Major League Baseball Player. He was a versatile performer who played seven different positions during his Major League career with the Cincinnati Reds (1964 to 1971) and the California Angels (1970 to 1971). On September 21, 1964, he stole home in the sixth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, scoring the only run of the game. The defeat precipitated a 10-game losing streak for the Phillies that dropped them from first place and thwarted their bid to earn a World Series berth. On June 16, 1967, he successfully executed the "hidden ball track" against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. During his career with the Reds, he became the only player to pinch-hit for both Pete Rose and Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, doing so for Rose in a July 26, 1964 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and for Bench in his first game, against the Phillies, on August 28, 1967. A popular teammate, his career with the California Angels was tainted by an incident in which he brought a gun to the clubhouse and allegedly threatened teammate Alex Johnson. Ruiz' life ended tragically when he crashed his car into a sign pole while driving alone outside of San Diego during the early morning hours. This occurred just three weeks before he was scheduled to report to spring training with his new team, the Kansas City Royals, and just one month after he had been granted United States citizenship.
Major League Baseball Player. He was a versatile performer who played seven different positions during his Major League career with the Cincinnati Reds (1964 to 1971) and the California Angels (1970 to 1971). On September 21, 1964, he stole home in the sixth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, scoring the only run of the game. The defeat precipitated a 10-game losing streak for the Phillies that dropped them from first place and thwarted their bid to earn a World Series berth. On June 16, 1967, he successfully executed the "hidden ball track" against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. During his career with the Reds, he became the only player to pinch-hit for both Pete Rose and Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, doing so for Rose in a July 26, 1964 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and for Bench in his first game, against the Phillies, on August 28, 1967. A popular teammate, his career with the California Angels was tainted by an incident in which he brought a gun to the clubhouse and allegedly threatened teammate Alex Johnson. Ruiz' life ended tragically when he crashed his car into a sign pole while driving alone outside of San Diego during the early morning hours. This occurred just three weeks before he was scheduled to report to spring training with his new team, the Kansas City Royals, and just one month after he had been granted United States citizenship.
Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett
Advertisement
See more Ruiz memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
