SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed “Baby Bull” who became a Hall of Famer among the early Puerto Ricans to star in the major leagues, has died. He was 86.

The San Francisco Giants and his family announced the death Friday night and a moment of silence was held as his photo showed on the scoreboard at Oracle Park midway through a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones,” his wife, Nydia, said in a statement released through the team. “We take comfort that he is at peace.”

It’s been a heartbreaking month for the Giants given Cepeda’s death followed Hall of Famer Willie Mays’ passing only 10 days earlier on June 18 at age 93.

“Man, what another gut punch,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin, who grew up in the Bay Area cheering for the team. “Another just incredible personality and just beloved here. Statue out front. The numbers he put up, there are a lot of legends here and he’s certainly right in the middle of that. To have it so close in proximity to Willie, it’s kind of staggering.”

Cepeda was a regular at Giants home games through the 2017 season until he dealt with some health challenges. He was hospitalized in the Bay Area in February 2018 following a cardiac event.

One of the first Puerto Rican stars in the majors but limited by knee issues, he became Boston’s first designated hitter and credits his time as a DH for getting him enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1999 as selected by the Veteran’s Committee.

“Orlando Cepeda’s unabashed love for the game of baseball sparkled during his extraordinary playing career, and later as one of the game’s enduring ambassadors,” Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark said. “We will miss his wonderful smile at Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, where his spirit will shine forever, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the Cepeda family.’

When the Red Sox called Cepeda in December 1972 to inquire whether he’d like to be their first designated hitter, the unemployed player accepted on the spot.

“Boston called and asked me if I was interested in being the DH, and I said yes,” Cepeda recalled in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press in the 40th year of the DH. “The DH got me to the Hall of Fame. The rule got me to the Hall of Fame.”

He didn’t know what it would mean for his career, acknowledging, “I didn’t know anything about the DH.” The experiment worked out beautifully for Cepeda, who played in 142 games that season — the second-to-last in a decorated 17-year major league career. The A’s had released Cepeda only months after acquiring him from Atlanta on June 29, 1972.

Cepeda was celebrated at Fenway Park on May 8, 2013, for a ceremony celebrating his role as designated hitter. The Red Sox had invited him for their first home series of the season but his former Giants franchise was honoring the reigning World Series champions at the same time.

“It means a lot,” Cepeda said then. “Amazing. When you think everything’s finished, it’s only the beginning.”

He said then-A’s owner Charlie Finley sent him a telegram to call him within a 24-hour period or he’d be released. Cepeda didn’t meet the deadline and was let go in December 1972. He played in only three games for Oakland after the A’s acquired him for pitcher Denny McLain. Cepeda was placed on the disabled list with a left knee injury. He had 10 knee operations in all, sidelining him four different years.

Cepeda had been a first baseman and outfielder before joining the first class of baseball’s designated hitters under the new American League rule.

“They were talking about only doing it for three years,” he said. “And people still don’t like the idea of the DH. They said it wouldn’t last.”

The addition of the DH opened new opportunities for players such as Cepeda and others from his era who could still produce at the plate late in their careers but no longer played the field with the spot-on defense of their primes.

Cepeda was thrilled to have another chance.

He hit .289 with 20 home runs and 86 RBIs in 1973, starting off strongly with a .333 average and five homers in April. He drove in 23 runs in August on the way to DH of the Year honors. On Aug. 8 at Kansas City, Cepeda hit four doubles.

“That was one of the best years,” Cepeda recalled, “because I was playing on one leg and I hit .289. And I hit four doubles in one game. Both my knees were hurting, and I was designated hitter of the year.”

Cepeda topped Baltimore’s Tommy Davis (.306, seven homers, 89 RBIs) and Minnesota’s Tony Oliva (.291, 16 HRs, 92 RBIs) for top DH honors.

“It wasn’t easy for me to win the award,” Cepeda said. “They had some great years.”

Cepeda also knew little English when he arrived in the minor leagues in the mid-1950s, putting him among the first wave of Spanish-speaking players thrown into a different culture to play professional baseball, build new lives and send money back home.

It was an opportunity to succeed in a sport he loved, as long as daunting challenges off the field could be overcome.

