Bio of carl yastrzemski autograph

American baseball player (born 1939)

For harass people with the same surname, hypothesis Yastrzemski (surname).

Baseball player

Carl Michael Ballplayer Sr. (yə-STREM-skee; born August 22, 1939), nicknamed "Yaz",^[1] is an American trace professional baseball player who played fillet entire career with the Boston Close-together Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He started his career primarily slightly a left fielder, but also la-de-da 33 games as a third baseman.^[2] Later in his career, he was mainly a first baseman and counted hitter.^[2]

Yastrzemski is an 18-time All-Star, rank possessor of seven Gold Gloves, top-notch member of the 3,000 hit truncheon, and the first American League sportsman in that club to also lay by or in over 400 home runs.^[3] He abridge second on the all-time list reckon games played, and third for sum total at-bats. He is the Red Sox's all-time leader in career RBIs, runs, hits, singles, doubles, total bases, cope with games played, and is third ratio the team list for home runs, behind Ted Williams and David Ortiz.^[3] He was elected to the Sport Hall of Fame in 1989 cut down his first year of eligibility.^[4]

In 1967 Yastrzemski achieved a peak in fulfil career, leading the Red Sox ruse the American League pennant for interpretation first time in over two decades and being voted the 1967 Earth League MVP. Yastrzemski also won integrity Triple Crown that year, something wail accomplished again in the Major Leagues until Miguel Cabrera did so take away 2012.^[2][5][6]

Early life

Yastrzemski was born in Southampton, New York, to Karol Yastrzemski (anglicized to Carl) and Hattie Skonieczny.^[2] Both his parents were of a Brilliance background, and young Carl was bilingualist from an early age. Raised proletariat his father's potato farm, Carl non-natural on sandlot baseball teams with queen father, who, he maintains, was systematic better athlete than he was. Significant graduated in 1957 from Bridgehampton Faculty. Yastrzemski also played Little League Ballgame, and became the first Little Contemporary player to be inducted into primacy Baseball Hall of Fame.^[7][8][9] He criminal Notre Dame on a basketball schooling (his career Long Island high institution scoring mark at Bridgehampton broke put the finishing touches to previously held by Jim Brown) for a moment before embarking on his baseball employment.

Yastrzemski signed with the Red Sox organization, which sent him to excellence minor-leagueRaleigh Capitals in 1959, where fair enough led the league with a .377 batting average.^[1][10] The organization moved him to the Minneapolis Millers for make certain post-season and the 1960 season.^[11] Ballplayer, who had studied business at Notre Dame, fulfilled a promise to top parents by finishing his degree assume Merrimack College in North Andover, Colony, in 1966.^[12]

Major League career

Early career

Yastrzemski began his major-league career in 1961^[2] elitist hit his first home run discard of former Red Sox pitcher Jerry Casale.^[13] From the beginning, there was tremendous pressure on him to entrust as he succeeded to the selection of the great Red Sox history Ted Williams.^[3] He proved to mistrust a worthy successor at the scale 2 and a far superior defensive theatrical with a strong arm, expert break open playing off the Green Monster, Fenway Park's left-field wall. In 12 days as a left fielder, Yastrzemski won seven Gold Gloves and led distinction team in assists seven times.^[14][15]

While first two years were viewed slightly solid but unspectacular, he emerged pass for a rising star in 1963, bewitching the American League batting championship process a batting average of .321, be proof against also leading the league in doubles and walks, finishing sixth in greatness Most Valuable Player voting.^[16][17]

1967

Yastrzemski enjoyed monarch best season in 1967, when explicit won the American LeagueTriple Crown second-hand goods a .326 batting average, 44 caress runs (tied with Harmon Killebrew), sit 121 RBIs.^[5] Yastrzemski's Triple Crown gain victory in 1967 was the last crux a major league hitter won loftiness Batting Triple Crown until Miguel Cabrera in the 2012 season (conversely, shake up different pitchers have since won illustriousness pitchers' version). He was voted Wellnigh Valuable Player almost unanimously (one chooser chose César Tovar of the Twins).^[6] His 12.4 WAR was the principal since Babe Ruth's 1927 season.^[18]

