Victor Felipe Pellot Pove, a.k.a. "Vic Power" (November 1, 1927 – November 29, 2005) born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico), was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League. He is considered by many to be the greatest first baseman to have been born in Puerto Rico. Another Puerto Rican baseball player, Ruben Gomez, went as far as saying once that Pellot was "the best Puerto Rican athlete of all times". November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Arecibo Observatory City nickname: La Villa del Capitán Correa Location within the nation of Puerto Rico Country Puerto Rico Mayor Lemuel Soto (PNP) Area   â€“Land   â€“Water 330. ... Black is a color with several subtle differences in meaning. ... MLB logo Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in the world. ... The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The position of the first baseman First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that players team. ... Rubén Gómez Colón (July 13, 1927 - July 26, 2004) born in Arroyo, Puerto Rico, was a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who became the first Puerto Rican to pitch in a World Series game. ...

Victor Pellot Power

He was the second child in a family of six, his father died when he was only 13 years old. This turned out to have added significance in his life because his father didn't want him to play baseball and would punish him if he caught him doing so. After his father passed away, he was able to play the game he loved. When his mother moved to the City of Caguas, he went to school and graduated from the José Gautier Benítez High School. Image File history File links Vicpellotpower. ... Image File history File links Vicpellotpower. ... Caguas (founded in 1775) is a municipality located in the eastern central area of Puerto Rico. ... José Gautier Benítez (April 12, 1848 – January 24, 1880) was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. ...

In 1946 he started to practice with a local baseball team called the Senadores de San Juan (San Juan Senators) where he learned many of his baseball skills. He was later invited to play for the Criollos de Caguas, where he was spotted by a New York Yankees scout. In 1949, he left for the City of Chicago and was sent to play for a team in Drummondville, Quebec. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927 â€¢ 1923 AL Pennants (39) 2003 â€¢ 2001 â€¢ 2000... ... Drummondville Ville (city) in central Quebec, located east of Montreal, on the Saint-Francois River. ...

He was signed by the Yankees in 1951, but was sent to the Triple-A Syracuse. In 1953, even though he was the minor league batting champion, he was not invited to spring training. If the Yankees wouldn't have picked Elston Howard over him, he would have been the first black and Puerto Rican to have been a Yankee. Many Blacks and Puerto Ricans protested in front of Yankee Stadium in response to what they believed was a racially motivated decision. 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... Categories: Stub | Minor league baseball teams | Syracuse, New York sports ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsmen, respectively. ... A Grapefruit League game at the LA Dodgers camp in Vero Beach, Florida In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of exhibition games which precedes the regular season. ... Elston Gene Howard (February 23, 1929-December 14, 1980) was a Major League Baseball player. ... Yankee Stadium is the home stadium of the New York Yankees, a major league baseball team. ...

Power's choice of name caused resentment and alienation, particularly in his home land of Puerto Rico. In a letter to historian Bill Haber in 1993, Power gave his real, full name as Victor Felipe Pellot Pove; Pove being his mother's maiden name and Pellot his father's surname (as is traditional in Hispanic culture; see Roberto Clemente Walker). However, when Maximina Pove was in the first grade, her teacher mistakenly corrected her last name, changing the "v" to a "w" and adding an "r" at the end.

During Power's first two professional seasons, in the French-Canadian town of Drummondville, Quebec, Power went by the name Victor Pellot. When his name was announced at the ball park, there was much laughter among the crowd: apparently the word "pellot" has a less than wholesome meaning in French. After that incident, he used the name Vic Power when playing in the United States, and Pellot when playing winter ball in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, many of the locals either didn't realize that "Pellot" and "Power" were the same player, and many who did thought Vic had "sold out" to the culture and lifestyle of the USA. Also, he was often criticized by the press and his peers for fielding the ball using only one hand instead of using both hands; this was to become his trademark.

In 1954, he was recruited by the Philadelphia Athletics and thus became the first Puerto Rican to play for that team. Suffering from the racial discrimination which was so rampant in the nation at that time, he could neither stay with the rest of the team at the same hotels nor be allowed to eat at the same restaurants. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) West Division (1969-present) Major league titles World Series titles (9) 1989 â€¢ 1974 â€¢ 1973 â€¢ 1972 1930 â€¢ 1929 â€¢ 1913 â€¢ 1911 1910 AL Pennants (15) 1990 â€¢ 1989 â€¢ 1988 â€¢ 1974 1973 â€¢ 1972 â€¢ 1931 â€¢ 1930 1929 â€¢ 1914 â€¢ 1913 â€¢ 1911 1910 â€¢ 1905 â€¢ 1902 West Division titles (13) [1...

The Athletics moved to Kansas City in 1955, where he finished in second place in the batting race that season. In 1958, he was then sent to the Cleveland Indians. Kansas City is a city covering parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties in Missouri, USA. Although it is the largest city in Jackson County, the suburb of Independence is the county seat. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) Central Division (1994-present) East Division (1969-1993) Major league titles World Series titles (2) 1948 â€¢ 1920 AL Pennants (5) 1997 â€¢ 1995 â€¢ 1954 â€¢ 1948 1920 Central Division titles (6) [1] 2001 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1997 1996 â€¢ 1995 Wild card berths (0) None [1] - In...