Early on, Cepeda was told by a manager to go home to Puerto Rico and learn English before coming back to his career in the U.S.

“Coming here my first year, everything was a novelty to me, a surprise,” Cepeda recalled in a 2014 interview with the AP. “When I came to Virginia, I was there for one month and my father died. My dad said, ‘I want to see my son play pro ball,’ and he died the day before I played my first game in Virginia.

“From there I went to Puerto Rico and when I came back here, I had to come back because we didn’t have no money and my mother said, ‘You’ve got to go back and send me money, we don’t have money to eat,’” he said.

Cepeda had continued to be encouraged watching so many young players from Latin America arriving in the United States with better English skills, thanks in large part to all 30 major league organizations putting more emphasis into such training through academies in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

There also are English classes offered to young players during spring training and into extended spring, plus through the various levels of the minor leagues.

He had his troubles, too.

Cepeda was arrested in May 2007 after being pulled him over for speeding when officers discovered drugs in the car.

The California Highway Patrol officer arrested Cepeda after finding a “usable” amount of a white-powder substance that likely was methamphetamine or cocaine, while marijuana and a syringe were also discovered.

After his playing career ended, Cepeda was convicted in 1976 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, of smuggling marijuana and sentenced to five years in prison.

That conviction was probably one reason he was not elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Cepeda eventually was elected by the Veterans Committee in 1999.

Cepeda played first base during his 17 seasons in the majors, beginning with the Giants. He also spent time with St. Louis, Atlanta, Oakland, Boston and Kansas City. In the spring of 1969, Cepeda was traded by the Cardinals to the Braves for Joe Torre.

A seven-time All-Star who played in three World Series, Cepeda was the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year with San Francisco and NL MVP in 1967 with St. Louis, a city sad to see him go in that trade that brought Torre to town. In 1961, Cepeda led the NL with 46 homers and 142 RBIs. Cepeda was a .297 career hitter with 379 home runs.

It wasn’t until after that 1973 season as DH that Cepeda could look back and appreciate all he had accomplished that year — along with the big part he played in history and change in the sport.

“I just did it,” he said of learning the DH. “Every day, I say to myself, how lucky I am to be born with the skills to play ball.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says deploying the National Guard was among the options for responding to the floodwaters that consumed several South Dakota communities.

“We did down in Union County, when I was down there, I believe on Sunday, have a discussion about National Guard, and they were talking about security resources that they needed,” Noem said.

“So, after that discussion we decided to, it would be more appropriate to bring law enforcement in who had the authority to actually, they were concerned about people going into homes that were unsafe and not being able to stop them. Maybe looters and people that would be vandalizing some of these homes that did not have families in them any longer, and [they] realized that the authority that a law enforcement officer and highway patrol officer would have would be much more appropriate than a National Guard soldier.”

The National Guard wasn’t dispatched. Now, Noem’s previous decision to send the guard to the U.S. border with Mexico has received attention.

Dan Santella: Is there an inconsistency in sending the guard to the border but not to Union County?

“No, it’s a completely different situation, and I would say that people that have time to criticize should instead get off their keyboards and go help their neighbors,” Noem said. “Go help people in South Dakota get through this situation. People have lost their homes, and to politicize it is completely inappropriate.”

With this decision, Noem emphasizes a precise mission.

“The National Guard, when they are deployed, they have to have a mission,” Noem said. “And in sitting there with the community, having the discussion on if it was appropriate to use the National Guard or not, they decided not to make a request because they did not have a mission for them to complete.”

With floodwaters leaving many homes unlivable, there’s no shortage of people needing support. Asked how well-wishers can help the people who were hit so hard, Noem highlights a local office.

“I think always work with your county emergency management director,” she said. “They know where the needs are, and they’re helping to coordinate that.”

If you’ve had flood damage, you can report that on the state’s website.

Full interview with Gov. Noem, June 28, 2024:

The South Dakota Department of Ag and Natural Resources is allocating $175 million in federal grants.

The American Rescue Plan Act money is going toward grants for drinking water, wastewater system improvements and the state’s riparian buffer initiative. The department is awarding $105 million in grants to nearly thirty water districts and rural water systems to improve drinking water across the state.

