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Boog Powell

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For the 21st century player, see Boog Powell (outfielder).

Boog Powell
First baseman
Born: (1941-08-17) August 17, 1941 (age 83)
Lakeland, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 26, 1961, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
August 24, 1977, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Batting average.266
Home runs339
Runs batted in1,187
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

John Wesley "Boog" Powell (born August 17, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman and left fielder from 1961 through 1977, most prominently as a member of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty that won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1966 and 1971. The four-time All-Star led the American League in 1964 with a .606 slugging percentage and won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1970. He also played for the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1979, Powell was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.[1]

In a 17-season career, Powell posted a .266 batting average with 339 home runs, 1,187 RBI, .462 slugging percentage and a .361 on-base percentage in 2,042 games. Powell hit three home runs in a game three times, and stands third only behind Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. on the all-time home run list of the Orioles.

In 1983, Powell received five votes for the Hall of Fame (1.3% of all BBWAA voters) in his only appearance on the ballot.

Early life

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Powell was born in Lakeland, Florida on August 17, 1941. He played for that city's team in the 1954 Little League World Series. After his family moved to Key West when he was 15, Powell played at Key West High School and graduated in 1959. He led Key West to a state championship. Powell received the nickname "Boog" from his father. As Powell explained, "In the South they call little kids who are often getting into mischief buggers (pronounced 'boogers'), and my dad shortened it to Boog."[2][3][4][5]

Career

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Baltimore Orioles

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Powell in 1966

Powell signed with the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1959.[6] Jim Russo (the scout who signed him) was also the scout who would sign Jim Palmer and Dave McNally.[7] Powell joined the Orioles after leading the International League (IL) in home runs at Rochester in 1961.[8] He had a .321 batting average, with 32 home runs, 92 RBI, 86 runs scored, and a .981 OPS (on-base plus slugging).[9] In addition to leading the IL in home runs, he was fifth in batting, first in OPS, first in slugging percentage (.593), second in RBI, and sixth in runs.[8]

Powell spent his first three seasons in Baltimore as a slow-footed left fielder before switching to first base in 1965. At the plate he was an immediate success, hitting 25 home runs in 1963;[2] in 1964 he led the American League in slugging percentage (.606)[10] while blasting a career-high 39 home runs,[2] despite missing several weeks because of an injured wrist.[4] Powell slumped to .248 with 17 home runs in 1965, then won the American League Comeback player of the Year honors in 1966 (.287, 34 home runs, 109 runs batted in)[2][11] while being hampered by a broken finger.

In 1966, Powell, along with Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson, led the Orioles to the World Series, where they surprised the baseball world by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games to become baseball's world champions. Powell had the highest batting average (.357) of any player in the series.[12] Powell and the Dodgers Jim Barbieri (who was in the Little League World Series in 1953 and 1954 for Schenectady) became the first players to have played in both the Little League World Series and MLB World Series, though Powell was the Orioles full time first baseman and Barbieri had one pinch hit appearance in the 1966 World Series, which would be his last at bat as a major leaguer.[13][14][15]

Powell had an off year in 1967, hitting only .234 with 13 home runs. He started only 109 games, as manager Hank Bauer used Curt Blefary at first base for much of the season's second half.[4][2][16] Before the 1968 season, Powell lamented, "once, just once, I'd like to go through a whole season without an injury", and he did just that, playing over 150 games each of the next three seasons. His average only improved to .249 in 1968, but he hit 22 home runs with 85 RBI in the year of the pitcher.[2][17]

In 1969. he hit a career-high .304 with 37 home runs and 121 RBI.[2] He was second in the American League in RBI, fifth in batting average, and sixth in home runs.[18] He was the starting first baseman and cleanup hitter for the American League in the All-star game, playing the entire game and going one for four.[19] The Orioles won the first ever American League Championship Series (ALCS) 3–0 over the Minnesota Twins (Powell hitting .385 with one home run),[20] but lost to the New York Mets in the 1969 World Series 1–4 (Powell hitting .263).[21]

In 1970, he was the American League Most Valuable Player,[22] hitting 35 home runs with 114 runs batted in and narrowly missed a .300 average during the last week of the season.[2] He was again the starting first baseman and cleanup hitter in the All-star game.[23] The Orioles again defeated the Twins 3–0 in the 1970 ALCS. Powell hit .429 with a home run and six RBI. In the 1970 World Series, Powell homered in the first two games as the Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games, with Powell hitting .294 with five RBI and a 1.160 on-base plus slugging (OPS) over five games.[24][25][26]

