Clete Boyer

Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer (February 9, 1937 – June 4, 2007) was a Major League Baseball player.

A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics (1955–57), New York Yankees (1959–66) and Atlanta Braves (1967–71). Boyer also spent 4 seasons in the Central League in Japanese baseball with the Taiyo Whales (now the Yokohama BayStars).

Boyer was one of 14 children. He and four of the brothers played professional baseball, with Ken, also a third baseman, and Cloyd, a pitcher, also making the majors.

In his 16-year career, Boyer hit 162 home runs with 654 runs batted in and a .242 batting average in 1725 games played.

Early career

A "bonus baby", Boyer broke into the major leagues in as a utility infielder at age 18. With no minor league experience, he played a total of 124 games for the Kansas City Athletics until he was traded to the Yankees in February in a thirteen-player deal, seven players going to Kansas City and six (one of whom was pitcher Bobby Shantz) to the Yankees. He spent three seasons in the Yankee farm system until he was called up late in .

The Yankee years

Boyer became the Yankees' regular third baseman in , beating out three others (including Gil McDougald, who in spring training had announced that this, his 10th season in the majors, would be his last) for...
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