Powell, "Boog" (John W.)
Baseball
b. Aug. 17, 1941, Lakeland, FL
A left-handed hitter but right-handed thrower, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Powell was named the AL's most valuable player in 1970, when he batted .297 with 35 home runs and 114 RBI to help lead the Baltimore Orioles to the pennant. He hit .294 with 2 home runs, 5 RBI, and 6 runs scored as the Orioles beat the Cincinnati Reds in a five-game World Series.
Powell was with the Orioles briefly in 1961 and became a starter in the outfield and at first base the following year. He led the league with a .606 slugging percent in 1964, when he had 39 home runs and 99 RBI.
In 1966, Powell settled in at first base and remained there for the rest of his career, although he was frequently used as the designated hitter after 1974. Though he lacked range, he was a solid defensive player who made few errors and was very adept at handling bad throws from other infielders.
Powell actually had his best season in 1969, the year before he was MVP. He batted .304 with 37 home runs and 121 RBI that year.
Baltimore traded him to Cleveland in 1975. After two seasons there, he appeared in 50 games as a pinch-hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977. He retired after the Dodgers released him in August. In 2,042 games, Powell hit .266 with 1,776 hits, including 270 doubles, 11 triples, and 339 home runs. He had 1,187 RBI and scored 889 runs.