Prior to the 1971 season, Powell appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the 1971 baseball preview issue.[27] He hit .256, with 22 home runs and 92 RBI.[2] Powell helped Baltimore reach a third straight World Series that year, after defeating the Oakland Athletics 3–0 in the 1971 ALCS. He hit .300 in the ALCS and had pair of home runs in game two of the ALCS against future hall of fame pitcher Catfish Hunter,[28][29][30] but he hit only .111 in the Series as Baltimore lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games.[31]

During his time with the Orioles from 1961 to 1974, the team had only two seasons where they lost more games than they won.[14]

Later career

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Powell had been an American League all-star for four straight years (1968–1971).[2] Before the 1972 season, the Orioles traded Frank Robison and did not win the Eastern Division for the first time since it had been created.[32][33] Powell hit .252, with 21 home runs and 81 RBI.[2] In 1973, Powell hit .265, but played in only 114 games, with 11 home runs 54 RBI, after his playing time was reduced by a sore shoulder.[4][2] The Orioles won the Eastern division, but lost the ALCS to the A's, 3–2, with Powell only playing in one game.[34]

However, Oriole manager Earl Weaver believed in making liberal use of the platoon system; in 1973 and 1974, Powell fell victim to it, limiting his at-bats.[citation needed] In 1974, Powell's playing time was down again (94 starts at first base), when manager Weaver replaced him for a stretch of games with a hot-hitting Enos Cabell during parts of August and September, starting in 14 games at first base. Weaver also used right-handed hitting Earl Williams at first base, starting 43 games.[4][2][35][36]

He and Don Hood were traded to the Cleveland Indians for Dave Duncan and minor league outfielder Alvin McGrew on February 25 1975.[37] Frank Robinson was now Cleveland's manager, and was very happy to obtain Powell.[4] Powell, again a regular with the Indians, batted .297 (with 129 hits) and 27 home runs (his best season since 1970), and a .997 fielding percentage, which led all major league first basemen. However, he hit only nine home runs in 95 games, with a .215 batting average, in 1976.[2] He was waived by the Indians during spring training on March 30, 1977.[38] His final season was 1977, as a pinch-hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit .244 with no home runs and 5 RBI's.[39] He was released on August 31, 1977.[6]

For his entire career, Powell hit .266, with 339 home runs and 1,187 RBI in 2,042 games. He played 1,479 games at first base, with a career fielding percentage of .991. In 33 post-season games, he hit .262, with six home runs, 18 RBI, 17 runs, and 12 bases on balls. He was named an All-Star by The Sporting News four times (1966, 1968-70) and by the Associated Press twice (1966, 1970).[2]

In 1979, Powell was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.[40]

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Powell at the Annapolis Book Festival in 2015

In the 1970s and 1980s Powell appeared in more than ten different television commercials for Miller Lite beer, including a memorable one with umpire Jim Honochick.[41] Playing on the theme of mocking umpires who make bad calls, the ad featured Honochick trying unsuccessfully to read the label on a beer bottle as Powell did the voice-over. Borrowing Powell's glasses to bring the label into focus, and suddenly able to see who is standing next to him at the bar and providing the narration, Honochick exclaims, "Hey, you're Boog Powell!"[42][43]

Powell is mentioned in an episode of Cheers entitled "Sam at Eleven". The fictional star of Cheers, ex-Red Sox reliever Sam Malone, relates his greatest moment in the Major Leagues: retiring Boog Powell in both games of a doubleheader.[44]

Powell is also mentioned in an episode of Bill Burr's Netflix original show F Is for Family. While searching for his wife after having an argument, Frank Murphy drives past a batting cage and hears the crack of the bat hitting a pitch. He then quips to his daughter Maureen, "That's either your mother or Boog Powell."

Powell was very often referenced in episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Example: when a giant hand bursts through a window, Servo exclaims, "Hey, it's Boog Powell!"

Current MLB announcer Jon Sciambi is nicknamed after him.