Another $65 million is going toward almost 20 cities and sanitary districts for waste and stormwater projects.

The department is investing $5,000,000 into riparian buffer grants. A riparian zone is a conservation practice that encourages vegetation growth along the edges of rivers, stream and lakes to help improve water quality.

The full list of approved grants:

• Aurora-Brule Rural Water received an additional $846,775 ARPA grant to install a new parallel water main, a new water storage reservoir, multiple loops within the system, a booster station, and make distribution line improvements. Previous funding for this project was awarded in April 2022
• BDM Rural Water System received an additional $1,738,345 ARPA grant to construct a new water treatment plant, install a water reservoir, install pipe to expand the water system and loop lines for added redundancy, and replace water meters. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Black Hawk Water User District received an additional $254,340 ARPA grant to install a new water main crossing I-90 near Exit 52. The existing crossing is undersized and not operating effectively. Previous funding was awarded in June 2022.
• Brookings received an additional $8,000,000 ARPA grant to construct a new lime softening water treatment facility along 34th Avenue. The new treatment plant will require the installation of raw and finished water lines to feed into the distribution system and includes the construction of six new municipal wells and a new transmission main. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Brookings-Deuel Rural Water System received an additional $1,357,708 ARPA grant to construct water main to interconnect the system’s two primary water sources, the Joint Well Field, and the Clear Lake Water Treatment Plant. The project will also include installation of a new water main to the Lake Cochrane service area to improve low pressures around the lake during periods of peak water use. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Clay Rural Water System received an additional $2,488,710 ARPA grant to construct two ground storage reservoirs near the existing Greenfield reservoir and the Wakonda Water Treatment plant. A new booster station at the Greenfield reservoir and distribution line improvements to provide additional capacity and accommodate a Highway 46 construction project is also included. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Davison Rural Water System received an additional $189,255 ARPA grant to install a water line to parallel and loop existing mains and make upgrades to its automatic meter reading technology. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Fall River Water User District received an additional $1,400,007.62 ARPA grant to install a submersible pump and finish piping at the existing Fairburn well, construct a pump station and well house, a control building/pump station, a ground storage reservoir at the well site, pipeline to connect the Fairburn well to the existing distribution system in two locations, and a ground storage reservoir along the new pipeline route. Previous funding was awarded in June 2022.
• Grant-Roberts Rural Water System received an additional $1,023,690 ARPA grant to add transmission capacity allowing the system’s two reservoirs to fill during high water use periods. Additional pipeline looping and parallels will be completed to distribute water to existing and new customers and improve the reliability of the water system. The project also includes installation new pipeline and other appurtenances to allow the town of Corona to access the Grant-Roberts Rural Water System. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Hanson Rural Water System received an additional $548,388 ARPA grant to install water lines to parallel and loop of existing mains and make upgrades to its automatic meter reading technology. Previous funding was awarded April 2022.
• Joint Well Field, Inc. received an additional $1,440,459 ARPA grant to construct a new gravity filtration water treatment plant including aeration, detention, filtration, transfer pumping, raw water supply wells, and generation equipment. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Kingbrook Rural Water System received an additional $4,972,298 ARPA to upgrade the Badger pump station, DeSmet water treatment plant, Chester water treatment plan, Oakwood pump station, and the Orland pump station. The project also involves construction of an elevated tank near Arlington and booster pump station near Bryant, and relocation and resizing of pipeline segments along Highway 25 north of DeSmet. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Lead-Deadwood Sanitary District received an additional $339,623 ARPA grant to abandon the Hanna raw water transmission pipeline and install new ductile iron or steel pipe. Both low- and high-pressure lines will be re-routed to bypass the Englewood power generation facility, and a portable backup power generator will be purchased for use at multiple locations. Previous funding was awarded in June 2022.
• Lead-Deadwood Sanitary District also received an additional $136,662 ARPA grant to make improvements to the wastewater treatment plant serving Lead, Deadwood, Central City, and other unincorporated areas. Improvements include replacement of five aeration blowers, installation of fine bubble diffusers and aeration piping, and installation of a blower control system. Previous funding was awarded In June 2022.