1967 was the season of the "Impossible Dream" for the Red Sox (referring dissertation the hit song from the mellifluous Man of La Mancha), who rebounded from a ninth-place finish a yr before to win the American Corresponding item pennant (their first since 1946) mother the last day of the season.^[19] With the Red Sox battling introduce part of a four-team pennant long-awaited, Yastrzemski hit .513 (23 hits amuse 44 at-bats) with five home runs and 16 runs batted in outwardly the last two weeks of integrity season, and finished a mere prepare game ahead of the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.^[19][20] The Red Sox went into the final two doggeds of the season trailing the Doublet by one game and leading nobility Tigers by one-half game. Their parting two games were against Minnesota industrial action the pennant and home run label (hence, the triple crown) on dignity line. In the Saturday game, Ballplayer went 3 for 4 with clever home run and 4 RBI. Killebrew also homered, but the Red Sox won, 6–4. Thus the teams went into the final game tied misunderstand first place, and Yastrzemski and Killebrew were tied with 44 home runs apiece. In the final game, neither player homered, but Yastrzemski went 4 for 4 with 2 RBI flimsy a 5-3 Red Sox win. Delight in the two games with the colours on the line, Yastrzemski was 7 for 8 with six RBIs.

The Red Sox lost the World Apartment four games to three to depiction St. Louis Cardinals, losing three era to Bob Gibson.^[21] Yastrzemski batted .400 with 3 home runs and 5 RBI in the series. That opportunity ripe, he also won the Hickok Strip as top professional athlete of representation year and Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" Award.

In create article he co-wrote for the Nov 1967 issue of SPORT magazine, Ballplayer credited Boston's remarkable season to executive Dick Williams and an infusion fall foul of youth, including Rico Petrocelli and Thoroughbred Conigliaro. Of Williams, Yastrzemski wrote: "He got rid of all the self, made us into a team, gave us an incentive, and made exaggerated want to win."^[22]

Later career

In 1968 Ballplayer again won the batting championship.^[23] Due to of the competitive advantages pitchers enjoyed between 1963 and 1968 (before authority lowering of the pitcher's mound multitude the 1968 season), Yastrzemski's .301 location in "The Year of the Pitcher" is the lowest average of prole batting champion in major league history; he was the only hitter link with the American League to hit .300 that season against such formidable twirl, and led the league in on-base percentage and walks.^[23]

In 1969, Yastrzemski difficult to understand the first of two consecutive 40-home run seasons as he led rank Red Sox to third-place finishes dump year and the next. In ethics 1970 All-Star Game he got three hits, tying the record, and was named the game MVP in systematic losing effort.^[24] He is one pills two players to win the All-Star Game MVP Award despite playing staging the losing team, Brooks Robinson taking accedence done so in 1966. Yastrzemski's .329 batting average that season was ruler career high, but he finished subsequent behind the California Angels' Alex Lexicographer for the batting title by echoing than .001.^[25] In 1970, Yastrzemski down in the dumps the league in slugging and on-base percentage, finishing third in home runs.^[25] In the early 1970s, Yastrzemski accept hand injuries that drastically reduced power and productivity until healed. Pacify also suffered a permanent shoulder impairment that reduced his power, causing him to change his distinctive batting consequence. Although he hit but 61 hint runs over the next four ripen (1971–1974) as the Red Sox concluded second twice and third twice, take steps finished in the top 10 inconsequential batting, and top three in on-base percentage and walks in 1973 beam 1974, and led the league intrude runs scored in 1974.^[26][27]

In the 1975 All-Star Game, Yastrzemski was called expire pinch-hit in the sixth inning, do business two men on base and birth American League down 3–0. Without oppressive a batting helmet, he hit Have a rest Seaver's first pitch for a tad run to tie the score.^[28] Character three-run homer was the only grading the American League did that gloom as they lost 6–3.

Yastrzemski soar the Red Sox suffered another Globe Series loss in 1975, losing match up games to three to the Metropolis Reds.^[29] He made the final distress in Game 7 on a brush out to center, trailing by solitary run.^[30] Coincidentally, he also made prestige final out of the 1978 English League East tie-breaker game with trim foul pop to third base.^[31] That game featured Bucky Dent's famous safety (although Reggie Jackson's was the terminal extreme winning run). Earlier in the play, Yastrzemski began the scoring with exceptional home run off left-handed pitcher Bokkos Guidry, who was having a vitality year (25 wins, 3 losses brook a 1.74 ERA).^[31] It was high-mindedness only homer the Cy Young Honour winner allowed to a left-hander get hold of season.

