Boog Powell

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Powell's journey began in Lakeland, Florida, where he played in the 1954 Little League World Series before moving to Key West and graduating high school in 1959. He earned his nickname "Boog" from his father, who shortened "buggers," a Southern term for mischievous children. Signed as an amateur free agent by scout Jim Russo in 1959 after a coin flip decided he would not face the St. Louis Cardinals in a bidding war, Powell joined the Orioles organization before the draft era existed. He spent his first three seasons as a left fielder before switching to first base in 1965. His resilience was evident when he won the American League Comeback Player of the Year award in 1966 despite playing with a broken finger, helping lead the team to their first World Series sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In Their Own Story

In 1970, Powell reached the pinnacle of his career, earning the American League Most Valuable Player Award. That season, he hit 35 home runs and drove in 114 runs while narrowly missing a .300 batting average until the final week. He served as the starting first baseman and cleanup hitter for the American League in the All-Star Game. The Orioles defeated the Minnesota Twins to win the ALCS, with Powell hitting .429 with six RBIs. In the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Powell homered in the first two games as Baltimore secured their second title in five years, finishing the series with a 1.160 OPS. Earlier, in 1966, he had posted the highest batting average (.357) of any player during the Orioles' historic four-game sweep of the Dodgers, becoming one of only two players at that time to have played in both the Little League World Series and the MLB World Series.

Reader's Guide

Powell's tenure with the Orioles (1961–1974) saw the team lose more games than they win only twice. He was a consistent force, though injuries occasionally limited his play; he famously lamented before the 1968 season wanting to go through a full year without injury, which he achieved by playing over 150 games for three consecutive seasons. After falling victim to manager Earl Weaver's platoon system in 1973 and 1974, Powell was traded to the Cleveland Indians on February 25, 1975, where he enjoyed a resurgence with 27 home runs before finishing his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1979, though his only appearance on the Baseball Writers' Association of America Hall of Fame ballot in 1983 yielded just five votes (1.3%).

Did You Know?

• Powell was signed by the Orioles after a coin flip between scouts determined he would not face a bidding war against the St. Louis Cardinals.
• He played in both the Little League World Series (1954) and the MLB World Series, a feat shared at the time only with Jim Barbieri.
• In 1970, Powell homered in each of the first two games of the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
• Powell received only five votes (1.3%) on his sole appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot in 1983.
• He hit three home runs in a single game three times during his career.