• Lewis & Clark Regional Water System received an additional $5,000,000 ARPA grant to construct two solids contact units, a sludge thickener, three lime sludge drying beds, and a three million gallon clear well and high service pump station to increase the treatment plant capacity. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Lincoln County Rural Water System received an additional $571,211 ARPA grant to install transmission improvements to serve newly constructed residences. The project will install approximately 16.5 miles of pipeline and includes looping of dead-end lines. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Mid-Dakota Rural Water System received an additional $6,830,882 ARPA grant to update the existing water system by installing an advanced metering infrastructure system, paralleling of pipe, addition of a new backwash recovery system, and additional membrane capacity. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Mni Wašté Water Company received an additional $6,545,503 ARPA grant to install a treated water pipeline, a water tower, and appurtenances including valves, pumps, and air releases. This project replaces the undersized pipeline along Highway 63 and will serve as the main pipeline for the northern tier of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Randall Community Water District received an additional $10,000,000 ARPA grant to address increasing demand among existing customers and supply water to the City of Mitchell. The proposed improvements will provide enough capacity to allow Mitchell to connect its redundant water line to the system. Booster stations, storage facilities, and an upgrade to the Platte Water Treatment Plant are necessary to complete the proposed improvements. Previous funding was awarded in June 2022.
• Rapid City received an additional $8,000,000 to make improvements to its wastewater treatment facility by adding secondary clarifiers and hydraulic improvements which allows the South Plant to assume all inflow while meeting permit limits. This project would also decommission the North Plant. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Shared Resources received an additional $10,000,000 ARPA grant for a treatment plant, well field, distribution pipeline, and two storage tanks. Shared Resources is a joint effort between Minnehaha Community Water Corporation and the Big Sioux Community Water System. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Sioux Falls received an additional $8,000,000 ARPA grant to make substantial improvements throughout the city’s wastewater reclamation facility and to expand the plant capacity to accommodate growth in the region. Previous funding was awarded in May 2022.
• Sioux Rural Water System received an additional $765,583 ARPA to construct a new elevated tank in the southwest part of the system and two segments of pipeline to increase pressure and capacity. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• South Lincoln Rural Water System received an additional $2,444,355 ARPA grant to make system wide improvements including installing an elevated water tank, a new pump station, and a new water treatment plant. This project addresses capacity issues in portions of the distribution system and increasing demands within the existing service area. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Southern Black Hills Water System received an additional $542,432 ARPA grant to extend the existing water system main from the two wells at Paramount Point Subdivision approximately 5 miles northeast to the Spring Creek Acres Subdivision to provide redundancy. The project will also construct a new well, booster pump station, new elevated storage reservoir, chlorination and SCADA systems, and new pressure reducing valve stations. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• TM Rural Water District received an additional $1,272,908 ARPA grant to install four miles of parallel 12-inch water main to address low water pressure situations during high water demand periods. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• Tripp County Water User District received an additional $2,034,121 ARPA grant to replace two storage tanks, to parallel and loop water lines to increase the water pressure within the system, and to develop a new well field to address water supply issues. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• WEB Water Development Association received an additional $10,500,000 ARPA grant. The funding is part of a much larger project to increase water capacity for WEB and to provide a bulk water connection for Aberdeen and BDM Rural Water. The project is known as the Water Investment in Northern South Dakota or WINS project, undertaken by all three entities with WEB acting as the lead contracting entity at this time. Previous funding was awarded in June 2023.
• Western Dakota Regional Water System received an additional $2,165,000 ARPA grant for a feasibility study to explore the use of its Missouri River water to supply a large portion of western South Dakota with a bulk water transmission line conveying Missouri River water to various communities, tribes, and water systems. The current funding will be used to hire an engineering firm to complete facilities plan and preliminary design for the project. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.
• West River/Lyman-Jones Rural Water System received an additional $602,702 ARPA grant to install PVC water mains serving areas in Mellette, Haakon, and Lyman counties. A new ground storage tank and necessary electrical controls would also be installed in Pennington County. Previous funding was awarded in April 2022.