Ozzie Virgil Sr.

Ozzie Virgil Sr. was the first Dominican baseball player to play in the Major League. He was born in the Dominic Republic in 1932, but left 1947 and spent the rest of his childhood in The Bronx. He went to DeWitt Clinton High School and ironically, did not earn a spot on the school’s baseball team. Despite his new home base being in The Bronx, he was not a Yankees fan — his love for the Brooklyn Dodgers began after he saw them play against the Yankees in the 1947 World Series.

After high school, Virgil served in the Marines where he played baseball Virgil was scouted to play for the New York Giants baseball team. He went on to play for the Detroit Tigers, the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the San Francisco Giants. Throughout his career, he played almost every position, but was most well-known as a third baseman.

In 1969, after 13 years of playing in the Major Leagues, Virgil retired and became a coach for the San Francisco Giants, the Montreal Expos, the San Diego Padres, and the Seattle Mariners as well as an honorary coach for one game with the New York Mets. He had five children, including Ozzie Virgil Jr., who had an 11-year career in the Major Leagues.