Felix Mantilla, a trailblazing Major League Baseball player who spent 11 seasons in the big leagues and was part of the inaugural 1962 Mets roster, has passed away. He was 90 years old.
Videos by Suggest
According to the Society For American Baseball Research, Mantilla won a world championship with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves, made his only All-Star Game appearance almost a decade later, and played every position on the field except pitcher and catcher. Originally from Puerto Rico, Mantilla lived in Milwaukee until his death Friday.
Mantilla had such a strong impact on the Milwaukee community that, after his passing, the Brewers (a team he was never a part of) shared a heartfelt message on their social media accounts on Saturday.
We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Felix Mantilla, an iconic figure in Milwaukee who was an inspiration to all of us in the Milwaukee baseball community,” the team wrote on X. “We will forever remember Felix for his time with the Milwaukee Braves, but even more for the impact he had on thousands of children through the Felix Mantilla Little League. Our love and thoughts are with Felix’s dear wife, Kay, and the many friends and family who join us in mourning his passing.”
The Milwaukee Brewers mourn the passing of Felix Mantilla pic.twitter.com/Se8tQJItnW
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) January 11, 2025
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson released a statement in response to Mantilla’s passing.
“Our city remembers FĂ©lix Mantilla,” Mayor Johnson wrote on X. “He lived a remarkable life. He was both a baseball all-star and a world champion.”
Our city remembers FĂ©lix Mantilla. He lived a remarkable life. He was both a baseball all star and a world champion. His community work included the FĂ©lix Mantilla Little League -introducing youngsters to teamwork, discipline and fun. My thoughts are with his family and his fans. pic.twitter.com/My9ImRmPtF
— Mayor Cavalier Johnson (@MayorMKE) January 11, 2025
“His community work included the FĂ©lix Mantilla Little League -introducing youngsters to teamwork, discipline, and fun. My thoughts are with his family and his fans,” Mayor Johnson concluded.
Felix Mantilla Made History By Playing in One of the First Integrated Baseball Teams in the South
Mantilla, a native of Isabella, Puerto Rico, signed with the Braves ahead of the 1952 season. Just a year later, he joined forces with Hank Aaron and Horace Garner to help Class A Jacksonville make history as one of the first racially integrated baseball teams in the American South.
Felix Mantilla passed away Friday. He won a World Series with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves and put together one of the great superutility seasons for the Red Sox in 1964. RIP pic.twitter.com/WrZxBI4Msq
— Wax Pack Gods (@WaxPackGods) January 11, 2025
In 1956, he joined the Braves and spent six years with the team. In 1957, they triumphed in an unforgettable seven-game World Series against the Yankees.
Following the 1961 season, he joined the Mets as the 12th pick in the expansion draft, becoming part of the team’s inaugural roster. Although the Mets are best remembered that year for setting a then-modern record with 120 losses, Mantilla delivered his strongest full season yet, posting a .275 batting average and hitting 11 home runs.
Traded to the Red Sox, he had his best seasons in Boston, hitting 30 homers in 1964 and earning a career-high 92 RBIs in 1965, his only All-Star season. He finished his MLB career with the Astros in 1966.
Several years after retiring from playing baseball, Mantilla founded a Little League team bearing his name in Milwaukee. He later collaborated with Journey House, an organization dedicated to empowering families to break the cycle of poverty through adult education and youth development programs.
Mantilla is survived by his wife Kay, two children, and five grandchildren