Ken Boyer Stats & Facts
Ken Boyer
Positions: Third Baseman and Centerfielder
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
6-1, 190lb (185cm, 86kg)
Born: May 20, 1931 in Liberty, MO
Died: September 7, 1982 in St. Louis, MO
Buried: Friends Cemetery, Purcell, MO
High School: Alba HS (Alba, MO)
Debut: April 12, 1955 (11,204th in major league history)
vs. CHC 4 AB, 1 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: August 9, 1969
vs. CHC 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Kenton Lloyd Boyer
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject
Relatives: Brother of Cloyd Boyer, Clete Boyer
Nine Players Who Debuted in 1955
Brooks Robinson
Roberto Clemente
Ken Boyer
Rocky Colavito
Clete Boyer
Elston Howard
Sandy Koufax
Jim Bunning
Bill Virdon
All-Time Teammate Team
Coming Soon
Notable Events and Chronology for Ken Boyer Career
Biography
After watching Ken Boyer play for the first time, Branch Rickey gushed: “At third base, I saw the best ballplayer . . . that I have seen in many a day.” He wasn’t the only one to swoon over the defensive whiz. First baseman Bill White, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, called Boyer “the best third baseman I’d seen or played with.” His credentials are unassailable: seven All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, and a Most Valuable Player Award. Despite playing only 11 full seasons at third base, he ranks 13th all-time in double plays turned and 20th in assists at the position. A versatile defender, Boyer played the outfield in 1957, finishing third in range factor while pacing big-league center fielders with a .993 fielding percentage.
Boyer was equally impressive at the plate. In fact, if not for Eddie Mathews, who began his career around the same time, we would speak of him as a revolutionary player – one of the first modern third basemen – able to combine defense and power like few before him. Over his first 10 seasons (1955-64), Boyer – whose debut was delayed by two years of military service – ranked among MLB’s top performers with 1,716 hits (3rd), 926 RBI (6th), and 242 home runs (10th). During his seven-year peak (1958-64), he hit .303 while averaging 26 homers and 101 RBI per season. Other than Harlond Clift, no third baseman prior had approached those numbers over a prolonged stretch. An amazingly consistent hitter, Boyer amassed at least 23 big flies and 90 RBI each year during the span and would’ve likely kept up the pace for a few more seasons if not for a back injury in 1965.
As it stands, Boyer retired with 282 home runs, which would’ve been a record for third basemen if not for Mathews. As of 1975, Boyer’s first year on the Hall of Fame ballot, there were only three third basemen enshrined in Cooperstown: Jimmy Collins, Pie Traynor, and Home Run Baker. Two other third sackers – Freddie Lindstrom and George Kell – who played before Boyer, were also eventually inducted. Using the supposedly all-encompassing WAR (wins above replacement) statistic, of the five, only Baker – whose career 62.7 WAR is nearly identical to Boyer’s total of 62.8 – comes close to his overall production.
Two of the most similar players (in my estimation) are Ron Santo, who won five Gold Gloves, and Scott Rolen, who won eight. Offensively, Santo’s 154 game averages (.277, 23 HRs, 91 RBI) are comparable to Boyer’s (.287, 21 HRs, 86 RBI). As for Rolen, he played in 2,038 games, finishing with 2,077 hits, 316 homers, 1,287 RBI, and a .281 batting average. Compare that to Boyer’s career stats: 2,034 games, 2,143 hits, 282 home runs, 1,145 RBI, and a .287 average. In January 2021, Rolen received 52.9% of the vote in his fourth year of Hall of Fame eligibility, putting him on track for eventual enshrinement. As for Boyer, he topped out at 25.5% in 1988, his ninth year on the ballot.
“Kenny Boyer was a pillar of strength in the Cardinal organization. It was kind of an understood thing that Kenny took care of the players coming into the organization. He took people under his wing – it was kind of like a father image.” — Stan Musial
✍️ Bobby King II
◾Sources: https://www.baseball-reference.com
+ https://baseballhall.org
+ https://www.stltoday.com
+ https://www.baseball-almanac.com
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One of the finest third basemen of the 1950s and 1960s, Ken Boyer was a seven-time All-Star, won five Gold Gloves, and captured the 1964 NL Most Valuable Player Award. Though contemporary Ron Santo receives more Hall of Fame support from fans and the Veterans Committee, Boyer actually received more MVP votes during his career than Santo did.
Played For
St. Louis Cardinals (1955-1965)
New York Mets (1966-1967)
Chicago White Sox (1967-1968)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1968-1969)
Managed
St. Louis Cardinals (1978-1980)
Similar: Offensively, Bobby Bonilla. Defensively, Graig Nettles.
Linked: Ron Santo, Clete Boyer
Family Tree
Ken’s younger brother Clete actually debuted in the big leagues at the same time, in 1955. Clete was an excellent infielder with good range, quick feet, sure hands, and a strong arm. He won a Gold Glove at third base and faced Ken in the 1964 World Series, playing for the Yankees.
Awards and Honors
1958 NL Gold Glove
1959 NL Gold Glove
1960 NL Gold Glove
1961 NL Gold Glove
1963 NL Gold Glove
1964 NL MVP
Post-Season Appearances
1964 World Series
Hitting Streaks
29 games (1959)
15 games (1961)
All-Star Selections
1956 NL
1959 NL
1960 NL
1961 NL
1962 NL
1963 NL
1964 NL
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