Books and articles about Boog Powell

An immense lefthanded slugger, Powell batted cleanup for the Orioles for over a decade and helped them to the WS four times in six years from 1966 to 1971. Standing slightly over 6'4" and weighing at least 230 lb, Powell had bulging biceps and a thick neck, as well as a youthful-looking face topped by a shock of reddish hair. He batted behind Frank Robinson beginning in 1966 to form half of Baltimore's fearsome power combination, and in the field he was an ample target at first base as well as a master at scooping low throws from the dirt.

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Powell joined the Orioles after leading the International League in home runs at Rochester in 1961, and spent his first three seasons as a slow-footed left fielder before switching to first base in 1965. Offensively, he was an immediate success, hitting 25 HR in 1963, then leading the AL in slugging percentage (.606) in 1964 while blasting a career-high 39 HR despite missing several weeks because of a broken wrist. He slumped to .248 with 17 HR in 1965, then won AL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 1966 (.287, 34 HR, 109 RBI) while being hampered by a broken finger.

Before the 1967 season, Powell lamented, "Once, just once, I'd like to through a whole season without an injury," and he did just that, playing over 150 games each of the next three seasons. In 1968 he hit a career-high .304 with 37 HR and 121 RBI, and in 1970 he was the AL MVP, narrowly missing a .300 average on the last day of the season and hitting 35 more HR with 114 RBI. In the WS, Powell homered in the first two games as the Orioles whipped the Reds. Powell helped Baltimore to a third straight WS the following year, blasting a pair of home runs in Game Two of the ALCS, but he hit only .111 in the WS as Baltimore lost to Pittsburgh in seven games.