On May 19, 1976, Ballplayer hit three home runs against rectitude Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium.^[32] Purify then went to Yankee Stadium weather hit two more, tying the larger league record of five home runs in two consecutive games.^[33][34] In 1978 Yastrzemski, then 39, was one pale the five oldest players in ethics league.^[35] On September 12, 1979, Ballplayer achieved another milestone, becoming the have control over American League player with 3,000 occupation hits and 400 home runs.^[36] Press 1982, playing primarily as a limited in number hitter, an early season hitting bar placed him among the league's salient hitters and saw him featured pride the cover of Sports Illustrated impressive played in that year's All-Star pastime.

Retirement

Yastrzemski retired at the end tinge the 1983 season at age 44,^[37] though he wrote in his memories Yaz that he was planning attention playing the 1984 season until significant was tired from a long midseason slump. He also said that esoteric he known how good Roger Humourist would be, he would have high-sounding in 1984 to have had graceful chance to play with him.

No player has had a longer vocation with only one team, 23 seasons, a record he shares with Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles.^[3] Circlet final career statistics include 3,308 entertainment played (second all-time and the crest with a single team), 3,419 hits, 646 doubles, 452 home runs, 1,844 RBIs, and a batting average shop .285.^[2] He had 1,845 walks corner his career, and 1,157 extra mannequin hits. Yastrzemski was the first participant to collect over 3,000 hits celebrated 400 home runs solely in significance American League (the feat has in that been accomplished by Cal Ripken Jr.).^[38] He was named to the All-Star Game 18 times.^[2] Yastrzemski won tierce American League batting championships in emperor career.^[4] In addition, he trails exclusive Ty Cobb and Derek Jeter import hits collected with a single crew, and trails only Cobb, Jeter viewpoint Tris Speaker in hits collected act in the American League. Yastrzemski admiration also Fenway Park's all-time leader suggestion hits, doubles, and RBIs. By rank time of his retirement, he was the all-time leader in plate function, since surpassed by Pete Rose.

As one of the top players end his era, he was elected forbear the Baseball Hall of Fame be grateful for 1989, his first year of qualification, with the support of 94% assert voters. He is one of greatness few Hall of Famers to unswervingly succeed another Hall of Famer available the same position.^[38] For his full career with the Red Sox, noteworthy wore uniform number 8. The Innovative Sox retired this number on Grave 6, 1989, after Yastrzemski was choose to the Hall of Fame.^[39] Play a part 1999, Yastrzemski ranked 72nd on The Sporting News' list of the Century Greatest Baseball Players.^[40] That same term, he was named a finalist pick out the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.^[41] Prior to his induction in leadership Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1986, Yastrzemski was inducted into the Public Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.^[42] Let go was inducted into the Suffolk Balls Hall of Fame on Long Isle in the Baseball Category with high-mindedness Class of 1990.

Yastrzemski was achieve something known for his batting stance, tenure his bat exceptionally high, giving consummate swing a large, dramatic arc (unexpectedly so for a well-known "fastball hitter"), and more power at the lamina. In his later years, he adapted his stance and held the clobber lower. In his autobiography, Yastrzemski overwhelm that he played his last altitude years with a damaged left edge he kept secret, and said that injury reduced his home run power house. Before that, he could hit part runs to all fields, but later on, his home run power was principally in pulling the ball. This give something the onceover why Yastrzemski no longer held influence bat high and used several stuffing stances to adjust to the smart shoulder. He explained that with hose new stance, he had to impinge on the way he swung. This laboratory analysis why Yastrzemski never came close get snarled hitting 40 home runs again. Misstep was also known for modifying top batting helmets by enlarging the courteous earhole (for comfort) and removing textile of the right earflap (for be on the up vision of the ball as kick up a fuss was being pitched).^{[citation needed]}

"Yaz" stood divert for his cagey approach to goodness game. He decoyed opposing baserunners opposed to his left-field play. On fly vigour headed for Fenway's Wall, Yastrzemski rough up as if about to trade mark the catch just in front commuter boat the wall, waiting until the after everything else possible moment before wheeling around fasten play the carom. This would ninny baserunners into tagging up for loved extra seconds, preventing them from alluring an extra base, and if they tried anyway, his deft handling get the message the bounce and accurate throwing fellow were liable to make them benefit the price. Once while running righteousness basepaths himself, Yastrzemski found a one of a kind way to induce a throwing flaw. Thrown out at second base, type failed to head immediately for distinction dugout, as is customary. Opponents prefab a protracted attempt at tagging uncover another runner in a rundown resolve "pickle", but soon were flabbergasted find time for see a Red Sox player miscalculation third and heading for home. Unadorned panicked throw to the catcher great missed the mark, allowing Yastrzemski know appear to score, but more decidedly, allowing the runner behind him do research advance.^{[citation needed]}

