Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Ken Boyer

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Memories of
Ken Boyer

Ken Boyer
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 150 of 1252 players

Kenton Lloyd Boyer
Born: May 20, 1931 at Liberty, Mo.
Died: September 7, 1982 at St. Louis, Mo.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.02 Weight: 200

Ken Boyer was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on November 9, 2019, and February 2, 2024.

First Mets game: April 15, 1966
Last Mets game: July 21, 1967

Brother of Clete Boyer

Winner of National League Most Valuable Player award, 1964. (St. Louis Cardinals)

Share your memories of Ken Boyer

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Mike Howell
August 4, 2001
Great player....greater man

Michael Wollscheidt
August 10, 2001
As a kid growing up in St. Louis, Ken Boyer was my favorite player. He was on his way to a possible Hall of Fame career until he injured his back. Almost overnight, his offensive production was cut in half, and his final stats were not as impressive as they would have been without the injury.
He was a Hall of Fame person, though, for sure. I remember standing in line to get his autograph at a store in St. Louis one evening. He arrived, after playing an afternoon game, and spent the evening signing photos, balls and gloves. I remember how he took the time to chat with every little kid who handed him something to autograph, including me. I was tongue-tied and didn't say much, but I remember him asking me if I had been at the game that day and encouraging me to come out soon to see him play. He could have just quickly signed everything and left, but he took the time to connect, if only briefly, with every little kid in line. That impressed me as much as his on-field performance, and left me with a fond memory of the kind of ballplayer we certainly need more of today!

FRED of Nyack
March 18, 2003
It was wonderful to have an MVP, a mere two years removed, on the team though it meant giving up our best pitcher Alvin Jackson. By all accounts Ken Boyer was a great leader and is the favorite player of the generation of St. Louis Cardinal baseball fans of the era right after Stan Musial.
I remember a day game at Shea when he was with the Cardinals where he came up in the ninth inning with the Mets ahead by only a couple of runs. He tried to bunt his way on and Jack Fisher said, on "Kiner's Korner" he was shocked but wanted to kiss him as it was an easy out.
Ron Santo gets quite a bit of Hall of Fame support and has a bit of a staistical edge, but having seen them both an equal amount Boyer was the player I would much rather have.

Joe Figliola
March 29, 2003
He seemed like a strong player and a good leader. I remember seeing a photo of him climbing over a railing to try and snare a foul fly during the '64 World Series. Had he played today, he would've been a good role model for the younger Mets, especially for up-and-coming third baseman Ty Wigginton.
Although I was a tad too young to see him play, I do remember him managing the Cardinals.

Mike Miller
May 4, 2003
Ken was my favorite player. I remember when he was traded to the Mets and how excited we were to see him play at Shea. It was unfortunate that his life was cut down at such a young age. I understand that he was a heavy cigarette smoker which was the likely contributing factor. He is certainly worthy of the hall of fame.

ellenz5
February 3, 2005
Though he was somewhat washed up when he came to Shea, he did add some class to a kind of lifeless team in 1966. Besides both playing for the Cardinals, he has something in common with Roger Maris. They were both traded for Charlie Smith. Number 14 before Gil.

Jonathan Stern
November 6, 2005
I remember when Ken Boyer's death was announced during a televised game. Unfortunately, Howard Cosell was in the booth. And with a booming "KEN BOY-ER, a great man..." off Howard went with yet another interminable monologue.

Feat Fan
April 19, 2007
Classy on and off the field. What a "real" baseball player should look, act and play like. Consistent bat, powerful arm, superior range and unlike baby brother Cletis, could run. Saw him drill a line drive home run vs Yankees in 67 that helped ChiSox win a tough game during that crazy pennant chase. The players of today that remind me of him are Scott Rolen and our own David Wright.

Don Engbers
May 8, 2008
As a kid growing up in Evansville, Indiana listening to the Cardinals games I was a huge fan of Ken's. In 1970 I was sent down from the Cardinals AAA club in Tulsa to play for Kenny at Arkansas in the Texas League. He was a quiet wonderful man that all the players admired greatly.

Met-a-Physics
August 18, 2019
When Ken joined the Mets in 1966, he was given #14 on merit. This forced a young player who just had a standout rookie season to surrender that number and wear a different one. His name was Ron Swoboda, who took #4 and became a Mets World Series hero with it.
Ken was dealt to the White Sox during the 1967 season. Gil Hodges became manager the next year and got #14 on his own merit. If Boyer had remained with the team and played under Hodges, he probably would've had to take a new uniform number. I wonder how he would have felt about that.