Eleven-year MLB veteran Felix Mantilla Mandila died on Friday at the age of 90. There’s also a lot of time at third base and shortstop and all those other positions.
Although Mantilla never played for the Brewers, the organization recognized him by recognizing him as “An iconic figure…an inspiration to all of us in the Milwaukee baseball community. We will always remember Felix for his time with the Milwaukee Braves, but more importantly for the impact he had on thousands of children through Felix Mantilla Little League”.
Mantilla was one of the first Puerto Rican players to break through in the MLB, being signed by the then-Boston Braves in the 1951-52 offseason and moving the team to Milwaukee in 1956 The Queen made her debut in Major League Baseball (MLB). During his six seasons with the Braves, he was primarily a center infielder, but he played a variety of positions as a reliever.
Mantilla earned a World Series ring for his performance on the 1957 championship team, and although Mantilla appeared in only 11 games in the Fall Classic, his one run was crucial. Entering the 10th inning of Game 4, Mantilla, a pinch runner, hit a game-tying run before Eddie Matthews hit a two-run home run.
The Mets selected Mantilla from the Braves in the expansion draft, meaning Mantilla (playing an everyday role for the first time in his career) was part of the infamous 1962 Mets team that played The team’s record was 40-120-1 in the first season. After his only season in New York, he was traded to the Red Sox, which sparked the most successful run of Mantilla’s career — he hit .287/in 1,297 games with Boston from 1963-65. .369/.474 with 54 home runs. Thirty of those home runs came in 1964, and the 1965 season saw Mantilla make the All-Star team for the only time in his career.
Despite this success, Mantilla was traded to the Astros after the 1965 season, and his numbers dropped dramatically during the move from Fenway Park to the pitcher-friendly Astrodome. He never played professionally again after the 1966 season, suffering an Achilles tendon injury that required surgery and seemed to limit his career at age 31.
Mantilla finished his career with a .261/.329/.403 slash line and 89 home runs in 3,029 games. He is a member of the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball Hall of Fame and, as noted in the Brewers Memorial, left a lasting legacy in Milwaukee as the namesake of the Little League program since 1973.
We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to Mandilla’s family, friends and loved ones.
