Ozzie Virgil (virgioz01)
From BR Bullpen
Osvaldo Jose Virgil Sr. (Pichardo)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.
- Debut September 23, 1956
- Final Game June 27, 1969
- Born May 17, 1932 in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic
[edit] Biographical Information
Ozzie Virgil was the very first of the hundreds of major leaguers who were born in the Dominican Republic. He emigrated to the United States at fourteen in 1947 and began playing baseball in the 1950s while with the United States Marine Corps. He was signed by the New York Giants to a contract in 1956. In addition to his major league career he played 13 seasons (1953-1956, 1958-1960, 1962-1964, 1966-1968) in the minor leagues, 10 of which were at AAA. He had 3 years with batting averages of over .300.
Virgil was a coach for the San Francisco Giants (1969-1972, 1974-1975), Montreal Expos (1976-1981), San Diego Padres (1982-1985) and Seattle Mariners (1986-1988). For the last three stops, he accompanied manager Dick Williams, to whom he became a close friend and confidant during the latter's time as Expos' manager. In 1989, he was a coach for the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the Senior Professional Baseball Association.
During the winter months Virgil played with the Mayaguez Indians in the Puerto Rican League and with Aguilas and Escogido in the Dominican League, both of which he would later manage. He also managed the Cardenales de Lara, Leones del Caracas, Tiburones de La Guaira and Tigres de Aragua of the Venezuelan League and the Mazatlan Venados in Mexico.
He is the father of catcher Ozzie Virgil Jr.
[edit] Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Bellingham Giants | Northwest League | 20-18 | -- | San Francisco Giants | replaced by Shane Turner on July 28 |
