John Sipin was taken late in the earliest amateur baseball draft, a 55th-round pick of the Cardinals in 1965.
From that humble beginning, the slender, slugging infielder had some notable experiences during his baseball career, including:
_ Being groomed by Sparky Anderson. Sipin was on two Cardinals farm teams Anderson managed and reached the majors with a Padres club Anderson coached.
_ Sharing a National League record with Willie McCovey. Sipin and McCovey are the only National League players to hit two triples in their big-league debuts.
_ Forming a potent power duo with Sadaharu Oh. Sipin played nine seasons in Japan. In 1979, Oh (with 33) and Sipin (with 27) were the top two home run hitters for the Yomiuri Giants.
Down on the farm
John Sipin was from Watsonville, a California agricultural center in the Pajaro Valley near Monterey Bay. Watsonville, a sanctuary city, is the company headquarters of Monterey Mushrooms, Driscoll’s (a prominent producer of berries) and Martinelli’s (a leading maker of sparkling apple cider and apple juice).
A wave of Filipino migrant farmworkers came to the area in the 1920s and 1930s. Sipin’s father, Johnny Imperial Sipin, immigrated from the Philippines, married Ethel White (whose family moved to California from Arkansas) and got a job managing farmworker camps. Johnny stood 5-foot-4. His son grew to 6-foot-2 and became a standout in baseball, basketball and golf.
After graduating from Watsonville High School in 1964, John Sipin attended Cabrillo College. On the recommendation of scout Bill Sayles, the Cardinals chose the strong-armed shortstop in the first amateur baseball draft, in June 1965, and he reported to their minor-league spring training camp in 1966.
Assigned to St. Petersburg, managed by Sparky Anderson, Sipin became the shortstop and helped the club win 19 in a row. “A key hitter during the streak was John Sipin,” The Sporting News noted. Anderson told the Santa Cruz Sentinel, “I never saw an infielder with a better arm.”
After 31 games at St. Petersburg, Sipin was promoted to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and continued to impress. Cardinals minor-league hitting instructor Joe Medwick told the Cedar Rapids Gazette that Sipin showed signs of being a power hitter and had one of the “quickest bats” he’d seen among prospects.
Though lanky, Sipin had strong wrists that enabled him to generate bat speed.
The Cardinals liked his bat (14 home runs, 63 RBI) and arm, and put him on their 40-man big-league winter roster after the 1966 season.
Position change
Sipin was the shortstop for Sparky Anderson again in 1967, with Modesto. Though he clouted 19 home runs, he made 51 errors in 123 games.
When Sipin reported to Arkansas in 1968, manager Vern Rapp shifted him to second base. “I feel more suited to second base,” Sipin said to The Sporting News.
Sipin led Texas League second basemen in putouts, assists and double plays, and was named an all-star.
With the National League adding franchises in Montreal and San Diego for 1969, Sipin hoped to be taken in the October 1968 expansion draft, preferably by the Padres, and given the chance to play in the majors for a team in his home state. “I thought they were going to take me,” he said to The Sporting News.
Instead, the Padres passed on Sipin and took another Cardinals infield prospect, Jerry DaVanon, who played high school and college baseball in San Diego.
Dazzling debut
While Sipin began the 1969 season as the second baseman for Warren Spahn’s Tulsa farm team, the Padres opened their inaugural season with Roberto Pena, a former Cubs and Phillies shortstop, as their second baseman.
Padres manager Preston Gomez and coach Sparky Anderson, a former Phillies second baseman, determined the expansion club needed an upgrade at second. Anderson advocated for Sipin.
On May 22, 1969, the Padres dealt Jerry DaVanon and Bill Davis to St. Louis for Sipin, 22, and Sonny Ruberto. “Sipin comes highly recommended,” Gomez told The Sporting News. “He can make the double play, and that’s what we need … The kid has a great arm. We’re working with him to improve his range.”
Two days later, in a game against the Cubs at San Diego, Sipin debuted as the Padres’ second baseman. Batting second, he faced Ken Holtzman in the first inning and tripled. His next time up, in the fourth, Sipin tripled again versus Holtzman. Boxscore
Sipin joined Willie McCovey as the only National League players to triple twice in their big-league debuts. McCovey did it for the Giants against Robin Roberts of the Phillies on July 30, 1959, at San Francisco. Boxscore
(Two American League players also tripled twice in their first games in the majors: Bill Irwin of the 1912 Tigers and Roy Weatherly of Cleveland in 1936. Boxscore and Boxscore)
Sipin was one of the first players of Filipino descent to reach the majors. The first was Bobby Balcena. Born in California to Filipino parents, he had two at-bats for the 1956 Reds. The only Philippines native to play in the majors was Bobby Chouinard. Born in Manila, he pitched for four big-league clubs from 1996-2001.
