Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Mike Greenwell, East boston red sox The outfielder and two-time All-Star died at the age of 62 after a battle with cancer. His wife, Tracy, confirmed that he died on Thursday in Boston.
Mr Greenwell revealed in August that he was battling medullary thyroid cancer. His wife shared the news on social media, saying, “With a heavy heart, I lost my best friend today. It was time for Mike to become an angel. At 10:30 a.m. at Boston General Hospital. We are forever grateful for the life he gave us.”
Officials in Lee County, Florida, where Mr. Greenwell served as commissioner and lived most of his life in Fort Myers, also announced his death.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,” Lee County announced on Facebook. “He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be missed for finding meaningful solutions to the challenges facing his community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all those impacted by his leadership.”
Of course, Greenwell was best known for his baseball career with the Red Sox from 1985-96. The player known as “The Gator” enjoyed his best season in 1988 when he finished runner-up for American League MVP honors after batting .325 with career highs of 22 homers and 119 RBI.
Greenwell batted .300 or better five times throughout his rookie season in 1987 while becoming a fan favorite at Fenway Park. He scored more than 70 runs on seven occasions.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell,” the Red Sox said on social media. “The Gator” spent his entire career in a Red Sox uniform and was a favorite at Fenway and Fort Myers. He gave so much to Lee County and Sox Nation.
“We send our love to the Greenwell family.”
Greenwell recorded a .303 career average with 130 homers and 726 RBI in 1,269 games. He finished with 1,400 hits and struck out only 364 times in 4,623 at-bats.
He was fourth in AL Rookie of the Year balloting in 1987 and won the Silver Slugger Award in 1988.
Greenwell was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.