Orlando Cepeda oral history interview, circa 1968

Orlando Cepeda oral history interview

Datecirca 1968

DescriptionOrlando Cepeda was interviewed in St. Louis. Missouri around 1968. Content of the interview include: Track 1 - On his father being a baseball player and growing up with baseball, bats, gloves, all his life has been baseball; dreamed to be a professional baseball player; his father never played in the big leagues; played his whole career in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, but never played in the United States (00:00:00 to 00:01:26) Track 2 - On people being impressed with his playing ability and sending him to a tryout camp for the Giants in 1955 and they signed him; he used to play third base and switched to first base in 1956 (00:01:26 to 00:02:03) Track 3 - On loving music, on it helping to relax him; having a big collection of records, he loves jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, Willie Bobo, Milt Jackson, Mongo Santamaria, so many greats (00:02:03 to 00:02:52) Track 4 - On being a sharp dresser, Puerto Rican people are very proud of their clothes and what they eat; he used to watch the American ballplayers and how they dressed, and wanted to dress that way, so his first check he spent on clothes; on his uniform pants coming with the Giants being tailor made; he likes to look fit on the field (00:02:52 to 00:04:00) Track 5 - On "Baby Bull" nickname, from Life Magazine article on him; there was a play at home plate, he was coming from third, and Smokey Burgess was waiting for him and he ran right through him; now he's more like the old bull (00:04:00 to 00:04:48) Track 6 - On being in the Majors 10 years; hopes to play 5-6-7 more years, whatever he can; would love to stay in baseball after his playing career, a great game, the more you play the more you have to learn, and the more you have to teach youngsters coming up; would like to work with them anywhere; intends to live in Puerto Rico but can work anywhere; his family is in the U.S. with him, but his extended family lives in Puerto Rico (00:04:48 to 00:06:06) Track 7 - On musician Pablo Casals from Spain now living in Puerto Rico; one of the greatest in the world (00:06:06 to 00:06:46) Track 8 - On playing baseball, listening to music; cars being a waste of money (00:06:46 to 00:07:14) Track 9 - On problems with the language and the food in the U.S., had to get used to things; prefers Spanish food, rice and beans; not hot or spicy food; Americans eat too light, meat and salad isn't enough, have to have rice and beans to feel full; he used to be hungry all the time when he first came to the U.S.; no problems in training camp, he knows how to pace himself; comes in good shape, he plays in the winter in Puerto Rico to stay in shape (00:07:14 to 00:09:45) Track 10 - On living with his family in San Juan; having an 18-month-old boy; would like for him to go to school; if he wants to be a baseball player, that's fine, but his father told him that he had to have natural ability, so he didn't push him to become a baseball player; he wasn't too crazy about baseball as a child, but he had good natural ability; a basketball player can work to become a better player, but you have to have a lot of talent to be a good baseball player (00:09:45 to 00:11:24)

Object numberBL-2001-00092-008

Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)

Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer Cepeda, Orlando

Subject Cepeda, Orlando

Attributes

Classificationsaudio/visual materials

Library Call NumberRR 390

Collection NumberBA RMA 003 St. Louis Cardinals oral history collection

Dimensions00:11:24|1 of 1

Copyrighthttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

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