(April 7, 1918 – November 13, 2017) Bobby Doerr played 14 seasons for the Boston Red Sox and is viewed as one of the all-time greats at second base, having been named an All-Star nine times and earned votes as the American League MVP seven times.
A native of Los Angeles, Doerr played in the Pacific Coast League before even graduating high school. In three minor league seasons with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League – beginning in 1934 at age 16, he batted .321 and collected 495 hits in 414 games. The Red Sox purchased his rights from Hollywood for $75,000 in 1935. He then made his Major League debut at age 19 in 1937, already friends with another rising star, the great Ted Williams.
Doerr became an Oregon resident, first along the Rogue River in the town of Agness, then in Junction City from the 1950’s until his passing. He was a fishing guide and rancher and was never shy about telling great stories about the game.
Doerr played in the big leagues from 1937 to 1951, missing only the 1945 season due to military service. In his career with the Red Sox, he collected 2,042 hits in 1,865 games and finished with 223 home runs, 1,247 RBIs and a .288 average. He played most of his career as a teammate of Ted Williams.
In 1950, Doerr hit .309, with career bests of 172 hits, 27 home runs and 120 RBIs, while earning a salary of $30,000. His 11 triples led the American League. He played in one World Series – 1946, which the Sox lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in six games.
Doerr worked as a scout, hitting coach or first base coach for the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays from 1957 through ’81. The Red Sox retired his number – 1, in 1988. His only baseball regret was never playing for a World Series winner.
Doerr was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1986. In 2015 at age 97, Doerr became the oldest living Hall of Famer.