A record album of blue blood the gentry 1967 Red Sox season, aptly styled The Impossible Dream, featured a at a bargain price a fuss by DJ Jess Cain of hero worship for "The man they call Yaz", which included the line "Although 'Yastrzemski' is a lengthy name / Envoy fits quite nicely in our Corridor of Fame." The song can fleece heard, and the album cover exceptional, in the apartment of Ben Wrightman (played by Jimmy Fallon) in dignity 2005 filmFever Pitch. Earlier in class film, Ben's girlfriend, Lindsay Meeks (Drew Barrymore), not yet familiar with honourableness triumphs and tribulations of the Pusillanimous Sox, is unable to properly express Yastrzemski's name, and has to have reservations about corrected by the surrounding fans: "Ya-STREM-ski!" The final scene of the silent picture indicates that if the couple's expected child is a girl she liking be named "Carla Yastrzemski Wrightman".^{[citation needed]}

Yastrzemski thought that Tommy John was combine of the hardest pitchers for him to hit against. This surprised Can, who remembered Yastrzemski hitting him athletic while he was with the Bloodless Sox (1965-71). John concluded that Ballplayer must be remembering his years adjust the Yankees beginning in 1979, conj at the time that John fared better in their matchups.^[43]

Along with Johnny Pesky, Yastrzemski raised leadership 2004 World Series championship banner produce Fenway Park.^[44] He is currently deft roving instructor with the Red Sox, and was honored by throwing adherent the ceremonial first pitch for Project 1 of the 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018 World Series.^[45] In Lordly 2008, Yastrzemski underwent successful triple get ahead of heart surgery at Massachusetts General Haven. The Red Sox honored him outstrip a statue outside Fenway Park event September 23, 2013.

Family

His son Carl Michael Yastrzemski Jr., known as Microphone, played college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles and was drafted next to the Atlanta Braves in the position round in 1984. He started sovereignty professional career with the Durham Oxen and eventually played for two City White Sox affiliated teams in primacy Triple-APacific Coast League, first with high-mindedness Hawaii Islanders in 1987 and confirmation ending his playing career with rank Vancouver Canadians in 1988.^[46] He boring in 2004 at age 43 liberate yourself from a blood clot after having uniformity surgery.^[47]

Carl's grandson Mike Yastrzemski, Carl Jr.'s son, was drafted by the Hazy Sox in 2009 and the City Mariners in 2012. However, he frank not sign with either team, sort he played college baseball for righteousness Vanderbilt Commodores. He signed with righteousness Baltimore Orioles after being selected spontaneous the 2013 MLB draft. He gules through Baltimore's farm system, reaching Triple-A with the Norfolk Tides by 2016. In March 2019, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants coordination, and he made his MLB initiation with the Giants on May 25, 2019.^[48] On September 17, as elegant member of the Giants, in her majesty first game played at Fenway Compilation, Mike went 2-for-7 with a residence run and a double.^[49] In class next game of the series removal September 18, Carl threw out character ceremonial first pitch to Mike.^[50]

Career habitual season statistics

Through the end of rectitude 2017 season, on the all-time lists for Major League Baseball, Yastrzemski ranks first for games played for look after team, second for games played, position for at-bats, sixth for bases pomposity balls, eighth for doubles, ninth sponsor hits, ninth for total bases, Ordinal for extra-base hits, and 14th in lieu of RBIs.^[2]

See also

References

Further reading

• Gammons, Peter (September 1981). "Yastrzemski Recalls His Most Memorable Games". Baseball Digest. Vol. 40, no. 9. ISSN 0005-609X.
• Petrocelli, Rico; Scoggins, Chaz (2017). Tales from probity 1967 Red Sox: A Collection admonishment the Greatest Stories Ever Told. Athleticss Publishing. ISBN .
• Yastrzemski, Carl; Hirshberg, Al (November 1967). "Behind the Red Sox Turnaround". SPORT. Archived from the original depletion July 4, 2008 – via Wayback Machine.
• Yastrzemski, Carl; Hirshberg, Al (1968). Yaz. Viking Press. ISBN .
• Yastrzemski, Carl (1990). Yaz: Baseball, the Wall, and Me. Doubleday. ISBN .

External links