Lou Boudreau Louis Boudreau Bats Right Throws Right Height 5'11 Weight 185 Born July 17, 1917 Harvey, IL Died August 10, 2001 Frankfort, IL (Complications from diabetes)

Batting  

 Year Ag Tm     G   AB    H  2B  3B  HR    R  RBI   BB    K HBP  IW  SB  CS    BA  lgBA   SLG lgSLG   TB 
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 1939 21 BRK   99   78   17   3   0   0    4    7   14   10   0   0   1   0  .218  .277  .256  .412   20 
 1940 22 BRK  154  596  180  40   5  25   91  120   63   54   5   0   2   1  .302  .266  .512  .414  305 
 1941 23 BRK  152  556  132  34   9   7   46   66   52   84   3   0   5   4  .237  .268  .369  .403  205 
 1942 24 BRK  151  622  182  19  10   6   99   38   69   88   3   3   8  13  .293  .265  .384  .394  239 
 1943 25 BRK  154  636  180  36   8  15   86   69   67   63   3   1   6   6  .283  .262  .436  .403  277 

 1944 26 BRK  154  650  217  60   6  13  125   60   81   69   9   1   7   5  .334  .266  .505  .402  328 
 1945 27 BRK  146  589  154  29   1   5   79   61   56   53   4   0   5   1  .261  .268  .340  .383  200 
 1946 28 BRK  143  549  150  27  12   5   52   81   33   40   2   0   6   2  .273  .268  .393  .395  216 
 1947 29 BRK  152  600  201  48   4   8  107   81   67   42   5   0   1   2  .335  .281  .468  .422  281 
 1948 30 BRK                                                                                             
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
  9 Seasons  1305 4876 1413 296  55  84  689  583  502  503  34   5  41  34  .290  .269  .425  .403 2071
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 154 Gm  Avg  154  575  167  35   6  10   81   69   59   59   4   1   5   4  .290  ----  .425  ----  244
 Career High  154  650  217  60  12  25  125  120   81   88   9   3   8  13  .334  ----  .512  ----  328
+-----------+----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+
 Year Ag Tm     G   AB    H  2B  3B  HR    R  RBI   BB    K HBP  IW  SB  CS    BA  lgBA   SLG lgSLG   TB 

Shaded Text indicates partial season results.

Postseason Batting

 Year Tm  Opp WLser  G   AB    H  2B  3B  HR    R  RBI   BB    K HBP  IW  SB  CS    BA   SLG   TB 
+------------------+--+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+
 1940 BRK MON   L    7   29    7   1   0   0    1    4    2    2   0   0   0   0  .241  .276    8
 1947 BRK NDA   W    5   20    4   1   0   1    3    3    2    1   0   0   0   0  .200  .400    8
+------------------+--+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+
               1-1  12   49   11   2   0   1    4    7    4    3   0   0   0   0  .224  .327   16
+------------------+--+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+----+----+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+


WLser shows whether the player's team Won or Lost the series.

Appearances on Leaderboards and Awards  

Stats are Year-Value-Rank

Batting Avg. 1944-.334-5

RBI 1940-120-4

Doubles 1940-40-4 1941-34-9 1944-60-2 1947-48-1

Triples 1942-10-4 1943-8-7 1946-12-4

Hits 1944-217-2 1947-201-5

Runs 1942-99-9 1944-125-4

At Bats 1942-622-5 1943-636-7 1944-650-2

Player of the Month, May 1944

Transactions January 1, 1938: Drafted 1st round (1st overall) by Brooklyn.

Biography As a college athlete, Lou Boudreau seemed to have several options after his graduation. However, the captain of the basketball and baseball teams at the University of Illinois signed a deal to join the Cleveland Indians following his graduation. Big 10 officials heard about his agreement and ruled that Boudreau was ineligible to compete as an amateur in college. So, Boudreau appeared as a pinch hitter in one game with the Indians during the 1938 season. He also played professional basketball with Hammond, Indiana's entry into the National Basketball League. At the beginning of the 1939 season, Boudreau found himself with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League. Boudreau had played third base or caught during his college career, but Buffalo manager Steve O'Neill moved Boudreau to shortstop and teamed him up with second baseman Ray Mack. The two worked together beautifully and both were called up to Cleveland in the second half of the seasons. In his first full season with the Indians in 1940, Boudreau hit .295 and drove in 100 runs. His performance earned him a spot in the 1940 All-Star game. In the 1942 season, Boudreau, just 24, was named player-manager of the team. It made him the youngest individual ever to manage a Major League team from the beginning of a season. As a manager, Boudreau was a strategic thinker. He helped to convert Bob Lemon from an infielder into a pitcher. His other claim to fame is the development of the "Williams Shift." His teams used this shift to try to throw the prolific batter off balance. Despite having to work as a manager, Boudreau didn't lose his touch at shortstop. He was the top fielding shortstop in the AL eight times. He also won the AL batting title in 1944 and led the league in doubles in 1941, 1944 and 1947. Bill Veeck bought the Indians in 1946. His plan to replace Boudreau as manager sparked a public outcry and Boudreau was allowed to keep the position. Boudreau's career highlight as a manager and a player had to be the 1948 season. Boudreau's Indians won the American League Pennant and the World Series. Boudreau the batter hit .355, collected 18 home runs, drove in 106 runs and scored 116. The numbers and the managing performance earned him American League MVP honors. Many sources will point to Boudreau as one of the toughest players to have ever taken part in the game. On August 8, 1948, Boudreau, suffering from an ankle injury, limped to the plate hit a game tying single in a game against the Yankees. At the end of the season, the Red Sox and the Indians were tied. In the one-game playoff, Boudreau delivered a four hit performance with two home runs. The incredible 1948 season almost didn't happen. Boudreau was nearly traded to the St. Louis Browns early in the season. Fan protests kept Bill Veeck from making the deal. "Sometimes the best trades are the ones you never make," Veeck said. Two years later, Boudreau is fired by the Indians and he signs a contract with the Boston Red Sox. In 1954, the Athletics hire Boudreau as a manager. In 1960, Boudreau was working as a broadcaster for the Cubs when he was called upon to manage the team. He was elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1970 and his No. 5 was retired by the Indians. Boudreau managed 2,404 games and finished his career with a 1162-1224 (.487) record. As a player, Boudreau hit .295 with 68 home runs, 789 runs batted in, 385 doubles and 51 stolen bases.