Boog Powell is the coolest Boog in the world. Can you name another Boog cooler? I didn’t think so. The pride of Baltimo’ (arguably, that is – Eddie Murrary, Cal Ripken Jr., Earl Weaver, Brooks Robinson, Rafael Palmeiro, Jim Palmer, Robbie Alomar, and a whole lot of other guys might beg to differ), at least on this day, is Mr. Boog!
Okay, nerd alert – non-baseball nerds go to the next paragraph – while researching for this article, I found out that Hall of Famer Jim Palmer pitched 3,948 career innings without giving up one grand slam. My gosh! That’s incredible! Insane! Holy Toledo! Wow! The closest he ever got to giving up a grandmaster occurred when he loaded the bases and Rico Carty crushed a ball over the center field wall, but Al Bumbry reeled it in for the catch! You know who gave up the most grand slams in his career? Yes, another HOFer – Nolan Ryan.
Okay, I’m calmer and done nerding out. Back to John Wesley Powell – I mean Boog. Let’s get it out of the way – why do they call him Boog? Well, according to Boog, he got the nickname from his father. “In the South they call little kids who are often getting into mischief buggers, and my dad shortened it to Boog. Hardly anybody ever calls me John. I don’t know if I‘d even turn around if someone called me that.”
John – err, Boog – was quite a bugger to opposing pitchers, hitting .266 with 339 homers and 1,187 RBIs in a career spanning from 1961-1977. He is a four-time All-Star, two time World Series champion, and two time AL Comeback Player of the Year. (which is quite a feat in its own right)
But Boog’s crowning moment was being elected MVP in the 1970 season – a year in which he batted .297 with 35 homers and 114 RBIs. He actually batted a little better the previous year – .304/37/121, but had 32 fewer walks (72 vs. 104). Not bad! As you’d imagine, Boog didn’t run so well though. He stole 21 bases in a career spanning 2042 games, and was caught 21 times.
Boog now – serving up the best barbecue east of Norman, Oklahoma!
In the 70s and 80s, Boog appeared in numerous commercials for Miller Lite beer, and nowadays owns Boog’s Barbecue, which sells barbecue sandwiches and ribs at two locations in Maryland – including one at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
I guess that means he’s a meat and taters kind of guy – get it? (Taters is slang for home runs, for those unfamiliar with baseball lingo)
You go, Boog!
Boog’s Barbecue even got a mention in a romance novel, Blue Smoke, by Nora Roberts.
Wow, awesome fact! I love learning things like this.
I would never have guessed! When I think Boog, I think brawn, not romance. 🙂
Somehow, I don’t think Boog will be stealing Fabio’s spot on all those romance novel covers, but I have a feeling Boog isn’t bothered by that.
I was actually super excited to learn all that “baseball nerd” stuff, so maybe I’m becoming a baseball nerd as well. You go, Boog!
You may be! I love facts like that. The ones you don’t think about much but that aren’t so esoteric as to be ridiculous (homers around lunchtime on a Thursday in domed stadiums kind of stuff) are the ones that I find the most interesting.
Any post that mentions Nolan Ryan, my favorite all-time pitcher, gets a big thumbs up from me.
Loved the post, and the BBQ.
I didn’t know you were a Nolan Ryan fan?!? Super cool! He’s the answer to SO MANY trivia questions!
I loved going to Mariner games when Texas was in town just to see him pitch. So much better than television.
Thanks! I would pay a fair sum to see the Ryan Express pitch back in the day.
They were always awesome games!
Including “who’s punched Robin Ventura in the head the most times during a game?”
Wow, what a horrible mound charge by Ventura. He ran directly into a headlock.
Loved those Oriole teams back then.
I thought Canadian fans were Blue Jays loyalists all the way? Hard to imagine any other team they could lend their allegiance to… 🙂
They weren’t around in the 70’s. it was vive les expos
Mais oui! But later on … well.Don’t even us started on the glory days of 1992/93. Right John? 🙂
A long time ago but yes, glorious.
Touch ’em all Joe! Not to rub it in, but teams from the great United States of America have won a few more World Series than those Canadian teams! Actually, like 100 more.
Oh wait, I just dissed the country I was born in. Who cares though – go Padres!
I was living in Canada back then. The first baseball game I ever watched was game 6 of the 1993 World Series, where Joe Carter hit that memorable homer. It’s too bad I couldn’t appreciate its importance at the time.
Well, you know one Canadian fan who’s got a puzzlingly intense allegiance to the San Diego Padres…not naming any names though.
whoo hoo Boog! Love that he has his own bbq joint. It’s almost like you’re writing a food post here, Rob. (almost) Liking the meat and taters food pun.
Haha, the only force greater than Rob’s ability to turn anything into a baseball post is your ability to turn anything into a food post. There has to be a good contest here….
I’m in 🙂
Hahaha I think I’m outmatched! Although we could go into business together and write up a fantastic menu together…Antonio Alfonseca Asparagus with a side of Manny Mota Mayo, anyone?
Yeah, sounds terrible to me too.
I’m sure I could write a food and baseball post. Perhaps an all fruits and vegetables team or something…Bob Lemon and Darryl Strawberry immediately come to mind.
I liked him best when he played Roseanne’s husband.
Oooo, diss. You’re lucky Boog probably hasn’t swung a bat in awhile!
Jk, he does bear a certain resemblance.