Rico Carty, who played 15 seasons in the major leagues and won the 1970 National League batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has died at the age of 85.
A family friend confirmed to Listín Diario, a newspaper in Carty’s native Dominican Republic, that the former outfielder and first baseman died Saturday night in an Atlanta hospital.
“Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favorite,” the MLB Players’ Association said in a statement.
Carty was born in the Dominican baseball hotbed of San Pedro de Macoris, signing with the Milwaukee Braves and making his MLB debut in 1963.
He finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting the following season, hitting .330 with 22 home runs and 88 RBI.
Carty’s best season came in 1970, when he led the NL with a .366 batting average and .454 on-base percentage, with 25 homers and a career-high 101 RBI. He earned his only All-Star berth that year.
“Few players in franchise history connected with Braves fans like Rico Carty,” the team said in a statement posted on social media. “A fan-favorite almost instantly after the club arrived in Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966, Rico left an indelible mark on the Braves organization.”
He was traded several times before his playing days were over and ended up playing for six different teams. He finished his career with a .299 average, 204 home runs and 890 RBI in 1,651 games.
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