Boyer, Kenton Lloyd
major leaguer, 1955-1969 M(1978-1980, 169-190)
born, 5/20/1931, Liberty, MO
died, 9/7/1982, St. Louis, MO
Once likened by Joe Garagiola to Gary Cooper in High Noon, the soft-spoken Ken Boyer - who starred with the St. Louis Cardinals from the mid-1950's to the mid-1960's - won five Gold Gloves, earned six straight All Star selections, and led the NL third basemen in double plays five times. At the plate he hit 23 or more homers and knocked in at least 90 runs in seven straight seasons. He was the NL Most Valuable Player in 1964 when the Cardinals won their first world championship in two decades.
Boyer was one of 14 childern growing up in Alba, Missouri, and six Boyer brothers actually played professional baseball. Ken, Clete, and Cloyd are one of 16 sets of three or more brothers to have played in the majors. Clete and Ken combined for 444 home runs to tie Lee and Carlos May for third place among brothers behind the Aarons and the DiMaggios.
Boyer originally signed with the Cardinals for $6,000 bonus. The Cards first tried him as a pitcher, but when he hit .455, his future was decided. He served in the Army from 1951through 1953. The Cardinals traded third baseman Ray Jablonski after the 1954 season to make room for Boyer, who, in 1956 was selected to his first All Star game. That year he batted .306, the first of five .300 plus seasons in six years. In 1957 Boyer was shifted to center field to make room for rookie Eddie Kasko, and he led the league's outfielders in fielding percentage. The next year however, Curt Flood's arrival allowed Boyer to go back to third base.
In 1959, the year he put together a career-best 29-game hitting streak, Boyer was selected to the first of six consecutive All-Star Games. The following season he hit a career high 32 homers and in 1961 Boyer batted .329, which ranked third in the league. Boyer culminated his peak years by winning the NL MVP in 1964, when he led the league with 119 RBI and hit for the cycle a second time.
Note (Boyer is the only Cardinal to ever hit for the cycle twice.)
As the Cardinals' team captain he provided quiet leadership during their successful 1964 pennant drive. St. Louis faced the New York Yankees and Clete Boyer in the World Series.
Editor's Note (This is the first World Series, I actually remember seeing played)
In the first inning of the opener Ken knocked in the first run with a sarifice fly, then singled to start the Redbird's four run, game-winning rally in the sixth inning of a 9-5 victory. Boyer didn't get another hit until game 4, but his grand-slam homer in Yankee Stadium's left field stands gave the Cardinals a 4-3 victory and tied the series at two games apiece. In Game 5, he beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt in the 10th inning helping the Cardinals to a 5-2 win. In Game 7 he singled and socted the Cardinals' first run in the fourth, doubled in a three run fifth inning that pur St. Louis in command and homered for thier final run.
In 1965 back trouble slowed Boyer down and the following season he was traded to the New York Mets. The Mets sent Boyer to the Chicago White Sox in July 1967. He was released in early 1968, then played as a part timer for the Los Angeles Dodgers before retiring in 1969.
In 1970 Boyer was named the Cardinal's Arkansas affiliate in the Texas League, then coached with the big league team for two years before returning to minor league managing. In 1978 he replaced Vern Rapp as St. Louis Skipper; the Cardinals improved by 17 games in Boyer's first full year at the helm, but he was fired fter starting 18-33 in 1980. He returned to managing in the Cardinals organization in 1982, the same year he was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He died that September. The Cardinals retired Boyer's uniform number 14 in 1984.
Ken Boyer is being considered once again for the Hall of Fame in 2005.
