Felipe Montemayor

Felipe Angel Montemayor Roel
(Monty, Clipper)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 185 lb.

• Debut April 14, 1953
• Final Game June 12, 1955
• Born February 7, 1928 in Monterrey, Nuevo León Mexico

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Biographical Information

Felipe Montemayor could have possibly had a role in the film Angels in the Outfield that was an early 1950s comedy-fantasy about a lowly Pittsburgh Pirates team that begins winning after some heavenly intervention. Left-handed swinging Mexican-born outfielder Montemayor could have used some when he was in 28 games with the real Pirates in 1953 and hit just .109 (6 for 55). He did improve somewhat in a second trial with the team in 1955, hitting .211 in 36 games that brought his two-year average up to .173 in 64 contests. These were his totals for his major league career. He did have a decent OPS+ of 86 in 1955 thanks to 18 walks and some power. Montemayor had been purchased by the Pittsburgh organization from the Mexicali Eagles of the Sunset League for $20,000 in March of 1951 after he had hit .319 with 20 home runs in 1950.

Felipe had average success while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association in 1951 and 1952 before his debut with the Pirates. He returned there and had his career year in 1954, hitting .309 with 24 home runs. This prompted his second shot at the majors. Before the 1956 season he was sent from the Pittsburgh organization to the Mexico City Tigers of the Mexican League and proceeded to hit an even .300 with 22 home runs in 117 games. After one more year in the Mexican League, Felipe was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Mexico City Tigers in the minor league phase of the 1957 Rule V Draft.

Montemayor was with the St. Paul Saints in the American Association in 1958 and the 30-year-old hit .212 with 13 homers. Felipe was back and forth across the border for the next couple of seasons, seemingly going nowhere, but wound up in his native Mexico for the last eight years of his 18-year pro baseball career. Records show Felipe with a career .250 batting average along with 133 home runs in 1,682 games. In Mexico, he hit .293/.340/.504 with 621 runs, 133 home runs and 593 RBI in 3,209 AB. He drew 93 walks and reached double digits in doubles, triples and home runs in 1956 and socked 26 homers in 1965. In 1949, he had tied for the Liga lead with 13 triples.

At age 40, Felipe gave up the playing life and became a sportswriter in his native Monterrey, Nuevo León. He was inducted into the Salon de la Fama in 1983.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s