 |
Roman Mejias didn’t reach the majors until he was 29. He came to the United States as an experienced ballplayer who had played amateur ball in Cuba for several years. He was not intimidated by minor-league pitching in his first few seasons, playing against opposing ballplayers several years younger than he was. His offensive numbers in the minors earned him a chance to join the Pirates in spring training in 1955. With an outfield of Roberto Clemente, Bill Virdon and Bob Skinner, he got little playing time. Eventually, with the logjam in the outfield, Mejias was forced out entirely. The expansion Houston Colt .45s gave Mejias a second chance by selecting him in the 1961 expansion draft. He was the starting right fielder in Houston’s first ever game. He batted .286, homered 24 times and led the team with 12 stolen bases in 1962. After the season, Houston promptly traded their best hitter to the Red Sox, getting AL batting champ Pete Runnels in return. Mejias spent two full seasons with the Red Sox, but he didn’t reach his '62 offensive output. He ended the 1963 season with a .227 BA and 11 home runs. He hit .238 in 1964, with a couple of home runs. It was his last season in the majors. Tom Yawkey, however, was able to bring Mejias’ family out of Cuba to Boston, as the hostile Castro regime had made it impossible for the ballplayer to return to his native country to see them. His wife was permitted to bring three dresses and a pair of shoes in a duffel bag. The children brought only the clothes on their backs. Roman Mejias died on February 22, 2023 at the age of 97 in Sun City, California .... |
|||||
|
|
