His former team in the Dominican, Leones del Escogido, said he died of complications from diabetes.
A speedy 5-foot-9, 160-pound center fielder, Alou was a lifetime .307 hitter who had 1,777 hits over 15 seasons with six different teams, breaking in with the San Francisco Giants in 1960 and enjoying his best years with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1966 to 1970. He also briefly played minor league ball with the Tacoma Giants.
Born on Dec. 22, 1938, in Haina, Dominican Republic, Alou was among the first wave of big leaguers from his country after Ozzie Virgil and Felipe Alou, Matty’s older brother, opened the door in the late 1950s. Younger brother Jesus Alou soon followed.
Alou was a platoon player for six unremarkable seasons (1960-65) in San Francisco, his finest moment coming in 1962, when his pinch-hit bunt single in the final game of a three-game tiebreaking playoff series against the Los Angeles Dodgers began the rally that won the game and the National League pennant for the Giants.
Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda said he knew his “great friend” had been ailing.
“We roomed together a few times with the Giants,” Cepeda said by phone. “Very funny guy, hell of a ballplayer …”
HODGES, BAVASI, FINLEY ON BALLOT
Former Dodgers first baseman Gil Hodges and general manager Buzzie Bavasi and former Athletics owner Charlie Finley are among 10 candidates for the baseball Hall of Fame who will be on the Veterans Committee ballot next month.
Ken Boyer, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Allie Reynolds, Ron Santo and Luis Tiant also will be on the Golden Era ballot, which will be voted on by the 16-member committee on Dec. 5 at the winter meetings in Dallas.
SHORT HOPS
New Chicago Cubs president of operations Theo Epstein said he spoke with former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona and will speak to him again to gauge whether he is the right fit to be Cubs manager. … Ryne Sandberg, ruled out earlier this week for the Cubs’ manager vacancy, is among the candidates who will be interviewing with the St. Louis Cardinals. Sandberg managed the Philadelphia Phillies’ Triple-A team last season.
