Lou Boudreau

From SoSH

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Awards 3 Boudreau's Moments in the Sun 4 Managerial Record 5 Trivia 6 Transactions 7 External Links

Overall Career

Louis "Lou" Boudreau (July 17, 1917 - August 10, 2001), was an outstanding defensive shortstop and adept hitter, Lou Boudreau combined his playing skills and intelligence to become an innovative manager, creating one of the most versatile careers in baseball. An eight-time All-Star selection, four-time .300 hitter and 1948 American League Most Valuable Player, Boudreau was an excellent player, also winning the A.L. batting title in 1944 as a player-manager. He devised the Ted Williams shift, based upon hitting charts kept by his team, and transformed Bob Lemon from infielder to star pitcher.

Awards

• Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1970 (77.33%)

• 1948 Major League Player of the Year
• 1948 American League MVP
• 1949 All-Star Game manager
• 8-time American League All-Star (1940-1945, & 1947-1948)

Boudreau's Moments in the Sun

• In 1944 he led the American League in batting with a .327 batting average and 45 doubles, and was second in the league with a .406 OBP and 191 hits, and scored 91 runs (6th).
• Each year from 1946-48 he was the most difficult ballplayer in the league to strikeout, striking out only 9 times in 560 at bats in '48.

Managerial Record

Year    League   Team     Age    G     W    L    WP   Finish
1942 American Lg Clvlnd    24   156   75   79   .487      4  Player/Manager
1943 American Lg Clvlnd    25   153   82   71   .536      3  Player/Manager
1944 American Lg Clvlnd    26   155   72   82   .468      6  Player/Manager
1945 American Lg Clvlnd    27   147   73   72   .503      5  Player/Manager
1946 American Lg Clvlnd    28   156   68   86   .442      6  Player/Manager
1947 American Lg Clvlnd    29   157   80   74   .519      4  Player/Manager
1948 American Lg Clvlnd    30   156   97   58   .626  WS  1  Player/Manager
1949 American Lg Clvlnd    31   154   89   65   .578      3  Player/Manager
1950 American Lg Clvlnd    32   155   92   62   .597      4  Player/Manager

1952 American Lg BostonRS  34   154   76   78   .494      6  Player/Manager
1953 American Lg BostonRS  35   153   84   69   .549      4
1954 American Lg BostonRS  36   156   69   85   .448      4

1955 American Lg KansasCy  37   155   63   91   .409      6
1956 American Lg KansasCy  38   154   52  102   .338      8
1957 American Lg KansasCy  39   104   36   67   .350      7

1960 National Lg ChicagoC  42   139   54   83   .394      7

                 BostonRS       463  229  232   .497
                 ChicagoC       139   54   83   .394
                 Clvlnd        1389  728  649   .529
                 KansasCy       413  151  260   .367
     TOTAL                     2404 1162 1224   .487

Trivia

• Lou Boudreau was a great college basketball player, leading the University of Illinois to the Big Ten title in 1937 and earning All-American honors in 1938.
• Boudreau is interred in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Frankfort, Illinois.
• Boudreau had his # 5 retired by the Cleveland Indians.
• As both shortstop and manager, he was the inventor and most ardent practitioner of the "Williams shift" (a.k.a. "Boudreau shift"), stacking all but one defensive player on the right side of the field when Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox would come to bat in certain situations.

Transactions

• Before 1938 Season: Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent.
• November 21, 1950: Released by the Cleveland Indians.
• November 27, 1950: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• October 31, 1951: Released by the Boston Red Sox.
• Before 1952 Season: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox.
• October 15, 1952: Released by the Boston Red Sox.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Lou Boudreau: Hall of Fame Page