who is your all-time favorite Dominican Dandy Met?

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Here's a list of Dominican-born Mets. I don't know if all of them are "dandies" however. Yorkis Perez will be hard to beat, I'd think.

• Azua
  Junior Noboa
• Bajos de Haina
  Yorkis Perez
• Bani
  Manny Aybar, Timo Perez
• Barahona
  Felix Heredia
• Cambiaso
  Alejandro Pe�a
• Central Barabona
  Ted Martinez
• Cotui
  Duaner Sanchez
• Haina
  Jesus Alou, Mel Rojas
• Hato Mayor
  Pedro Astacio
• Jacagua
  Jos� Parra
• La Romana
  Rafael Santana, Manny Hernandez
• Manoguayabo
  Pedro Martinez
• Ramon Santana
  Armando Benitez
• San Cristobal
  Jos� Vizcaino, Wilson Delgado
• San Juan de la Maguana
  Alberto Castillo
• San Pedro de Macoris
  Amado Samuel, Julio Franco, Juan Samuel, Tony Fernandez, Josias Manzanillo, Jos� Offerman, Manny Acta, Manny Alexander, Guillermo Mota
• Santiago
  Jos� Lima, Jos� Reyes
• Santo Domingo
  Jos� Moreno, Bartolome Fortunato, Octavio Dotel, Edwin Almonte, Victor Diaz, Anderson Hernandez
• Villa Altagracia
  Nino Espinosa
• Villa Mella
  Pedro Martinez
• Villa Vasquez
  Frank Taveras

[MFS62]

From that list, I'd have to say my all time Met from the DR is Jose Reyes.
And my all-time fave from all of baseball was Juan Marichal. He was called the "Dominican Dandy", hence the words in the questions.

NOTE: when I looked at the list, I thought there was a dupe (same player, two cities). Then I remembered the other Pedro Martinez.

Good job.
Thanks Yancy.

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

For me, it's gotta be Jose Reyes.

And the current Pedro Martinez would be the second choice.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

[Theoldmole]

Jose and Pedro, of course, but affection for Timo, too.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Nino Espinosa

• Born in the DR.


• Died there. (A rare, perhaps unique Met with a foreigh birthplace, deathplace, and gravesite).


• Sported perhaps the finest of Met afros.


• Had the good sense to stink it up for Philadelphia after getting traded....


• ...which should make Richie Hebner detractors re-assess the trade.