1966 Profile: Clete Boyer

"Clete Boyer's glove, while still in flawless form in 1965, didn't have to carry the whole load as it did the previous season. This time Clete had an active bat, as he hiked his average to .251 and walloped 18 homers, more than doubling his output in 1964. The way he started out, though, it looked like another gloomy year. His average was under .200 on June 4, but Clete spurted after that. In the field, he was fourth among the league's third basemen and he led in assists and double plays. Clete attributes his improved hitting to a switch to a bottle bat last year. Pitchers can't get into a pattern with him. They generally keep the ball down and away but then move it around when he gets wise to it."

-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1966

"Clete Boyer was determined in the spring of 1965 to improve his batting average. He did just that, improving 33 points last season to .251, and upped his homer output from eight to 18. But the glittering fielding shortstop, who moved to that post from his accustomed position at third early this season, was not happy over his total performance last summer and reported to training in the best shape of his career this spring. He has been playing a brilliant shortstop, but the hits have not come as often as Clete would like in the early weeks of this season. Clete hopes to improve on that lifetime .240 batting average this season and hopes to help the Yankee comeback.
Clete, now 29, was best known to Yankee fans as the spectacular fielding third baseman before he moved to short. Proof of his agility and quick reflexes are attested by the number of years Boyer has led American League third basemen in assists (1961, 1962 and 1965), in putouts ('62) and double plays ('65). Now in his eighth Yankee season, Clete Boyer hopes to make this one his best yet."

-The New York Yankees Official 1966 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.
Led American League third basemen in assists (373), 1961.
Led American League third basemen in assists (396), 1962.
Led American League third basemen in putouts (187), 1962.
Hit .291 during first half of 1963 season with 10 home runs (through July 5).
Second highest fielding average for American League third basemen (.968), 1964.
Led American League third basemen in assists (354), 1965.
Led American League third basemen in double plays (46), 1965.
Brother of Ken Boyer of Mets, 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.

-1966 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide