Giants’ legend injured in fall
Cepeda reportedly has serious head trauma from accident
Orlando Cepeda, one of the most popular players in Giants history, remained in a Bay Area hospital Tuesday in an undisclosed condition that appears to be serious.
Cepeda, 80, was rushed to the hospital Monday night. He fell in the parking lot of his gym and “suf- fered a severe blow to the skull,” according to family friend Paco Figueroa.
Figueroa, who is a minor league coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, also told Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia that Cepeda is “in a delicate state.”
The news spread throughout the Giants training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona. Giants players declined to comment publicly, leaving that to manager Bruce Bochy.
“A Hall of Famer, a legend here,” Bochy said. “He comes here for our Hall of Fame get-together in the clubhouse. He has fun with the players. Our prayers are with him.”
According dispatch records, the Fairfield Fire Department picked up Cepeda at 6:04 p.m. at the Rancho Solano Golf Club. The dispatcher reported a male who was unconscious and added that CPR was in progress.
The Cepeda family posted an update to social media Tuesday morning that read: “We ask that you please respect our privacy at this time. We know Papi Orlando is loved by many. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated immensely.”
Cepeda was part of the original San Francisco team when the Giants arrived from New York in 1958. The native of Puerto Rico went on to win Rookie of the Year honors that season and won over fans with his charismatic personality.
Cepeda, who lives in Fairfield, continued working with the Giants last season in his role as a community ambassador.
The native of Puerto Rico was an 11-time All-Star and the 1967 National League MVP.
During his MVP season, Cepeda hit .325 with 25 home runs and 111 RBIs.