Mike Greenwell Passes Away

"Former big leaguer and member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame Mike Greenwell has passed away at the age of 62, according to multiple sources. It was revealed in August that he had been diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer, per Emma Healy of The Boston Globe. Greenwell was born in Kentucky but raised in Florida. In the latter state, he did some alligator wrestling, which eventually led to his nickname Gator."

"Though he only played 31 regular season games in 1986, he was a part of Boston's playoff run. The Sox beat the Angels in the ALCS, sending them to the World Series against the Mets, though they eventually lost in seven games. Greenwell got six postseason plate appearances that year, going one for five with a single, a walk and two strikeouts. He finally got a more proper debut in 1987, when he got into 125 games playing both outfield corners."

Mike Greenwell was a Kentucky-born, Florida-raised outfielder nicknamed 'Gator' who spent most of his professional career with the Boston Red Sox, with a late stint in Japan. He debuted in 1985 and became a regular in 1987, producing a .328/.386/.570 line with 19 home runs. He reached his peak in 1988, slashing .325/.416/.531, hitting 22 homers, stealing 16 bases, making the All-Star team, and finishing second in AL MVP voting behind José Canseco. He remained a consistent contributor for Boston for many years and was later diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer before his death at 62.

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