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Clete Boyer
Born: 1937

  • Brother of Cloyd Boyer
  • Brother of Ken Boyer
    [Courtesy Arnie Braunstein]
  • 3B-SS 1955-57, 59-71 A's, Yankees , Braves

    Clete Boyer's Teammates

    • Gold Glove in 1969

    GamesAverageHRRBI
    Career 1725.242162654
    League CS 3.11103
    World Series 27.233211

    Books and articles about Clete Boyer

    One of three Boyer brothers to reach the majors, Clete ranked as a top AL defensive third baseman during his eight years with the Yankees, overshadowed only by Baltimore's Brooks Robinson. In the 1962 World Series, he batted .318 against the Giants, including a home run in the opening game. When he homered in the seventh game of the 1964 WS two innings after his brother Ken had homered for the Cardinals, it marked the only time that brothers had connected for home runs in the same WS game. He holds the WS record for most career assists by a third baseman (66).
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    Traded to the Braves after the 1966 season, he enjoyed his best offensive year in 1967 with 26 homers and 96 RBI. He led NL third basemen in fielding in 1967 and 1969.

    On August 31, 1969, as he approached the plate locked in a 1-for-17 batting slump, he fell "victim" to Morganna, a buxom blonde who'd earned notoriety by dashing on the field and kissing ballplayers. After the kiss, Clete got an RBI-single, two more hits in the game, and racked up eight hits in his next 15 at-bats.

    After his release by the Braves in 1971, he played for Hawaii in the Pacific Coast League, where he became the first American professional to be traded to a Japanese league when he was dealt to the Tayio Whales for John Werhas.

    Boyer coached for the A's and Yankees in the 1980s, often under his old teammate Billy Martin. (RTM)
    FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
    » February 19, 1957: The Kansas City Athletics ship pitchers Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz, and Jack McMahan, and infielders Clete Boyer, Curt Roberts and Wayne Belardi to the Yankees. In return they receive pitchers Maury McDermott, Tom Morgan, Gary Coleman, and Jack Urban, OF Irv Noren, plus infielders Billy Hunter and Milt Graff. Roberts didn't go to NYC till May 4, while Boyer went a month later. Hunter and Urban don't switch until April 5. The veteran Shantz and Boyer will be valuable pickups for New York, with Shantz leading the American League in ERA this year, and Boyer a tough defensive 3B for eight years in pinstripes. The A's will eventually admit that when they signed Boyer for a $40,000 bonus in 1955, it was on behalf of the Yankees, with the understanding that they'd later ship him to NY.

    » June 17, 1960: In Chicago, Bill Veeck's new $300,000 exploding scoreboard is silent as no Sox players hit homers. However, when Clete Boyer bangs one in the 2nd inning, all the Yankees light sparklers and greet the third baseman on the dugout steps. Berra leads the sparklers in the bullpen. Mickey Mantle's 8th inning homer prompts another round of sparklers as the Yanks win, 4–2.

    » August 6, 1961: Mickey Mantle leads the Yankees to a doubleheader sweep of the Twins, going 5-for-9 with three home runs and a double. His four RBIs gives him an even 100 for the year and his homer total is now 43. In the opener, Mantle's had two home runs off his favorite pitcher Pedro Ramos, but it is Johnny Blanchard's homer in the 10th that ties the game at 6–6. In the 15th, Yogi Berra hits a bases loaded grounder and just beat the throw at first to give the Yanks the win. The Yankees win the nitecap by a run as well, when Clete Boyer drives in Mantle in the 9th inning to break a 2–2 tie. New York now leads Detroit by two 1/2 games.

    » September 10, 1961: The Yankees sweep the Indians, 7–6 and 9–3 , their 12th win in a row at home and the Indians 20th loss in a row at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle gets number 53 in the nitecap, while Roger Maris, homerless, stays at 56. The official scorecard credits Mantle with two runs scored: it will be discovered in 1995 that one of the runs should go to Bill Skowron. In the 2nd game, Clete Boyer sends a Jim Perry pitch into the LF corner that hits the lower deck of the grand stand and bounces back into play. While home plate ump Joe Linsalata calls it a home run, the other two umps agree with Tribe CF Jimmy Piersall who contends the ball is in play. Boyer's home run trot is interrupted at 3B with a tag out. Piersall's contribution in Game One is fighting with a fan who climbed onto the field.

    » October 8, 1961: Five more scoreless innings by Whitey Ford and four by Jim Coates silence the Reds. Hector Lopez and Clete Boyer each drive in two runs for a 7–0 win. Ford breaks Babe Ruth's World Series record of 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, running his streak to 32.

    » October 4, 1962: At Candlestick Park, in Game One of the World Series, Roger Maris stakes Whitey Ford to a 2-run lead with a first-inning, 2-run double. Only RF Felipe Alou's leaping effort keeps Maris' drive in the park. Ford's record consecutive-shutout-inning streak ends at 33 2/3 innings when a surprise bunt by Jose Pagan brings Willie Mays home. Clete Boyer's 7th-inning home run gives the Yankees a 6–2 win, the last of a record 10 World Series victories for Ford.

    » October 15, 1964: St. Louis takes an early lead in the deciding World Series game 7. Lou Brock's 5th-inning home run triggers a 2nd 3-run frame and a 6–0 lead for Bob Gibson. Mickey Mantle, Clete Boyer, and Phil Linz homer for New York, but it's not enough. The Cards win 7–5 and are the World Champions. Both Boyers, Ken Boyer for the Cards and Clete Boyer for the Yankees, homer in their last World Series appearance, a first in ML history.

    » August 11, 1966: It is deja vu all over again, as Frank Robinson makes another game-saving catch against the Yankees. Robby dives into the stands to rob Clete Boyer of an 11th-inning homer, preserving a 6-5 Orioles' win. Robby did it two months earlier.

    » August 26, 1966: Detroit's Earl Wilson, winner of six straight, hits an 8th inning homer to give himself a 5–3 lead over New York. But the Yankees, batting against reliever Hank Aguirre in the 9th, tally one run on a Clete Boyer single, and win it, 6–5, when Mickey Mantle clouts a pinch homer over a leaping Al Kaline in RF. The win still leaves New York (57–72) in last place.

    » November 29, 1966: The Yankees trade 3B Clete Boyer to the Braves for OF Bill Robinson and 39-year-old P Chi Chi Olivo.

    » May 19, 1971: Clete Boyer and Mike Lum hit two homers apiece to lead the Braves to a 10–4 win over the Expos. After Boyer homers in the 3rd, Lum follows with a solo shot. The red hot Boyer now has five homers in five games and six for the year, but this is his last ML homer.

    » May 28, 1971: The Braves Clete Boyer, involved in a dispute with owner Paul Richards and manager Lum Harris over alleged silly rules and mismanagement, gets his release and retires. Boyer had hit safely in the last nine games of his career, including five home runs and 14 RBIs.