Bobby Doerr - Baseball

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 earning votes as the American League MVP seven times.

A resident of Oregon, mainly Junction City, since the late ‘30s, Doerr played in the Major Leagues from 1937 to 1951, missing only the ’45 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.

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.

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.

Junction City has hosted the Bobby Doerr Baseball Classic in June for teams under 14 since 2008.

Doerr was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1983, and voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1986.