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Boudreau, Lou

Louis Boudreau
Born: July 17, 1917, Harvey, Illinois
Died: August 10, 2001, Olympia Fields, Illinois
Bats: 
Right
Throws: 
Right
Played For: 
Cleveland Indians (1938-1950), Boston Red Sox (1951-1952)
Elected to the Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers: 1970
Biography: 

An outstanding defensive shortstop and adept hitter, Lou Boudreau combined his playing skills and intelligence to become an innovative manager, creating one of the most versatile careers in baseball. An eight-time All-Star selection, four-time .300 hitter and 1948 American League Most Valuable Player, Boudreau was an excellent player, also winning the AL batting title in 1944 as a player-manager. He devised the Ted Williams shift, based upon hitting charts kept by his team, and transformed Bob Lemon from infielder to star pitcher.

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Induction Speech

Did You Know: 
that Lou Boudreau was a great college basketball player, leading the University of Illinois to the Big Ten title in 1937 and earning All-American honors in 1938?
Being a shortstop in high school and a Cleveland Indians fan, Lou Boudreau was my boyhood hero. I thought he and the 1948 Indians were the greatest!
Bill Mazeroski