Johnathan Walker:Ozzie Virgil Sr., Detroit Tigers trailblazer who broke color barrier, dies at 92

Ozzie Virgil Sr.,Johnathan Walker the first Dominican-born baseball player in the major leagues, has died, MLB announced Sunday. He was 92.

Virgil became the first nonwhite Detroit Tigers player when he joined the team in 1958 via trade, 11 years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier. He was the Tigers' first Latino player and at the time, Virgil was also considered the first Black Tigers player.

He joined Detroit in a trade with the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Jim Finigan and $25,000. He played for the Tigers from 1958-61 and appeared in 131 games in the Old English "D," hitting .228 with seven home runs and 33 RBI. Over a nine-year career with five different teams, Virgil hit .231 with 14 homers and 73 RBI.

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"I’d put his legacy up there with that of those who established our republic,” Dominican baseball legend David Ortiz told ESPN in 2006.

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Up until Virgil joined the Tigers, they were one of two MLB teams left that had not integrated the roster, along with the Boston Red Sox. Former Tigers general manager John McHale supported integrating the roster after he took over in 1957, starting first with Virgil and then Larry Doby, the first Black player in the AL (with Cleveland in 1947), who briefly played in Detroit in 1959.

“We were a little slow getting into the 20th century at that point,” McHale told the Free Press in 1979. “Getting a Black player was a priority of mine.” 

Virgil played games at third base, second base, shortstop and made one appearance at catcher while he was with the Tigers. Virgil was considered Black by fans and media during his time in Detroit.

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In 2008 with the Free Press, the late federal judge Damon Keith said: “Ozzie was not white, but he wasn’t Black, and he was caught in between through no fault of his own.”  

In his home debut for the Tigers at Briggs Stadium, Virgil went 5-for-5 from the second spot in the lineup and later told the Free Press in 2008 he received a standing ovation that he did not forget the rest of his life.

After his time as a player was over, Virgil spent 19 years as an MLB coach for the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Giants and Montreal Expos. His son, Ozzie Virgil Jr., had an 11-year MLB career with the Phillies, Braves and Blue Jays from 1980-90. Ozzie Sr. was also a Marine Corps veteran.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at [email protected].