San Francisco Giant pitcher Migel Puente in 1968 file photo from JG Preston Experience wordpress.com

He was a Giant?

By Tony The Tiger Hayes

Cinco De Mayo Special

50 Years Ago Giants Mexican Rookie Was Orange & Black One Hit Wonder

MIGEL PUENTE

RHP – 1970 – # 41

In the spring of 1970, Norman Greenbaum – a an unknown San Francisco songwriter – became an improbable overnight sensation with his unorthodox divine anthem “Spirit in the Sky.”

Greenbaum’s take on psychedelic gospel rose as high as no. 3 on the Hot 100 – shockingly, competing for airtime with the Beatles and Jackson 5 – before his star soon faded.

Though the groundbreaking rock track would live on in cover versions, commercials and soundtracks, the name “Norman Greenbaum” would never again pass the lips of Casey Kasem.

During that same time frame, the Giants celebrated a one-hit-wonder of their own in Mexican pitcher Puente, who on his birthday came out of obscurity to knock ‘em dead for one night – and one night only – on center stage in New York.

But like Greenbaum, Carl Douglas and the Starland Vocal Band, Puente’s follow-ups went straight to the cut-out bin.

Why Was He a Giant?

A native of the central Mexico city of San Luis Potosí, Puente was discovered by Giants scout Dave Garcia who would manage Puente as a first-year pro at Single-A Fresno in 1968.

After pitching a Texas League no-hitter at Double-A Amarillo in 1969, the right-hander with a big kick found himself being compared to, you guessed it, Juan Marichal.

Puente shadowed his idol the following spring training, even picking up Marichal’s signature screwball pitch.

“(Marichal) didn’t teach it to me,” Puente told reporters. “He’s a star and he’s very busy, so he wouldn’t have time to teach me. But I stood around in spring training and watched him and just copied him.”

Before & After

Ironically it was when the “Dominican Dandy” was shelved with an adverse reaction to a penicillin shot early in the ‘70 campaign that Puente got a call-up to the bigs.

Overall Puente was not impressive as a Giant. He was shelled for five or more earned runs in three of his six appearances. Puente’s Giants record stood at 1-3, 8.20 and he never played in the majors again.

Puente would soon return to his native Mexico where he continued to pitch professionally for the remainder of the 1970s.

He Never Got His Own Bobblehead. But…

New York City was abuzz on the night of 5/8/70. At Madison Square Garden, the Knicks dramatically won the NBA Championship, beating the Lakers in a dramatic Game 7 (the Willis Reed game) to give NYC it’s third pro championship in a year.

Meanwhile more than 40,000 fans turned out a across town to see the visiting Giants take on the defending MLB champion Mets on a cool evening at Shea Stadium.

Puente, who turned 22 that day, would go the distance vs. New York, allowing seven hits, walking four, while striking out seven.

Powered by a pair of HR by Willie Mays and another off the bat of Bobby Bonds, the Giants won easily 7-1.

“There were so many people watching,” Puente said as teammate Tito Fuentes presented him with a huge wedge of birthday cake. “I have never pitched before so many people before.”

Giant Footprint

Probably the most famous birthday performance by a Giant came on Barry Bonds’ 39th when the HR King crushed a walk-off solo blast off Mike Myers at Pac Bell Park to settled a spirited 3-2 win over Arizona (7/24/03).

But you can’t go wrong with Bob Knepper’s 25th b-day party of 1979 when the lefty starter went 7.1 innings, earning a win, and hit a solo HR high into the night sky off future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro in 6-4 home defeat of Atlanta (5/25/79).

P.S. Believe it or not, San Francisco has had just two other Mexican born players: RHP Miguel Del Toro (1999-2000) and IF Tony Perezchica (1988, 1990-91).