Félix Mantilla, former All-Star with the Boston Red Sox and World Series champion as a member of the Milwaukee Braves, died at the age of 90.
The Braves have since moved to Atlanta, but Mantilla remains an important figure in Milwaukee baseball history and the city's current club, the Brewers, honored him Saturday.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Félix Mantilla, an iconic figure in Milwaukee who was an inspiration to all of us in the Milwaukee baseball community,” the Brewers said in a statement.
Mantilla helped organize a youth league in the Milwaukee area that still bears his name.
“We will always remember Félix for his time with the Milwaukee Braves, but even more so for the impact he had on thousands of children through the Félix Mantilla Little League,” the Brewers' statement continued. “Our love and thoughts are with Felix's beloved wife, Kay, and the many friends and family who join us in mourning his passing.”
No cause of death has been given.
The Braves trio of Juan Pizarro, Humberto Robinson and Félix Mantilla (right) are seen at Yankee Stadium in 1958 before Game 3 of the World Series.
Félix Mantilla would go on to be a member of the infamous 1962 New York Mets.
“Our city remembers Félix Mantilla,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson wrote in X.
'He lived an extraordinary life. He was both a baseball star and a world champion. His community work included the Félix Mantilla Little League, introducing youth to teamwork, discipline and fun. “My thoughts are with his family and fans.”
A teammate of Hank Aaron in the minor and major leagues, Mantilla was a key contributor to the Braves' National League pennants in 1957 and 1958, not to mention the club's seven-game upset of the New York Yankees in the 1957 World Series.
Born in Isabela, Puerto Rico on July 29, 1934, Mantilla was primarily an infielder, although the natural right-hander was also capable of playing the outfield.
He was drafted by the expansion New York Mets in 1962 and played one season for what many consider the worst team of the modern era.
Casey Stengel's club would finish with a 40-120 record.
“I don't think anyone ever dreamed that the team was going to be this bad. On paper, it didn't seem that bad,” Mantilla would later tell reporters.
The 1962 New York Mets are seen at the Polo Grounds. Mantilla appears on the left side of the second row between Cliff Cook, a Cincinnati Reds pickup, and Chris Cannizzaro.
Stengel, 71, Mantilla said, “would present the lineup to the referees before the game, then return to the dugout and go to sleep.” I guess I couldn't bear to look.
But Mantilla's career would gain new life in Boston in 1963 when his average jumped from .215 in his final season in Milwaukee to .275 in New York and .315 at hitter-friendly Fenway Park.
Mantilla would have his best season in 1964, hitting a career-high 30 home runs, although it wouldn't be until the following season that he would finally earn an All-Star nod at age 30.
But Mantilla's MLB career would quickly fizzle out. He was traded to the Houston Astros for Eddie Kasko in 1966 and then signed with the Chicago Cubs, only to be sidelined after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Mantilla never played another major league game.
The utility player recently lost a 1962 Mets teammate: reliever Ken MacKenzie passed away in December 2023 at the age of 89.