Post-career

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Powell opened Boog's Barbecue at Camden Yards in April 1992. It was a pioneering and successful food vendor operating during Oriole games, which is still ongoing as of 2024.[45][46][47]

In 1997, Powell was diagnosed with colon cancer, and had surgery rapidly after the diagnosis. Powell's surgery was performed by the same doctor, Keith Lillimoe, who had treated then Orioles outfielder Eric Davis for colon cancer, followed by six months of chemotherapy treatments. Powell became an advocate for early colonoscopy screening and did a series of public service announcements with Davis, who lent support to Powell after his diagnosis.[48][49]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame at MLB.com". mlb.com. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Boog Powell Statistics and History". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  3. ^ Baseball Digest, February 1987, p. 86
  4. ^ a b c d e f Wancho, Joseph. "Boog Powell - Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org.
  5. ^ Morrow, Ralph (February 18, 2022). "SPORTS & MORE: EVEN AT 80, BOOG POWELL'S MEMORY IS SHARP". Florida Keys Weekly Newspapers. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Boog Powell Trades and Transactions by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  7. ^ Palmer, Jim; Dale, Jim (1996). Palmer and Weaver: Together We Were Eleven Foot Nine. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel. p. 8. ISBN 0-8362-0781-5.
  8. ^ a b "1961 International League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  9. ^ "Boog Powell Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  10. ^ "1964 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  11. ^ "The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  12. ^ "1966 World Series - Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-0)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  13. ^ League, Little. "Major Leaguers Played in LLBWS". Little League. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Kostka, Andy (August 20, 2022). "'I'm in love with this team': This year's Orioles remind Boog Powell of 1966 World Series squad". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  15. ^ McHale, Dan. "Jim Barbieri – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "Curt Blefary Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  17. ^ Kurkjian, Tim (May 17, 2011). "1968 was a magical season for pitchers". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  18. ^ "1969 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  19. ^ "1969 All-Star Game Box Score, July 23". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  20. ^ "1969 ALCS - Baltimore Orioles over Minnesota Twins (3-0)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  21. ^ "1969 World Series - New York Mets over Baltimore Orioles (4-1)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award Winners | History". MLB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  23. ^ "1970 All-Star Game Box Score, July 14". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  24. ^ "1970 World Series Game 1, Baltimore Orioles vs Cincinnati Reds: October 10, 1970". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  25. ^ "1970 World Series Game 2, Baltimore Orioles vs Cincinnati Reds: October 11, 1970". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  26. ^ "1970 World Series - Baltimore Orioles over Cincinnati Reds (4-1)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  27. ^ Munro, Richard (July 19, 1971). "Letter From The Publisher". Sports Illustrated.
  28. ^ "1971 ALCS - Baltimore Orioles over Oakland Athletics (3-0)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  29. ^ "1971 American League Championship Series (ALCS) Game 2, Oakland Athletics vs Baltimore Orioles: October 4, 1971". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  30. ^ "Hunter, Catfish | Baseball Hall of Fame". baseballhall.org. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  31. ^ "1971 World Series - Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles (4-3)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  32. ^ "Frank Robinson Trades and Transactions by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  33. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  34. ^ "1973 ALCS - Oakland Athletics over Baltimore Orioles (3-2)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  35. ^ "Enos Cabell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  36. ^ "Earl Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  37. ^ "Indians Obtain Powell," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1975. Retrieved October 12, 2019
  38. ^ "People in Sports," The New York Times, Thursday, March 31, 1977. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  39. ^ "1977 Los Angeles Dodgers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  40. ^ "The Orioles Hall of Fame | Baltimore Orioles". MLB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  41. ^ Tom (September 13, 2013). "1981 Boog Powell Miller Lite Commercial". Ghosts of Baltimore. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  42. ^ Greg Stoda, Powell Enjoys Second Career, Wilimington (N.C.) Star-News, April 8, 1984
  43. ^ Philadelphia Inquirer, Obituary, Jim Honochick, March 14, 1994
  44. ^ Rushin, Steve (May 24, 1993). "Everybody Knows His Name". Sports Illustrated Vault. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  45. ^ Cassie, Ron (September 11, 2017). "Boog's BBQ: 25 Years and Still Cookin'". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  46. ^ "RK&K Pitches In at Oriole Park at Camden Yards | RK&K News". RK&K. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  47. ^ Dumas, Tim (August 1, 2024). "Tim Dumas writes about switch-hitting bobbleheads, "mooing" and Boog's on trip to Baltimore". MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  48. ^ Stetka, Bill (December 14, 2024). "Orioles' Boog Powell & Trey Mancini: Surviving Cancer and Advocating for Others". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  49. ^ Smith, Claire (September 11, 1997). "ON BASEBALL; Davis Finding a Way to Contribute". New York Times.
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