Ken Boyer
⭐ Hall of Fame 2009
Born: 5/20/1931 in Liberty, MO, USA
Died: 9/7/1982 in St. Louis, MO, USA
MLB Debut: 1955-04-12 | Final Game: 1969-08-09
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Kenton Lloyd Boyer
Biography
Ken Boyer was a prominent American baseball player, born in 1931, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1969. Renowned for his exceptional skills as a position player, Boyer played a total of 2,034 games during his career, compiling an impressive .287 batting average. He recorded 2,143 hits, 282 home runs, and 1,141 RBIs, showcasing his ability to perform consistently at the plate. His offensive prowess was complemented by his speed on the bases, as he also successfully stole 105 bases throughout his career.
Boyer's contributions to the game were recognized with 11 All-Star selections, a testament to his status as one of the elite players of his era. He played during a transformative period in baseball, navigating the competitive landscape of the 1950s and 1960s, which included the integration of the sport and the emergence of new playing styles. His legacy is not only defined by his statistics but also by his leadership and impact on the teams he played for, most notably the St. Louis Cardinals, where he became a franchise icon. Ken Boyer remains a significant figure in baseball history, celebrated for his remarkable achievements and lasting influence on the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2034 | 7455 | 1104 | 2143 | 318 | 68 | 282 | 1141 | 105 | 713 | 1017 | 0.287 | 0.349 | 0.462 | 0.810 | 22260.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | STL | NL | 147 | 530 | 78 | 140 | 27 | 2 | 18 | 62 | 22 | 37 | 67 | 0.264 | -43.2 |
| 1956 | STL | NL | 150 | 595 | 91 | 182 | 30 | 2 | 26 | 98 | 8 | 38 | 65 | 0.306 | 1727.0 |
| 1957 | STL | NL | 142 | 544 | 79 | 144 | 18 | 3 | 19 | 62 | 12 | 44 | 77 | 0.265 | 180.2 |
| 1958 | STL | NL | 150 | 570 | 101 | 175 | 21 | 9 | 23 | 90 | 11 | 49 | 53 | 0.307 | 2109.4 |
| 1959 | STL | NL | 149 | 563 | 86 | 174 | 18 | 5 | 28 | 94 | 12 | 67 | 77 | 0.309 | 2931.3 |
| 1960 | STL | NL | 151 | 552 | 95 | 168 | 26 | 10 | 32 | 97 | 8 | 56 | 77 | 0.304 | 3329.3 |
| 1961 | STL | NL | 153 | 589 | 109 | 194 | 26 | 11 | 24 | 95 | 6 | 68 | 91 | 0.329 | 3375.5 |
| 1962 | STL | NL | 160 | 611 | 92 | 178 | 27 | 5 | 24 | 98 | 12 | 75 | 104 | 0.291 | 2171.7 |
| 1963 | STL | NL | 159 | 617 | 86 | 176 | 28 | 2 | 24 | 111 | 1 | 70 | 90 | 0.285 | 2421.3 |
| 1964 | STL | NL | 162 | 628 | 100 | 185 | 30 | 10 | 24 | 119 | 3 | 70 | 85 | 0.295 | 2952.5 |
| 1965 | STL | NL | 144 | 535 | 71 | 139 | 18 | 2 | 13 | 75 | 2 | 57 | 73 | 0.260 | 350.7 |
| 1966 | NYN | NL | 136 | 496 | 62 | 132 | 28 | 2 | 14 | 61 | 4 | 30 | 64 | 0.266 | 287.4 |
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 57 | 180 | 17 | 47 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 25 | 0.261 | -89.2 |
| 1967 | NYN | NL | 56 | 166 | 17 | 39 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 26 | 22 | 0.235 | -89.2 |
| 1968 | CHW | AL | 10 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | LAD | NL | 83 | 221 | 20 | 60 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 41 | 2 | 16 | 34 | 0.271 | 0.0 |
| 1969 | LAD | NL | 25 | 34 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.206 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 27 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0.222 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | WS | SLN | 7 | 27 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0.222 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 65 | 57 | 482 | 31 | 5 | 50 |
| 3B | 1785 | 1724 | 1567 | 3652 | 264 | 355 |
| OF | 111 | 107 | 286 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| SS | 31 | 22 | 41 | 52 | 4 | 11 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | SLN | 3B | 139 | 114 | 124 | 253 | 19 | 24 |
| 1955 | SLN | SS | 18 | 16 | 31 | 42 | 2 | 10 |
| 1956 | SLN | 3B | 149 | 148 | 130 | 309 | 18 | 37 |
| 1957 | SLN | 3B | 41 | 36 | 41 | 93 | 13 | 7 |
| 1957 | SLN | OF | 105 | 102 | 275 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | SLN | 3B | 144 | 144 | 156 | 350 | 20 | 41 |
| 1958 | SLN | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | SLN | OF | 6 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | SLN | 3B | 143 | 141 | 134 | 300 | 20 | 32 |
| 1959 | SLN | SS | 12 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
| 1960 | SLN | 3B | 146 | 144 | 140 | 300 | 19 | 37 |
| 1961 | SLN | 3B | 153 | 153 | 117 | 346 | 24 | 23 |
| 1962 | SLN | 3B | 160 | 160 | 158 | 318 | 22 | 34 |
| 1963 | SLN | 3B | 159 | 159 | 129 | 293 | 34 | 23 |
| 1964 | SLN | 3B | 162 | 162 | 131 | 337 | 24 | 30 |
| 1965 | SLN | 3B | 143 | 139 | 113 | 250 | 12 | 18 |
| 1966 | NYN | 1B | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1966 | NYN | 3B | 130 | 125 | 113 | 292 | 21 | 33 |
| 1967 | CHA | 1B | 18 | 14 | 132 | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| 1967 | CHA | 3B | 33 | 32 | 22 | 67 | 4 | 4 |
| 1967 | NYN | 1B | 8 | 5 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 1967 | NYN | 3B | 44 | 43 | 27 | 84 | 6 | 7 |
| 1968 | CHA | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | CHA | 3B | 5 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1968 | LAN | 1B | 32 | 32 | 245 | 11 | 3 | 25 |
| 1968 | LAN | 3B | 34 | 20 | 30 | 53 | 7 | 4 |
| 1969 | LAN | 1B | 4 | 4 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 66 |
| Third Base | 1784 |
| Shortstop | 31 |
| Center Field | 111 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1964 | Most Valuable Player | |
| 1964 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1964 | TSN Major League Player of the Year | |
| 1964 | TSN Player of the Year | |
| 1963 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1963 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1962 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1961 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1961 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1960 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1959 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1958 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1956 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 1st | 243.0 | 280 | 14 |
| 1963 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 13th | 19.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1962 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 5.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1961 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 43.0 | 224 | 0 |
| 1960 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 80.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1959 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 37.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1958 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 13th | 31.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 28th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |