Burgos: Spending an afternoon with Vic Power
From SABR member Adrian Burgos Jr. at La Vida Baseball on May 7, 2018:
You never forget meeting Vic Power, much less spending an afternoon with him. The man had personality. He was magnetic, drew others toward him through his charm, his voice and contagious laughter.
A masterful storyteller, Vic Power lived to tell his story: to let others know where he has been and where he was going. When spinning a year, Power’s words held you spellbound as he recounted his experiences in baseball as a Black Puerto Rican who left the island in 1949 to pursue professional baseball, first in Canada and then the United States. His journey in baseball revealed both the beauty of baseball and exposed the racism that lingered well beyond Jackie Robinson’s breaking into the majors in 1947.
He revolutionized first base play with his one-handed catching style, his fancy footwork, and the confidence with which he moved around the right side of the infield. He was a threat with the bat as well, hitting .284 lifetime average with three seasons over .300. On the basepaths, he was daring and smart. He was a guy who stole home, twice, in one game on August 14, 1958—the last time this occurred in MLB.
He was ahead of his time, yet his is a story that’s right for any era given his charisma, his style, and determination to succeed.
Read the full article here: https://www.lavidabaseball.com/el-profe-vic-power/
- Related link: Read the SABR biography of Vic Power
Originally published: May 8, 2018. Last Updated: May 8, 2018.