on November 22, 2021 Cloyd Boyer, Last of a Three-Brother Baseball Rarity, Dies at 94

Cloyd Boyer pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Athletics and, in a baseball career of nearly a half century, later worked as a pitching coach for the Yankees and the Atlanta Braves and as a minor league manager, a roving pitching instructor and a scout.

But in none of those roles was he especially well known. What brought him his greatest distinction was something more familial: He joined with the third basemen Ken and Clete Boyer in a three-brother major league rarity.

Having outlived both Ken and Clete, Cloyd Boyer died on Monday at 94 in a nursing home in Carthage, Mo. His death was confirmed by his son Ken.

The Boyers were not the only brotherly trio to play in the major leagues at the same time. Joe, Dom and Vince DiMaggio famously came before them. More recently there were Felipe, Matty and Jesus Alou, and Bengie, José and Yadier Molina. But across baseball history, notable three-brother combos are a small fraternity.

His pitching career was cut short, but at one time he and his brothers Ken and Clete were all on the major league stage together. He ended up outliving them.

Photo: Boyer, left, with his fellow Cardinals Joe Garagiola, center, and Harry Brecheen at spring training in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1951. Credit…Associated Press