1967 – Kenny Boyer                                                                       Home

                                                                                            1964 National League MVP

    In the summer of 1967 I went to Chicago to stay with my College roommate Vic and his family. I had been a Cardinal fan since 53 and Vic was a White Sox fan. He and his girlfriend Carol and her friend and I all went to a Sunday doubleheader at Comisky Park in Chicago. While looking at the team rosters I noticed that Kenny Boyer was playing for the White Sox. After Stan Musial and Bob Gibson he had been my next favorite Cardinal. He had been instrumental in the Cardinal's 64 World Series Win.

He had been traded to the Mets in 66 and from there to the White Sox in 67. He was no longer a starter and after a few innings I began yelling “PUT BOYER IN – PUT BOYER IN.” After a couple innings of that the manager figured give the customers what they want and he put Kenny in at third base. Every time Kenny came up I would give a big cheer and soon I got the crowd around me to do the same and Kenny wound up getting a couple base hits which is more than I could say for the rest of the team because it was a real pitcher's duel with the Sox coming out on the losing end of a 1 – 0 game.

The second game Kenny didn't start and I figured he was getting old and I would let him sit the second game out. This game turned into another pitcher's duel and going into the bottom of the ninth the Sox were down 1 – 0 again. This was starting to get to me. I didn't come there to see Vic's Sox lose a doubleheader.

After two outs I started yelling “WE WANT BOYER – WE WANT BOYER” and got Vic and the local crowd to start yelling with me. Then it caught on and the whole stadium was yelling “WE WANT BOYER.” The manager obliged and put Kenny in to pinch hit and the crowd let out a big cheer.

I knew he had to be tired so I started yelling repeatedly “Just a base hit Kenny – Just a base hit.” I knew he could punch one between first and second. After a few pitches and more encouragement from me he did exactly that and a big cheer went up from the crowd. The manager put in another pinch hitter and I started yelling “HOME RUN – HOME RUN.” After a couple of pitches just as if I were controlling the game he hit a long fly ball to left field that went out and the crowd was in shock. The Sox had won 2 – 1 and we all had a little celebration.

I figured that was the least I could do for Kenny after the years of enjoyment he had provided me. Kenny died of lung cancer in 82. Adios Kenny.