Boog Powell

Lore & Background

Powell was born in Lakeland, Florida on August 17, 1941. He played for that city's team in the 1954 Little League World Series. After his family moved to Key West when he was 15, Powell played at Key West High School and graduated in 1959. He led Key West to a state championship. Powell received the nickname "Boog" from his father. As Powell explained, "In the South they call little kids who are often getting into mischief buggers (pronounced 'boogers'), and my dad shortened it to Boog."

In Their Own Story

The Coliseum lights hummed their low, electric buzz over the October night air. Powell stepped into the box, the green A's jersey stretched across his shoulders, and for a moment the noise of the crowd seemed to fold inward, as if the ballpark were holding its breath. The pitcher wound up. Powell's bat swung through the zone with a sound like a tree splitting, and the ball left the diamond in a long, lazy arc that hung over the outfield for what felt like an eternity. The crowd rose as one—not a roar, but a collective exhalation, the kind Oakland fans reserved for moments that reminded them why they had chosen this team, this city, this particular shade of green. Powell turned, already walking back, and the first-base coach's hand found his shoulder. No celebration. Just the quiet nod of a man who had done the thing he'd been doing for a decade, now in a different city, under different lights, for a different set of people who were learning, slowly, to call him their own.

Reader's Guide

Powell signed with the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1959. He played for the Orioles from 1961 to 1974, then was traded to the Cleveland Indians in February 1975. He played for the Indians in 1975 and 1976, and finished his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977. In a 17-season career, Powell posted a .266 batting average with 339 home runs, 1,187 runs batted in, a .462 slugging percentage and a .361 on-base percentage in 2,042 games. He hit three home runs in a game three times, and stands third only behind Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. on the all-time home run list of the Orioles.

Did You Know?

• Powell led the American League in slugging percentage in 1964 with .606.
• He won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1970.
• Powell was a four-time All-Star (1968–1971).
• He hit 339 career home runs.
• Powell never played for the Oakland Athletics.