Yastrzemski, Carl, << yuh STREHM skee, kahrl >> (1939-…), was a star major league baseball player for the Boston Red Sox. In 1967, Yastrzemski led the American League in batting average (.326) and runs batted in (121) and tied for the lead in home runs (44). That gave him the triple crown of batting. After Yastrzemski, no player won the triple crown until Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers won the three titles in 2012. Yastrzemski was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1967. He also led the American League in batting in 1963 and 1968.
Yastrzemski was one of the most durable and productive players in baseball history. He played for 23 seasons in the American League, all with Boston. Yastrzemski is the American League leader in career games played (3,308) and number of at bats (11,988). He is also among the American League leaders in career walks (1,845), hits (3,419), doubles (646), and runs batted in (1,844). He hit 452 home runs and is one of only two American League players with at least 3,000 hits and 400 home runs. The other is Cal Ripken, Jr. Yastrzemski was also an outstanding outfielder. He led American League outfielders in assists a record seven seasons and won the Gold Glove award seven times.
Carl Michael Yastrzemski was born in Southampton, New York, on Aug. 22, 1939. Boston signed him as a shortstop in 1958, while he was attending the University of Notre Dame. He joined the Red Sox in 1961 as an outfielder. Yastrzemski was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.
See also Boston Red Sox .
