Those of us who struggled mightily with the Red Sox through the early 60s, have very few positive memories of the era. One of them is
Billy Gardner. While the veteran infielder came to Boston late in his career, he was a stabilizing force on a pretty crummy team. For the Giants, Orioles, Senators and Yankees, Gardner had a solid career—leading the league in doubles for the Birds in 1957 (36). That same year, he finished 12th in the AL MVP voting. The Waterford, Connecticut native came to
The Carmine Hose in 1962 at the age of 34. In the 89 games he played for the Red Sox he hit just .247—but it was his defense that proved more valuable. He played mostly second base—backing up
Chuck Schilling. After retiring, he managed both the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins.
We wish Billy a very happy 90th birthday today!
