Likable and colorful George Scott, with his well-spaced gold teeth and sometimes bulging waistline, was a fan favorite in Boston. A flashy fielder, he collected eight Gold Gloves, a record for first basemen. He was the Eastern League Triple Crown winner and MVP in 1965, then tied a rookie record by playing 162 games with the Red Sox in 1966.
Scott was the AL’s starting first baseman in the 1966 All-Star Game, only the second rookie first baseman to start an All-Star Game (Walt Dropo was the first). Though he struck out an AL-high 152 times, he also hit 27 home runs and was nicknamed Boomer for his booming shots. He batted .303 as a key member of the “Impossible Dream” pennant club of 1967. But in 1968 his offense took a tumble; he hit just .171, establishing a ML record for the lowest batting average for a first baseman playing 100 games.
Scott regained his stroke while playing mostly third base in 1969-70. He was traded to Milwaukee in a 10-player deal after the 1971 season. In 1975 he tied Reggie Jackson for the AL lead with 36 HR, driving in an AL-high 109 runs. Sent back to Boston in a trade for Cecil Cooper before the 1977 season, he had his final power year, hitting 33 HR. He went on to play and manage in the Mexican League.
