Jackie Jensen

Right-fielder Jackie Jensen was a former New York Yankees and Washington Senators player who was traded to the Boston Red Sox after the 1953 season. In Boston, Jensen blossomed into a star player, winning the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1958. Despite reaching the summit of his career, Jensen retired after the 1959 season due to an intense fear of flying. During his first season with Red Sox in 1954, he hit 25 home runs and batted in 117. In six seasons from '54 to 1959, Jensen knocked in 100 or more runs five times, and never hit less than 20 home runs. His career year came in 1958, when he hit 35 dingers and led the A.L. with 122 R.B.I.s and was named the American League M.V.P. He won his first Gold Glove as a right-fielder for the 1959 season, during which he put up highly respectable numbers (.277/27/112) and scored 100 runs for the first time. However, he could not overcome his fear of flying and quit baseball, missing the entire 1960 season. Jensen made a comeback with the Red Sox in 1961, but despite appearing in 137 games, he believed his numbers (.263/13/66) were subpar for a player of his stature. In addition, the American League had expanded to the West Coast for the 1961 season, with teams in Minneapolis and Los Angeles, which made long-distance flying a necessity. The former M.V.P. quit baseball for good after '61, and made a career for himself in radio broadcasting and baseball coaching and managing. Jackie Jensen died of a heart attack in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 14, 1982. He was 55 years old. He was elected to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000.