1973 Profile: Felipe Alou

"The eldest of the three Alou brothers in the majors. A man of dignity and strength, and a national hero in the Dominican Republic.
Still a superb hitter, Felipe batted a solid .278 as a platoon player last season. He passed the 2,000 hit mark in 1972 and has hit .270 or better in all but three of 15 major league seasons. He's a three-time National League All-Star.
A gentleman who never gives anything less than his best effort, Alou has never been ejected from a game.
'He's one of the greatest men I've ever met,' says Oakland's Sal Bando.
Born May 12, 1935 in Haina, Dominican Republic, Felipe was signed by the Giants while still a student at the University of Santo Domingo. He got together with his brothers Matty and Jesus in the same Giant outfield for one inning in a 1963 game."

-Joe Gergen, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1973 Edition

"Felipe Alou, the first of the Dominican Republic's three baseball playing Alou brothers, achieved two distinct milestones in 1972 when he stroked his 2,000th hit and 200th home run. Only 30 players in baseball history have reached these two plateaus.
A solid professional, Felipe goes all out whether he is playing right field or first base, or pinch-hitting or rooting from the bench. A totally dedicated athlete, his multiple contributions to the club are apparent in the clubhouse, on the bench, and on the field.
Last season, in addition to his excellent play at first base and in right field, the senior Alou topped all Yankees in the important pinch-hitting category with a solid .323 average (10 for 31) and nine RBIs.
Together with his brother Matty, Felipe faced the Yankees playing for the Giants in the 1962 World Series; together they hit .289. Both aim to play in the 1973 Series - this time for the Yankees."

-The New York Yankees Official 1973 Yearbook

"This solid pro put in another solid year for the Yanks last season, hitting .278, filling in more than adequately at first base and right field, and was the Yanks' most effective pinch-hitter with a .323 average (10 for 31), one homer and nine RBIs.
Felipe reached two milestones in '72, collecting his 2,000th hit and 200th home run. Only 30 players in the history of baseball have had both 2,000 hits and 200 homers during their careers. Alou's lifetime batting average of .289 is among the top ten of active American Leaguers. An All-Star three times in the National League, he was also named the National's All-Star first baseman by the Sporting News in 1966.
He'll be joined on the Yankees this year by his brother, Matty, and he has another brother, Jesus, who plays with the Houston Astros. Felipe readily recalls his biggest baseball thrill as the time when all three brothers played in the same outfield for the Giants at the old Polo Grounds in September 1963 in a game against the Mets."

-1973 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide