Grief at the ball for the death of former major league player Cuqui Mangual

The ex- gardener of the Great Leagues, the boricua Angel “Cuqui” Mangual, Died today, Tuesday morning, leaving a short but productive career in the best baseball in the world and in a family with a sports pedigree, her daughter Nilda reported.

He died at the age of 73 in the Sant Lluc de Ponce hospital. He is survived by his wife Nilda and their children Walter, Rita, Nilda, Nilmarie, Angel Luis, and Julio. He was also the father of Carlos, who had previously died.

“It’s sad, but Daddy lived proudly in the La Quarta neighborhood, from a sporty and united family. Mami (Nilda) was always with him and his neighbors in the Les Delícies urbanization have been waiting. Daddy was a great being human, with a big heart. He liked to help people and proud of everything he could achieve as a ballplayer, “said his daughter Nilda.

He is also survived by five brothers, among whom are the national pelotero Miguel Mangual, the runner of national fences Iván ‘Palito’ Mangual and also the ex- player of Great Leagues, Jose ‘Pepe’ Mangual, Reported Nilda. Rosa and Ivonne also survive.

It was a family with a first-class sports pedigree.

“There aren’t many families like that,” said baseball historian Jossie Alvarado.

Born and raised in the La Quarta neighborhood between Ponce and Juana Díaz, Mangual played in the Major Leagues in the 1970s with the Oakland Athletics and won three World Series titles with the team. In the 1972 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Mangual beat 10-3 with a driven career and played a leading role in the seventh and decisive game of that series.

“Although he didn’t play for many years and wasn’t regular in Oakland, at crucial times, not only in the regular season, but in the postseason as well, he played a leading role. He was one of the players that manager Dick Williams he said to do the job, “Alvarado described.

At age 22, the gardener made his Major League debut in 1969 with the Pittsburgh Pirates alongside Roberto Clemente i José Pagán. In this equipment the gardeners were Merciful, Mateu Alou i Willie Stargell.

“He (Mangual) once told me that when the Pirates called him who went to pick him up at the airport it was Clemente, who took him to a store to buy the clothes he was going to wear and even and everything lent him the cart, ”Alvarado said.

It was signed by the Pirates in 1966 through the legendary Francisco ‘Pancho’ Coimbre, who was then a member of the team, said historian Jordi Colom Prim. In fact, Mangual received the Pancho Coimbre 2021 award two weeks ago, which he awarded in a museum to Ponce, named after the legendary pelotero, added Colom Prim.

The Pirates switched to Mangual in Oakland in 1970, beginning the three-time champion era of Oakland between 1972 and 1974 alongside players such as Reggie Jackson, Berto Campaneris i Rollie Fingers.

In 1971 he was third in the voting for the Rookie of the Year. He won the prize Chris Chamblis with the Cleveland Indians.

Mangual played 91 games with the 1972 Athletics champions. He batted 246 with five homers and 32 RBIs and 19 RBIs. 14 bases were stolen.

In the 1972 World Series, in which he beat 10-3, Mangual scored the first race of the seventh and decisive game that was eventually won 3-2 by Oakland over Cincinnati. Mangual opened this game as second bat and center fielder.

Perhaps with the arrival of the designated hitter in 1973, Mangual saw action in just 74 games with the Athletics this year, though he consumed 15 rounds between the Championship Series that beat the Baltimore Orioles and the World Series in which they beat the New York Mets of Boricua Felix Millán.

However, in 1974, Mangual saw action in 115 games with the Athletics. But he consumed 5 laps in the postseason.

His last campaign was in 1976 with the Athletics.

“In addition to the three World Series titles he also won five Western Division titles with Oakland between 1971 and 1975,” Alvarado added.

In all, Mangual saw action in seven seasons. In all three World Series titles he faced classic teams such as the Cincinnati Red Machinery which had eventual Hall of Fame members such as Johnny Bench, Tany Perez, Joe Morgan, In addition to Pete Rose. He also faced the Baltimore Orioles with star starters like Jim Palmer i Mike Cuellar.

It saw action in 405 parties, in which it consumed 1,318 turns, it wrote down 122 races and it impelled 125. It gave 22 home runs and it beat by 245.

He also played professional ball in Puerto Rico and Mexico. With the Wolves of Arecibo he was leader in triples (7) in the season of the 1970-71, according to the page of statistics Béisbol101.com.