Thursday, Jan 27, 2022. 4:08 PM
PITTSBURGH — Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gene Clines, who was part of Major League Baseball‘s all-minority first batting roster, died at age 75 on Thursday.
Clines’ wife, Joanne, told the Pirates he passed away at his home in Bradenton, Fla., where the team’s longtime spring camp facility is located. No cause of death was given.
On September 1, 1971, Clines was the second batter and playing center fielder for the Pirates, in a starting lineup made up entirely of black players or of Latin descent. He hit a single and a double and scored twice in a 10-7 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Clines was at PNC Park last September when the Pirates celebrated 50 years of the occasion. Starters Al Oliver, Dave Cash and Manny Sanguillen also joined the festivities.
Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Rennie Stennett and Jackie Hernandez also started for the Pirates on that historic night in 1971. A month later, the Pittsburgh squad won the World Series by defeating the Baltimore Orioles in seven games.
Clines has batted .277 in 10 major league seasons. He has worn the colors of the Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Texas Rangers.
Clines finished the 1971 season batting .308 with 15 stolen bases in 97 games. The following season, in 107 games, he claimed a .334 batting average. He played the first five campaigns of his career in Pittsburgh.
“Gene was a fast outfielder who was a key member of our team in the 1971 World Series,” Pirates president Travis Williams said in a statement. He had a huge impact on the sport, not only as a player, but also as a longtime manager in the Majors. »
Clines coached in the Majors with the Cubs, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.
