"The man who uses a built-in snapping turtle as a glove is Clete Boyer, the Cassville (MO) native who is so sensational on defense. He reached career highs for average (.272), homers (18) and RBIs (68) in '62 and has good power to all fields, but shows a definite weakness against right-hand curve ballers.
Boyer was nursed in the Yankee system and then traded to the Athletics. He was dealt back to New York without ever playing in K.C."
-Don Schiffer, 1963 Major League Baseball Handbook
"Improvement is a word clearly understood by Clete Boyer. The "Fancy Dan" third baseman put in a claim as the top fielding third baseman in all of baseball in 1961. Last year, Clete worked hard on his hitting and upped his batting average some 48 points to .272. But in so doing, the lithe third sacker slipped a bit in the field. This spring Boyer concentrated on his fielding and gave every indication that this would be his biggest major league season yet.
Last year, the 26-year-old Boyer set personal highs with home runs with 18 and in runs batted in with 68.
Clete is one of seven ball playing brothers, six of whom already have taken a fling at pro baseball. Ken, the Cardinals' great slugging third sacker, was the first successful Boyer. Cloyd, former Cardinal and Kanas City Athletic, is a minor league pitching coach for the Yankees. Young Ronnie, in his first spring training with the World Champions, made a fine showing as an infielder.
In the World Series against the Giants, Clete pounded out a .318 average, second only to teammate Tom Tresh. Clete has recently moved to New Jersey and he will become a Yankee of the first flight. He's made great strides, but the future of Clete Boyer is still ahead of him."
-The New York Yankees Official 1963 Yearbook
Acquired along with Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz, Jack McMahon and Wayne Belardi from Kansas City Athletics in exchange for Rip Coleman, Tom Morgan, Maury McDermott, Billy Hunter, Milt Graff and Irv Noren, February 19, 1957.
Brother of Ken Boyer of Cardinals, Cloyd Boyer, former pitcher for Cardinals and currently a pitching coach in Yankee farm system, and Ronnie Boyer, who signed a Yankee contract on May 30, 1962.
-1963 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"Already rated a magician around third base due to his tremendous fielding ability, Clete Boyer is also maturing as a batsman.
The 1962 campaign was Boyer's best at the dish since he's been in the majors. During his first two full years with the Bombers - 1960 and 1961 - Clete's batting averages were an anemic .242 and .224., respectively. Last year, however, he zoomed to .272.
Boyer's home run production rose from 11 to 18 and his RBI from 55 to 68. Why, he even batted .318 in the World Series, connecting for his first Fall Classic round-tripper in the process.
Boyer, a member of a true baseball family, is a native of Cassville, MO. His brother, Ken, is the star third baseman of the St. Louis Cardinals. Another brother, Cloyd, formerly hurled for the Cards and Kansas City A's and is currently the pitching coach at Richmond. Still another brother, Ronnie, was signed to a Bomber contract in May 1962.
Clete was signed to a big bonus contract by the A's in 1955 and sat on the bench with them for two seasons before being acquired by the Yanks in a huge deal on February 19, 1957. In the trade, Boyer, along with pitchers Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz and Jack McMahon and first baseman Wayne Belardi, came to New York in exchange for hurlers Rip Coleman, Tom Morgan and Maurice McDermott, infielders Billy Hunter and Milt Graff and outfielder Irv Noren.
Through a ruling by Commissioner Ford Frick, however, Boyer wasn't permitted to become Yankee property until June, having to serve out his bonus term with the A's."
-1963 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
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