Dwight Evans

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Evans was born in Santa Monica, California. He played Pony League and Colt League baseball in Northridge, California, with Doug DeCinces. He attended Granada Hills High School in the tenth grade, then transferred to Chatsworth High School, from which he graduated in 1969. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1969 MLB draft by the Red Sox, with the 107th overall pick. He acquired the nickname 'Dewey' while playing for Winston-Salem in 1971, coined by manager Don Lock. In 1972, with Louisville, Evans was named MVP of the International League. He made his major league debut with the Red Sox on September 16, 1972. Evans was the Red Sox regular right fielder starting in 1973, a role he would have until 1987. He hit for the cycle on June 28, 1984. In 1987, at age 35, Evans recorded career highs in batting average (.305), home runs (34) and RBIs (123). He was released by the Red Sox after the 1990 season. He signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles on December 6, 1990, and was released by the Orioles in spring training on March 15, 1992. Evans spent two seasons as an MLB hitting coach; 1994 with the Colorado Rockies, and 2002 with the Red Sox. He was named a Player Development Consultant for the Red Sox in 2003; as of November 2019, he was still listed in that role by the Red Sox. In 2000, Evans was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. Evans was dropped from the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot when he did not receive the minimum five percent of votes in his third year of eligibility. He received 5.9% in 1997, 10.4% in 1998, and 3.6% in 1999. In November 2019, Evans was included as a Modern Baseball Era finalist as part of the 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting; he received eight votes, falling short of the threshold by four votes. In January 2021, Evans was ranked 10th by Joe Posnanski of The Athletic in a listing of the 100 greatest eligible players not in the Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The nickname "Dewey" was coined by manager Don Lock in 1971 while Evans played for Winston-Salem, fitting a pattern where Lock called teammates "Newie" and "Louie." Originally assigned uniform number 40, Evans quietly coveted number 24, the number of his idol Willie Mays. In 1973, the Red Sox granted his request, and he wore #24 for the rest of his career. His game evolved significantly; early years featured a modest bat with defensive brilliance, but by 1981, he paced the league in total bases (215) and OPS (.937). In 1984, on June 28, he hit for the cycle in an extra-innings win over the Seattle Mariners. Even at age 35 in 1987, he recorded career highs in batting average (.305), home runs (34), and RBIs (123). His final season with Boston saw him start 121 games solely as a designated hitter before his release.

Reader's Guide

Evans played 2,505 games with the Red Sox, more than any player except Carl Yastrzemski.

Did You Know?

• Evans hit a home run on opening day four times during his career.
• Evans earned a reputation as an outfielder with one of the strongest arms in the American League, with 157 outfield assists for his career.
• Evans has never watched any highlight films of the 1986 World Series because the memory remains too painful for him to bear.