Former MLB first baseman George Scott passed away today. His cause of death has not yet been released. He was 69.

Nicknamed “Boomer”, Scott began his big league career with the Boston Red Sox in 1966 hitting .245 with 27 HR and 90 RBI. The following year, Scott was part of The Impossible Dream Red Sox that won the AL pennant only to fall to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the Fall Classic. During the Year of the Pitcher in 1968, Scott fell to a paltry .171 with 3 HR and 25 RBI. However, Scott did earn his second of eight career Gold Gloves for his stellar play at first base. He was originally a third baseman, but was far better suited to the other corner of the diamond.

Prior to the 1972 season, Scott was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in a nine player deal along with Jim Lonborg and Ken Brett (George’s older brother) for the likes of Tommy Harper and Marty Pattin. Scott’s best offensive season came with the Brew Crew in 1975 when he led the AL in HR and RBI with 36 & 109, respectively.

The Brewers traded Scott along with World Series hero Bernie Carbo back to the Red Sox prior to the 1977 season for a young Cecil Cooper. Scott hit 33 HR and drove in 95 runs in ’77, but his offensive production decline in 1978. He finished his big league career in 1979 splitting his final season with the Bosox, Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees. Scott had a .268 lifetime batting average with 271 HR and 1,051 RBI. He was eight hits shy of 2,000 for his career. 

I would venture to guess that Scott’s health had been declining in recent years. A colleague of mine saw Scott at a Red Sox Hall of Fame dinner a few years ago and said that Scott must have weighed over 400 pounds and was walking with a cane. 

I prefer to remember Scott as the best defensive first basemen of his era.