AL Batting Leaders (Carl Yastrzemski/Danny Cater/Tony Oliva)

Carl Yastrzemski (August 22, 1939-) won the Triple Crown for hitting in 1967, batting .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBI. Carl played his entire career with the Boston Red Sox (1961-1983) potentially filling the shoes of retired Red Sox star Ted Williams. Yastrzemski both filled Williams place at the plate hitting 452 home runs in his career, but was an upgrade in the field as an excellent fielder sporting a .981 fielding percentage. Yaz was a fixture at the All-Star game, garnered 18 selections and was able to manage the torturous Green Monster with ease earning seven Gold Gloves in left for the Red Sox. Yaz was a three time batting champion winning the American League’s Most Valuable Player award during his 1967 Triple Crown season. For his 23-year career, Yastrzemski compiled a .285 career batting average with 3,419 hits, 1,816 runs, 1,844 RBI and 452 home runs. Carl Michael Yastrzemski was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Tony Pedro Oliva (July 20, 1938-) won the Silver Louisville Slugger award in his first years in the minors as he batted .410 with the Wytheville Twins and became the only player in MLB history to win the batting title in each of his first two full seasons in the Major Leagues. In his rookie season, Oliva led the American League in runs (109), hits (217), doubles (43), batting average (.323) and total bases (374), won the 1964 AL Rookie of the Year award, earned his first All-Star appearance and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. Oliva won the batting title again in 1965, led the league in hits a second time and finished second in AL MVP voting. Tony Oliva played his entire career with the Minnesota Twins (1962-1976), led the American League in runs once, hits five times, doubles four times and added a third batting title in 1971 (.337). Oliva was a perennial candidate for the Most Valuable Player award finishing in the top 20 eight times in his 15-year career and five times in the top ten. Tony was named to his first eight MLB All-Star Games, passing Joe DiMaggio’s record of six. Tony O’s career was cut short due to nagging knee injuries finishing with 1,917 hits including 329 doubles and 220 home runs, scored 870 runs, drove in 947 RBI and batted .304 over his 15-year career. He also posted a .975 fielding percentage with 2,332 putouts in 2,464 chances.