In his 12-season career, he played with the Philadelphia and Kansas City Athletics (1954-58); Cleveland Indians (1958-61), Minnesota Twins (1962-64), Los Angeles Angels (1964), Philadelphia Phillies (1964) and California Angels (1965). Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) Central Division (1994-present) West Division (1969-1993) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 1991 â€¢ 1987 â€¢ 1924 AL Pennants (6) 1991 â€¢ 1987 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1933 1925 â€¢ 1924 Central Division titles (3) 2004 â€¢ 2003 â€¢ 2002 West Division titles (4) 1991 â€¢ 1987 â€¢ 1970 â€¢ 1969 Wild... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883-present) East Division (1969-present) Major league titles World Series titles (1) 1980 NL Pennants (5) 1993 â€¢ 1983 â€¢ 1980 â€¢ 1950 1915 East Division titles (6) [1] 1993 â€¢ 1983 â€¢ 1980 â€¢ 1978 1977 â€¢ 1976 Wild card berths (0) None [1] - In 1981, a players strike in...

Before retiring, he won seven Gold Glove Awards and was selected a seven-time All-Star. He was also voted the Minnesota Twins MVP in 1962. He has the record of having made one or more assists in 16 consecutive games; he shares the record of making two unassisted double plays in one game, and he is one of 11 players to steal home plate twice in one game, and he also shares the record of being assists leader for six years in a row and of double plays in a single game. In American baseball, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to simply as the Gold Glove, is the award annually given to the Major League player judged to be the most superior individual fielding performance at each position (in each league), as voted by the managers and coaches in each... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is an annual exhibition baseball game between the best players from the National League and the American League. ... In American sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... A number of sports have a statistic known as an assist: An assist (hockey) goes to the player or players who helped set up a goal. ... After stepping on second base, the fielder throws to first to complete a double play In baseball, a double play (denoted on statistics sheets by DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. ...

Among his career totals are the following: 1,716 hits and 126 home runs, and he was only struck out 247 times out of 6,046 at bats. In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ... For other uses of the phrase see Home run (disambiguation) In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run for each runner who was already on... In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K, K-S, or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ... In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ...

He spent his retirement in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The City built a ballpark, which he could see from the window of his apartment, and named it after him. During summers, he helped the youngsters of the community in their sports skills development. He believed that many among modern youth would stay away from trouble and have the chance to enter college on sports scholarships. Pellot also coached, and among his pupils, either as a coach or talent developer, he taught many future Major League Baseball players, such as Roberto Alomar, Jose Oquendo, Jerry Morales, Guillermo Montanez and Jose Cruz. Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico. ... Roberto Alomar Velázquez (born February 5, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball player, considered by many to be one of the best second basemen to have ever played the game. ... Jose Oquendo is the third base coach for the St. ... José Cruz (born August 8, 1947) is a former Major League Baseball player from Arroyo, Puerto Rico. ...

Victor Pellot Power is considered by many to be one of Puerto Rico's greatest baseball players and a living legend. His baseball career will be part of an American documentary titled Beisbol, directed by Alan Swyer and narrated by Esai Morales, which will cover the early influences and contributions of Hispanics to baseball. In 2000, the Cleveland Indians honored him by declaring him to be among its 100 all-time greatest players. Esai Morales is an actor who has most recently starred as Lt. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Victor Pellot Power died on November 29, 2005 in San Juan, Puerto Rico from cancer at the age of 78. November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... San Juan is the capital city of Puerto Rico. ... When normal cells are damaged beyond repair, they are eliminated by apoptosis. ...

Reactions after his death

• "...There is a lot to be thankful about to Pellot"-Orlando Cepeda.
• "The Puerto Rican Olympic Committee and sports (community) are saddened by the death of who, in his prime, was the best first baseman of the world. I am sure his name will be remembered alongside Roberto Clemente's in the future"-Hector Cardona, Puerto Rican Olympic Committee president.
• "In a way, his relationship with the press could be compared a little to Yogi Berra's, but Berra had crazy lines and Pellot had anecdotes"-Joaquin Martinez Rousset, well known Puerto Rican sportswriter.
• "Had he played (either) during Cepeda's era or the modern one, he would have been a hall of famer. There should be a legitimate and justified movement to induct him in the Hall of Fame"-Israel Roldan, president of the Puerto Rican baseball federation.
• "Many of the things I learned about baseball fundamentals, I (learned from) him"-Jose Oquendo.
• "I had the priviledge of being in a team with him and it was like going to a university"-Mako Oliveras, well known Puerto Rican professional baseball coach.
• "Victor Pellot Power, who managed first base as well as racial discrimination with grace and elegance in the United States during the 1950s, died yesterday morning, victim of Cancer"-El Vocero, Puerto Rican newspaper.

Orlando Cepeda (born September 17, 1937) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and right-handed batter who played with the San Francisco Giants (1958-66), St. ... Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter. ... Yogi Berra on his 80th birthday Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925) is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career for the New York Yankees. ... // Events and trends This map shows two essential global spheres during the Cold War in 1959. ... El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in the Puerta de Tierra barrio, in the city of San Juan. ...

Quote

• "When I was playing at the minors, our team went to the hotel after a game and I was sent to sleep on the second floor of a funeral home. Just in case, I took along one of my bats. But that night, I discovered that dead people don't talk or walk"-Victor Pellot, 2005.

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• Players from Puerto Rico in MLB

list of famous Puerto Ricans in alphabetical order by last names, where applicable. ... This is an alphabetical list of 214 baseball players from Puerto Rico which had played in Major League Baseball between 1942 and 2004. ...

External link

• Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis