White Sox honor Minnie Minoso with memorial outside ballpark

The White Sox celebrated the life and legacy of all-time great Minnie Minoso with a memorial near the old Comiskey Park home-plate plaque last week at Guaranteed Rate Field. It would have been Minoso’s 96th birthday.

Minoso’s wife, Sharon Rice-Minoso, and his son, Charlie, were on hand.

Minoso was the first Black Latino major-league player, a trailblazer whom fellow Cuban and former Sox pitcher Jose Contreras recently called “our Jackie Robinson.” The Sox are flying a No. 9 flag outside Guaranteed Rate Field near Championship Plaza by Gate 4 “to recognize Minoso’s incredible career and profound impact on baseball and society.”

Minoso’s Hall of Fame case, along with nine others, is being considered by the Golden Days Era committee, which votes on players who played from 1950 to 1969. The vote is Sunday.

Minoso, Dick Allen, Billy Pierce, Jim Kaat, Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Roger Maris, Danny Murtaugh, Tony Oliva and Maury Wills were named on Nov. 5 as the candidates for Golden Days Era consideration.

In 15 seasons in the American League, including 12 with the Sox, and one in the National League, Minoso batted .298 with 186 home runs, 1,023 RBI and an .848 OPS.