1975-1977

The Boston Red Sox acquired second baseman Denny Doyle from the California Angels in mid-June 1975 to solidify the team’s infield defense. But he did a lot more for the 1975 Red Sox than just shore up their defense. He batted a career-high .298 in 1975, batting .310 in 89 games with the Red Sox, and he put together a 22-game hitting streak that topped the American League that season. Most importantly, he brought a level of intensity and preparation that helped to bring the Red Sox within one game of winning the World Series.

In 1968 Doyle led the Pacific Coast League in hits and was named both the league’s "Rookie of the Year" and "Most Valuable Player". He spent four solid seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, and in 1973 he was traded to the California Angels.

The 1975 Red Sox were considered a contender in the American League East. Doyle, who was in the visitors’ clubhouse with the Angels, and his season was off to a terrible start. He had lost his starting job at second base to Jerry Remy.

The Sox played well into June, and it became clear that the Red Sox were a legitimate contender. General manager Dick O’Connell concluded that they needed an upgrade from the injury-prone Doug Griffin at second base to compete with the Orioles and Yankees. On June 14th he acquired Doyle from the Angels.

Doyle didn’t waste any time making an impact on his new team. He made a game-saving defensive play in his first game and hit a key home run in his second game. The Red Sox rattled off six straight wins after he was inserted in the lineup and felt comfortable right away. But it took him a while to get used to the passion of the Red Sox fans.

On July 12th, just before the All-Star break, Doyle hit safely against the Texas Rangers in a 10-4 Red Sox win. That began a hitting streak that saw him hit safely in 22 games. During his streak, the Red Sox won 17 times and lost only five.

The 1975 World Series between the Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds ranks high among Series classics. Game Six featured Carlton Fisk’s dramatic 12th-inning home run, but Doyle was involved in a ninth-inning play that allowed the game to get to the 12th.

The score was tied, 6-6, and the bases were loaded with no one out when Fred Lynn lifted a fly to short left field. When Reds left fielder George Foster made the catch, Doyle, at third, tagged up and attempted to score the winning run. He was thrown out at the plate and the stage was set for Fisk. After the game, Zimmer told the press, “I was yelling, ‘no, no, no’ and with the crowd noise he thought I was saying, ‘go, go, go.’’

In a World Series that included five future Hall of Fame players, Doyle was the only player on either team to hit safely in all seven games.

In 1976 and 1977 Doyle had played capably as the starting second baseman in both years, but the Red Sox were determined to make some moves in the offseason. When he reported to spring training in Winter Haven for the 1978 season, there was a familiar face contending for the second-base job. The Red Sox had acquired Jerry Remy from the Angels the previous December and released Denny Doyle in March.

Reflecting on his years with the Red Sox, Doyle offered, “You know, when I joined the Red Sox I was in my 10th year of professional baseball. I had played in the National League and the American League. But I never felt like I had played in the major leagues until I played for the Red Sox in front of those fans in Fenway Park. Red Sox fans are in a class all by themselves.”

Denny Doyle passed away on December 20, 2022. He was 78 years old.