Felix Mantilla, a former Houston Astros utility player and pioneering figure in baseball, passed away on Friday at the age of 90, as reported by MLB Trade Rumors.
Mantilla, who played five different positions during his career, spent his final Major League season with the Astros in 1966. Though his time in Houston was brief, he was a significant trailblazer for Puerto Rican players in the Major Leagues. Mantilla was one of the first players from Puerto Rico to make it to the big leagues, debuting in 1956.
He is also remembered for breaking up Harvey Haddix’s perfect game bid on May 26, 1959, when Haddix took a perfect game into the 13th inning before Mantilla reached base on an error.
Before joining the Astros in 1966 via a trade with the Boston Red Sox, Mantilla had enjoyed success in Boston, earning an All-Star selection and a 29th-place finish in MVP voting. In Houston, he posted a .219/.279/.371/.650 batting line with six home runs and 22 RBIs before being released after the season. He went on to sign with the Chicago Cubs, but his career ended after he suffered an Achilles injury, although he did play another year in the minor leagues in 1968.
Born in Isabella, Puerto Rico, in 1934, Mantilla moved to the U.S. in 1953 after signing with the Milwaukee Braves. He played alongside future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron in the minor leagues with the Jacksonville Braves, one of the few integrated teams in the South at the time. Mantilla and Aaron were roommates, and while Aaron made it to Milwaukee first, Mantilla played a part in helping the Braves win the 1957 World Series, contributing a .236/.296/.363/.659 line with four home runs and 21 RBIs.
Mantilla spent his first six seasons in the Majors with the Braves before being selected by the New York Mets in the 1962 expansion draft. Despite the Mets’ struggles that season, Mantilla had one of his best years, hitting .275/.330/.399/.729 with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs.
He moved on to the Boston Red Sox from 1963 to 1965, where he found his power stroke. In 1964, he set career highs with 30 home runs and 64 RBIs, slashing .289/.357/.553/.910. His strong play continued in 1965 when he earned an All-Star selection with a .275/.374/.416/.790 line, 18 home runs, and a career-high 92 RBIs.
Mantilla’s Major League career spanned nearly 1,000 games, with a final slash line of .261/.329/.403/.732, 89 home runs, and 330 RBIs.
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