Retired Numbers of the Boston Red Sox Quiz

Answer: Bobby Doerr

Bobby Doerr played his entire 14-year Major League career as a second baseman with the Boston Red Sox from 1937 to 1951, missing 1945 for military service. He compiled 2,042 hits, 223 home runs, 1,247 RBIs, and a .288 batting average over 1,865 games, leading the American League in slugging percentage (.528) in 1944 and tying for the lead in triples (11) in 1950. Doerr appeared in nine All-Star games and contributed a .409 batting average (9-for-22) during Boston's trip to the 1946 World Series. Doerr was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986, and had his jersey retired by the Red Sox in 1988.

Answer: Joe Cronin

Joe Cronin spent 20 seasons in the majors, with his final 11 years (1935-1945) serving as both the manager and starting shortstop for the Red Sox. Cronin hit .300 with 119 home runs, 737 RBIs, and a .394 on-base percentage in 1,134 games. He made seven All-Star appearances - including five during his Boston tenure - and managed the team to a 1946 pennant.

After his playing days concluded, Cronin continued as general manager through 1958. Cronin would work his way up to the role of president of American League. Notably, he holds the American League record for pinch-hit home runs in a season with five in 1943, including two in a doubleheader.

He was inducted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956, and his No. 4 was officially retired by the Red Sox in 1984.

Answer: Johnny Pesky

Johnny Pesky played 10 seasons in the majors, eight of which was with the Boston Red Sox as a shortstop and third baseman from 1942 to 1952 (missing 1943-1945 for military service). Pesky totaled 1,155 hits, and a .313 batting average in 1,054 games with the team.

He led the American League in hits before and after returning from the Navy (totaling 204 in 1942, 205 in 1946, 207 in 1947) and spent 21 seasons in total with the club as a player and then in various coaching roles. Fenway Park's right-field foul pole, just 302 feet from home plate, is nicknamed "Pesky's Pole" after him. Pesky was not a power hitter (just 17 home runs in his career) and needed to wrap a line drive around that foul pole if he was ever going to hit one out. Known as "Mr. Red Sox" for his years of work in the organization, his No. 6 was officially retired in 2008.

Answer: Carl Yastrzemski

Carl Yastrzemski spent his entire 23-year Hall of Fame career with the Boston Red Sox, which included 3,419 hits and 452 home runs, over 3,308 games. He won the MVP by achieving the American League Triple Crown in 1967 (.326 average, 44 home runs, 121 RBIs), earned seven Gold Gloves, made 18 All-Star teams, and led the league in hits seven times. Yaz lead the team to American League pennants in 1967 and 1975.

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot as part of the Class of 1989.

His grandson, Mike Yastrzemski, later played in the majors and hit a home run in his first game at Fenway Park.

Answer: Ted Williams

Ted Williams played 19 seasons exclusively with the Boston Red Sox as an outfielder, and although he missed nearly five years to serve in the US Navy and Marine Corps, he still amassed 521 home runs, with a lifetime .344 batting average and .482 on-base percentage. He won six American League batting titles (including at the ages of 39 and 40), led the league in on-base percentage 12 times and slugging percentage nine times, hit .406 in 1941 (the last .400 season in MLB), and earned 17 All-Star selections. Williams hit his 521st career home run in his final at-bat in 1960.

Answer: Jim Rice

Jim Rice was another Red Sox lifer. He played his entire 16-year career with the Red Sox as a left fielder and designated hitter, totaling 2,452 hits, 382 home runs, 1,451 RBIs, and a .298 batting average in 2,089 games. He led the American League in home runs three times (39 in 1977, 46 in 1978, 39 in 1983), hits once (213 in 1978), and RBIs twice, earning eight All-Star nods. Rice's combination of average and power in 1978 deservedly won him the AL MVP as he notched the first 400 base season in the major leagues since Joe DiMaggio in 1937.

He was an inaugural inductee in to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1995.

Answer: Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs spent the first 11 seasons of his 18-year big league career with the Red Sox, where he chalked up a .354 batting average in 1,625 games. He won five American League batting titles during his Boston tenure (.368 in 1983, .361 in 1985, .357 in 1986, .363 in 1987, .366 in 1988), earned six Silver Sluggers (despite just 85 total home runs in his Boston career!) and was named to eight All-Star teams. Boggs was known as a highly superstitious player who would eat a pregame chicken meal before every game. Boggs would go on to author a culinary book on different ways to prepare and eat chicken.

Answer: Carlton Fisk

Carlton Fisk spent a remarkable 24 seasons as a catcher in the majors, with his first 11 years spent in Boston. In that time Fisk appeared in over 1,000 games, accumulating 1,097 hits, 162 home runs, and a .278 batting average. He unanimously earned the 1972 American League Rookie of the Year award, made seven of his 11 All-Star appearances with Boston, and won a Gold Glove in 1972. No moment of Fisk's time in Boston was as memorable as the walk-off home run in the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. Fisk leaped in the air along the first base line waving his hands to the right in hopes the ball would stay fair down the left field line.

It did.

Answer: David Ortiz

After beginning his career in Minnesota, David Ortiz's career took off when he arrived in Boston in 2003. He hit 483 of his 541 career home runs with Boston and was a 7-time Silver Slugger honoree. "Big Papi" was at the heart of three Red Sox World Series winning teams (2004, 2007, and 2013).

In 2004 he had two walkoff hits that powered the Red Sox incredible ALCS comeback against the New York Yankees. In 2013, Ortiz hit .688 in the World Series and claimed the Series MVP award. His #34 was retired by the Red Sox in 2017 immediately after his retirement.

Answer: Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martínez pitched for five teams over 18 seasons in the majors, but his best seven came for the Red Sox. Martinez posted a 117-37 record, 2.52 ERA, 1,683 strikeouts, and a 0.978 WHIP in his 203 appearances (202 starts) with Boston. In 1999, Martinez won the rare pitching Triple Crown - leading the American League in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

He was named All-Star Game MVP and Cy Young winner that season as well. Martinez was unanimously awarded the Cy Young again in 2000 after posting a miniscule 1.74 ERA at the peak of MLB's steroid era. Martinez's #45 was retired by the Red Sox in 2015, shortly after he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.