In 1966, Mike Andrews led the International League in runs scored with 97 while playing for Triple-A Toronto. The performance earned him a September call-up to the Red Sox.

In 1967 Dick Williams announced before spring training that the starting second base job was "Andrews' to lose." But Mike had hurt his lower back and Reggie Smith was moved from outfield to second base. By mid-April, Smith was back in center and Andrews would be the Red Sox starting second baseman for the next four years.

Once he got his chance Andrews made the most of it. He hit .321 during the rest of April and settled in with Rico Petrocelli to provide strong middle-infield defense for the surprising Red Sox.

July offered a prime example of his value. He batted just .236 but scored 18 runs in as many games to help the team to a 15-3 stretch. He was a key man in a 10-game winning streak from July 14-23, including a three-run homer in a 6-4 win at Baltimore on July 19th and three more safeties (with another homer) in a 4-0 shutout at Cleveland on July 22nd.

From August 1st thru 3rd, he went a combined 7-for-12 with two homers, five RBI, five runs scored and all told had eight multi-hit games during the month. This was just a warm-up. He was second to Carl Yastrzemski among regulars with a .342 (25-for-73) batting average during the most pressure-packed September in team history.

Then, with the Sox needing to sweep Minnesota in two games on the season's final weekend for a chance at the pennant, Andrews came through again. On Saturday he was 2 for 3 in the leadoff slot with a key infield single ahead of Yaz's game-breaking three-run homer.

Andrews finished the regular season with a .263 average, 8 homers, and 40 RBI in 142 games after his late start.

Reality hit hard in 1968, as the team fell to a distant fourth place. Andrews battled for the league batting lead up until Labor Day before finishing with a .271 BA.

In 1969 he firmly established himself as one of the most productive second basemen in the majors with a .293 average. He backed up starting second baseman Rod Carew in the All-Star game and played the last four innings for the American League.

Andrews reached new offensive heights himself in 1970. He had 28 doubles, 17 homers, and 65 RBI, and led off four games with homers. In December however, Mike and backup shortstop Luis Alvarado were sent to the Chicago White Sox for Luis Aparicio.

But his contributions off the field were his legacy. Andrews became a Jimmy Fund regular and in 1968 was named "Man of the Year" by the Bosox Club (the team's official fan club) for "contributions to the success of the Red Sox and for cooperation in community endeavors."

He didn't know it at the time, but the seeds of his future career had been planted. As chairman of the Jimmy Fund of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Andrews spent more than 25 years helping to raise hundreds of millions for research and treatment into childhood and adult cancers. Rather than spin tales of his athletic feats during his many public appearances, he spoke of the dedicated scientists, caregivers, and patients engaged in the cancer fight at Dana-Farber with the "true heroes" whom he first encountered as a rookie.