Angel Mangual made his mark on both the Oakland A’s and in major league history. He may have been considered a bit player on the star-studded A’s teams in the early 1970s, but he still had his role to play. A solid fourth outfielder, Mangual had a seven year major league career, with six of those seasons coming in Oakland.
On Tuesday, it was announced that Mangual had passed away. He was 73 years old.
It is with deep sadness to report that Athletics legend, Ángel "Cuqui" Mangual🇵🇷, has passed away.
— Edwin Hernández Jr. (@LBPRCinEnglish) February 16, 2021
Mangual was known for being the first puerto rican to ever win 3-straight WS championships(72, 73 & 74) pic.twitter.com/K1ml58jrl5
Angel Mangual made his mark with the Oakland A’s
A look at Mangual’s career stat line would leave one unimpressed. He produced a .245/.279/.346 batting line in his 1318 plate appearances, hitting 44 doubles and 22 homers. Mangual was a solid defensive outfielder, saving 14 runs in right and six runs in left, although he was over his head with the glove in center.
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But Mangual was more than his stats. He became a legend in Puerto Rico due to his place on the A’s. When Oakland won the World Series from 1972 through 1974, he became the first player from the island to win three consecutive titles, a distinction that made him idolized amongst the populous.
He had a direct part in the 1972 title. Mangual was one of three pinch hitters sent to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game Four of the World Series, taking the place of Rollie Fingers. He punched a Clay Carroll offering through a drawn in infield, giving the A’s a 3-2 victory. That would be the final postseason RBI of Mangual’s career.
Although his time in the majors came to an end in 1976, he remained active in the game. Mangual played in the Mexican League in 1977, and in 1979, he appeared briefly for the Puerto Rico Boricuas in the short lived Inter-American League.
Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of Angel Mangual.