The aging slugger was traded to Cleveland with Don Hood for Dave Duncan and a minor leaguer before the 1975 season, and he hit .297 with 27 HR for the Indians that year, but he hit only nine home runs in 1974 and none as a pinch hitter for the Dodgers in 1975. Powell hit three home runs in a game three times, and is second only to Eddie Murray on the Orioles all-time home run list. (SCL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 8, 1963: With John F. Kennedy in attendance at the opener in Washington D.C., young Steve Barber starts the season for the O's against the Washington Senators. In the Nats lineup is Barber's high school teammate, Tom Brown, who goes on to football. Jim Gentile and Boog Powell homer for the Birds, who win 3–1. » August 10, 1963: Benched for poor hitting, Brooks Robinson's streak of 463 straight games at third is stopped. Brooks pinch hits in the 8th inning, however, as the Senators edge the Orioles 6–5. Boog Powell smashes three homers in a losing cause. » June 23, 1964: Charlie Lau ties a major-league record with two pinch hits in the 8th inning of Baltimore's 9–8 win over the Yankees. The O's, losing score seven runs in the inning after two are out. Yanks manager Yogi Berra is criticized by some of his players for lifting starter Bill Sheldon, who was leading 7–2, having allowed just two solo shots by Boog Powell. Rookie reliever Pete Mickelson cannot hold the lead as the O's move into first place. » August 20, 1964: Orioles LF Boog Powell fractures his right wrist in a collision with the outfield fence in Baltimore's loss at Boston. He will be sidelined until September 5th. » July 6, 1966: Despite a doubleheader record 11 RBI by Boog Powell, the Orioles can only split with the A's. They drop the nightcap, 9–8, after winning 11–0. » August 26, 1966: With Baltimore trailing Boston 2–0 in the 9th inning, Vic Roznovsky and Boog Powell sting Lee Stange with back-to-back pinch-hit home runs to tie the game. This is just the 3rd time in baseball history that back-to-back pinch home runs have occurred, and the first time in the American League. Baltimore wins in the 12th, 3–2. » November 8, 1966: Frank Robinson of the Orioles is the unanimous choice as American League MVP. He is the first player to win the award in both leagues. Teammates Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell follow in the voting. » May 17, 1967: The Orioles become the 8th club in American League history with four or more home runs in one inning when Andy Etchebarren, Sam Bowens, Boog Powell, and Dave Johnson connect in a 9-run 7th. Also homering for Baltimore is Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Paul Blair, the only time seven teammates have each homered. Those home runs make the difference in a 12–8 Baltimore win over the Red Sox. Boston's Carl Yastrzemski hits two homers, one coming in the bottom of the 7th; the total of five in one inning equals the ML record. Rounding out the round trippers is Don Demeter for Boston. » August 25, 1968: After five hours: 27 minutes, the Orioles defeat the Red Sox, 3–2, in 18 innings when Brooks Robinson drives in Boog Powell. Roger Nelson pitches the last seven innings for the win over Stephenson. » March 6, 1969: Two spring training games today use experimental rules. DPHers Ty Cline (Expos) and George Spriggs (Royals) both bat ninth and go 0 for four in Fort Myers. John Orsino (Yankees) bats 6th (1 for 4) and Jim French (Senators) bats 9th (0 for 3) in Pompano Beach. Orsino has the first hit as a DPH. Five of the nine games on March seven use the DPH. The Angels' Dick Stuart reaches base four times against the Padres and the box score has three different pinch-runners for him(none scored). Boog Powell is the Orioles' DPH(hit 9th) and doubles in the 5th. The PR, Stanley Martin, scores, and Powell singles in the winning run in the 7th to beat the Twins, 2-1. The DPH idea will be dropped on March 26. » August 16, 1969: Seattle's Sicks Stadium shakes when 250-pound Boog Powell legs out an inside-the-park homer in the 9th against ex-teammate Steve Barber. It really isn't that vital, as Baltimore romps 15–3. » September 4, 1969: Down 4–1 in the 9th against the Tigers in Detroit, Baltimore gets consecutive home runs from Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, and Brooks Robinson off Earl Wilson to tie. Tom Timmermann then gives up the winning run on a double, sac fly, and Baltimore chop as the O's win, 5–4. » April 29, 1970: Baltimore's Paul Blair collects three homers and six RBIs in an 18–2 rout of the White Sox. Elrod Hendricks and Boog Powell also homer, each with two men on to back Jim Palmer. » May 29, 1970: The Orioles Mike Cuellar strikes out four batters consecutively in the 4th inning of a 2–0 win over California. He allows four hits and Boog Powell supplies the offense with a 2-run home run. » June 19, 1970: Despite Mike Epstein's eight RBIs, the Senators bow to the Orioles 12–10 in the first game of a doubleheader. Epstein has two homers -- one a grand slam -- and a single. Boog Powell drives in four runs with four hits for the O's. The O's use pitching to take the nitecap, 3–2, in 13 innings. Jim Hardin pitches 10 innings with Pete Richert getting the win with three innings of relief. » July 26, 1970: Boog Powell drives in six runs to lead the Orioles to an 11–1 win over the Twins. Boog hits a single and homer, both with the sacks full, and takes over the American League lead in ribbies with 86. Dave McNally loses his shut out on a homer by P Jim Perry. » August 8, 1970: Milwaukee reliever Dave Baldwin intentionally walks Boog Powell to load the bases and pitch to Don Buford. The Baltimore infielder promptly smacks a grand slam to give the O's a 7–4 victory over Milwaukee. » October 10, 1970: Baltimore overcomes a 3–0 deficit to beat the Reds 4–3 in the World Series opener at Riverfront Stadium as Boog Powell, Ellie Hendricks, and Brooks Robinson contribute home runs to the winning effort. The Jackson Five sing the National Anthem. » November 11, 1970: Boog Powell, who batted .297 with 35 homers and 114 RBI for Baltimore, is named American League MVP by a 234-157 margin over the Twins Tony Oliva. » October 4, 1971: Baltimore wins its 2nd straight game in the ALCS, beating Oakland 5–1 on home runs by Boog Powell (2), Brooks Robinson, and Ellie Hendricks. Four of Baltimore's seven hits against Catfish Hunter are homers. » February 25, 1975: The Orioles trade 1B Boog Powell and P Don Hood to the Indians for C Dave Duncan and a minor league OF. » April 8, 1975: After Rachel Robinson, widow of Jackie, tosses out the first ball in Cleveland, Frank Robinson, the first black manager in ML history, adds a dramatic touch by homering in his first Cleveland at bat (as a DH) during a 5–3 win over the visiting Yankees. For player-manager Robinson, it is his 8th Opening Day home run, setting a ML record. Starter Doc Medich is the loser, going five innings and giving up all five runs. Gaylord goes all the way to win for the Tribe, while Boog Powell backs him, going 3-for-3 with a double and homer.