Sipin followed his two-triple game with a three-hit performance against the Cubs. Boxscore
On May 30, Sipin’s first home run, in the 10th inning against Dan McGinn, gave the Padres a 3-2 win at Montreal. He hit another homer versus the Dodgers’ Don Sutton. On July 30, Sipin had a double and a single against Bob Gibson at St. Louis. Boxscore, Boxscore, Boxscore
Sipin remained the Padres’ second baseman until August when a back ailment required hospital treatment and he was shut down for the season. Sipin made 54 starts for the 1969 Padres, committed just seven errors in 477 innings but batted .223 and had no triples after his first game.
Lion Maru
Sipin had stellar minor-league seasons in 1970 and 1971, but the Padres never brought him back to the majors.
Learning to handle breaking pitches and hit to the opposite field, Sipin batted .301 for Salt Lake City in 1970 and led manager Don Zimmer’s club in total bases (237), slugging (.510), runs (74), doubles (31), homers (20) and RBI (80).
After spring training in 1971, Sipin was with the Padres on Opening Day, but, when he got to the ballpark, management informed him he was being sent to Hawaii. Sipin batted .318 for Hawaii and was the team leader in total bases (262), hits (174) and doubles (26).
Sipin found his comfort zone at his next stop: Japan. He signed with the Taiyo Whales of the Japan Central League in 1972 and became one of the country’s most popular players. Like Ted Simmons, who was nicknamed “Simba” with the Cardinals, Sipin let his hair grow long and was called “Lion Maru,” because he resembled a Japanese TV action hero who was able to transform from a ninja swordsman into a lion-headed warrior.
His play on the field helped earn him fan support, too. As Taiyo’s second baseman in 1972, Sipin, 25, became the first foreign player to win a Japanese Gold Glove Award. He also slugged three grand slams.
Grateful to be playing where he was appreciated, Sipin learned to speak fluent Japanese. “I’m content to stay over there,” he told the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
After six successful seasons (1972-77) as Taiyo’s second baseman, Sipin was traded to the Yomiuri Giants, cut his hair and became Sadaharu Oh’s teammate. Oh and Sipin often batted back-to-back.
In 1979, the Associated Press called Sipin “the most consistent American to play in Japan.” He retired after the 1980 season. In 1,036 career games in Japan, Sipin produced 1,124 hits, including 218 home runs, and batted .297. He three times clouted 30 or more homers in a season.
Sipin went on to have a second career in real estate in Japan and California.
RetroSimba 
interesting to note that wikipedia mentions Claudio Manela as the first filipino born major leaguer…..the Negro Leagues. I guess wikipedia has followed baseball reference in recognizing the Negro Leagues as a major league and why wouldn’t they….from what i’ve heard or read, the Negro League style of play transformed baseball to some degree after Jackie Robinson broke the barrier.
i loved Sparky Anderson’s enthusiasm. I’ll never forget him saying something about Chris Pitarro. I forget the exact quote but he sang his praises like Pitarro was destined for the hall of fame.
i wonder if bobby chouinard has french ancestry too?
i love it when you add details to a player or city like, his hair, like Simba, like a japanese tv action hero, “ninja swordsman into a lion-headed warrior. Inspires so much thought and further research. That pokemon game has over 1,000 characters which I would think is good for kids, to see al that variety like in nature.Thanks.
Thanks for mentioning Chris Pittaro. Much like John Sipin, Pittaro was an infielder, primarily a second baseman, who played in 53 big-league games and batted .221.
In 1985, Tigers manager Sparky Anderson became enamored of Pittaro and put him in a difficult spot. Pittaro, who had played at Class AA the year before, impressed Sparky at 1985 spring training. Anderson called him “the best rookie infielder I’ve seen in 15 years,” the Detroit Free Press reported.
Anderson named Pittaro the starting second baseman and moved the incumbent, all-star Lou Whitaker, to third. Veteran Tigers players were unhappy with the shift and Whitaker asked to be put back at second. So Sparky named Pittaro the starting third baseman (a position he had not played).
On Opening Day 1985, Pittaro had three hits, a RBI and a stolen base in Detroit’s win versus Cleveland. Then Pittaro fizzled and was back in the minors that summer.
thanks for clearing that up….not a hall of famer, but the best rookie in 15 years which is saying lots since i think Sparky had seen trammel and whitaker come up with the tigers…kind of off topic, but i wonder how many rookie cards featured two future hall of famers like the Trammel and Molitor card plus a guy who played with a toothpick – UL washington.
Two triples in your debut is quite the feat, Mark, Did not know who all shared that history until now. John certainly bounced around a good bit in the States, but it was nice he eventually got to carve out a very special career overseas.
Those 2 triples Willie McCovey hit against Robin Roberts were part of a 4-for-4 performance for Stretch in the first big-league game he ever saw. The other two hits were singles.
(By the way, the second baseman for the Phillies in that game was … Sparky Anderson.)
