Lou Boudreau 2001 Deaths

Lou Boudreau

arguably the best position player in Cleveland Indians history; a wildly popular, athletic shortstop who led A.L. shortstops in fielding percentage eight times; made history in 1942 when he was named Indians' player/manager at age 24, the youngest person to manage in major league history; led the league in batting (.327) in 1944; went 4-for-4 in Cleveland's one-game playoff with Boston in 1948, which clinched the pennant; won World Series title and A.L. MVP award in 1948 as well; career: .295-68-789; seven-time All-Star; managed the Indians through 1950 then Boston (1952-54) and Kansas City (1955-57); won 1,162 games as a manager; credited with devising the Ted Williams Shift, a defensive strategy that positioned all four infielders to the right of second base to compensate for Williams' pull; became sports broadcaster in 1958; replaced Cubs skipper Charlie Grimm in May 1960; returned to broadcasting permanently in 1961; two-sport star (baseball, basketball) at the University of Illinois; captained his high school basketball team as a sophomore, a foreshadow of his future leadership abilities; elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970. The cause of his death was not given.