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George Scott Jr. was born in Mississippi in 1944. His father died when he was only two years old, and George Jr. picked cotton to help the family at age nine. Scott excelled at athletics as a teen and signed with the Boston Red Sox out of high school in 1962.
Initially, Scott worked all over the diamond but eventually settled at 3B as his primary position. Position aside, Scott quickly demonstrated the ability to hit - both for power and average.
Scott reached the majors in 1966, shifting to 1B a week into the season. He made the all-star team and finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting while hitting 27 HR. Scott's first stint (six years) in Boston was inconsistent. He won two Gold Gloves and hit .303 in his second season but also hit an abysmal .171 in his third year.
After the 1971 season, the Red Sox decided to shake up their club, dealing Scott, Jim Lonborg, Joe Lahoud, Billy Conigliaro, Ken Brett, and Don Pavletich to the Brewers for Tommy Harper, Marty Pattin, Lew Krausse and a minor leaguer.
The move was a boon for Scott. He spent the next five seasons in Milwaukee, winning a Gold Glove each year and making the all-star team in 1975 - a season where he led the majors with 36 HR and 109 RBI.
During his time in Milwaukee, the big first baseman averaged 23 HR and 89 RBI a year to go with a .283 BA and a .798 OPS.
With Milwaukee continuing to struggle in the standings, Scott asked to be traded after the 1976 season. The Brewers obliged, sending him back to Boston (along with Bernie Carbo) for Cecil Cooper.
Scott had one more good season in 1977, slugging 33 HR. After that, he struggled through two more years, bouncing between three clubs. At age 36, he went to the Mexican League, where he played (as well as managed) for five more years. He stayed in baseball as a manager in independent and college ball, finishing up in 2002 in the Northern League.
After retiring, Scott moved to Greenville, Mississippi. He died in July 2013 at the age of 69.
While Scott is most associated with the Red Sox, he was a vital member of the early years of the Brewers, providing power and outstanding defense during his five years in Milwaukee. He hit 115 of his 271 HR while with the Brewers and won five of his eight Gold Gloves. For his career, he had 1,992 hits. His 22.4 bWAR ranks seventh amongst hitters in franchise history.
While the trade back to Boston disappointed many, it brought back one of the franchise's best players - Cecil Cooper - a trade that helped establish Milwaukee as a powerhouse team in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Scott, nicknamed 'Boomer' due to the massive home runs he hit, was an athletic man despite fighting weight problems much of his life. He was also known for his oversized personality and is often credited with popularizing the term 'taters' as another name for a home run.
Please share your memories of the former Brewer slugger George 'Boomer' Scott.
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