Afterward, McCovey said to the San Francisco Chronicle, “Sure, I was nervous out there at first, but I got over it after the second time at bat. Robin Roberts? I’d heard of him.”
McCovey went on to hit .452 (14-for-31) versus Robin Roberts in his career, with three triples but no home runs.
Hats off to John Sipin for turning a negative situation into a positive one. You can certainly understand his disappointment in not getting a second look with the expansion San Diego Padres. At the same time though you have to admire his determination in having a professional baseball career even if it meant going to a foreign country. In surfing the web I came across an interview that he gave for a Japanese baseball magazine called “The Japanese Baseball Enthusiast.” In the interview John Sipin talks about the positive and negative side for an American baseball player trying to play in Japan.
don’t mean to interuot here, just wanted to thank you Phillip for mentioning the article in baseball enthusiast. enjoyed reading two of those robert whiting books and it’s fascinating to hear about that human bravery it takes to live in another culture or in some cases a welcomed escape.
Thanks for the insights, Phillip.
Regarding John Sipin and Japan, he and Clete Boyer formed the right side of the Taiyo Whales infield for four years in a row (1972-75).
In 1971, Sipin and Boyer were teammates at Hawaii, with Sipin at second and Boyer primarily at shortstop.
In Japan, Sipin was at second and Boyer at first base. Boyer’s best season with Taiyo appears to have been 1974 when he hit .282 with 19 homers and 65 RBI.
Sure seems like he should have gotten another look in the majors, though he probably was better off where he was appreciated. From what I’ve seen of Japanese baseball, they really excel in the fundamentals so winning a Gold Glove there is a significant achievement.
Good point, Ken, about strong fielding fundamentals in Japanese baseball.
John Sipin twice won the Gold Glove for fielding at second base in the Japan Central League: 1972 and 1973. As a Mets fan, you may appreciate that Davey Johnson was the Gold Glove winner at second in the Japan Central League in 1976.
It seems it’s rare for a foreigner to earn a Gold Glove in Japan. Here, from baseball-reference.com, is the list of Japanese baseball Gold Glove winners: https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/NPB_Gold_Glove_Award
I suppose all worked out well for Sipin, despite not getting a second look from the Padres. I had forgotten that Boyer played in Hawaii after leaving the Braves and before going to Japan. I remember his departure from Atlanta was contentious, as was Davey Johnson’s, who wound up in Japan before returning to the National League with the Phillies in 1977.
Yes, indeed, Hugh. According to the Atlanta Constitution, Clete Boyer criticized Braves general manager Paul Richards, saying he ran an inept organization and that the Braves never would win a World Series championship with Richards as GM. Richards called Boyer “a lousy ballplayer.” The Braves released Boyer in June 1971 and he signed with Hawaii.
(When he went to Japan, Boyer said, “I can’t read Japanese but I understand this contract better than I did the last one I got from Richards and the Braves.”)
In a January 1976 interview with Jesse Outlar of the Atlanta Constitution, Boyer said, “I’ve really enjoyed playing in Japan,” then added, “The Braves are as unpopular in Japan as they were in Atlanta last summer because they sold Joe Pepitone and Davey Johnson to the Japanese for $300,000.”
Davey Johnson struck out in eight consecutive at-bats against Japanese pitching. Pepitone bolted the country after a few games. Though they weren’t on the same team, Pepitone roomed with his ex-Yankees teammate Boyer for a few days when he arrived in Japan. “He said he had a torn Achilles tendon,” Boyer said, “but it didn’t prevent him from dancing.”
Oh, yeah, Joe Pepitone was a Brave–for all of three games, his final three games as a major leaguer. I met Pepitone back during the strike in 1981. He was a minor league hitting instructor at the time, and he came to Nashville, then the AA affiliate of the Yankees. He was hanging out with Yogi Berra, who was a coach with the Yankees, but visiting their minor league teams during the strike. My parents had season tickets for the Nashville Sounds, and I was using them one night. I walked up the aisle between innings and spotted Pepitone sitting alone in the seat at the end of the top row of the section. I took a chance and said, “You’re Joe Pepitone, aren’t you?” He confirmed his identity, and I followed up with, “Do you remember who the Braves traded to the Cubs to get you?” He said he had no idea. I reminded him that it was Andre Thornton, who had since moved on to Cleveland and become quite the power hitter. Pepitone laughed and then invited me to sit with him for a while. I don’t remember much about our conversation, but I found him to be knowledgeable and friendly, and he had a good sense of humor. He told me he had a pair of cleats in the Hall of Fame. When he left the Braves, he had some barely used cleats that happened to be the same size Henry Aaron wore. He offered them to the Hammer, and Pepitone claims Aaron was wearing them the following season when he hit his 715th homer. Good memories.
Thank you for sharing this splendid anecdote, Hugh. You told it well.