Don Baylor was a hustling player who ran the bases aggressively and stood fearlessly close to home plate as if he were daring the pitcher to hit him. Quite often they did, as he was plunked by more pitches (267) than any other player in the 20th century, leading the American League eight times in that department. Notoriously tough, Baylor wouldn’t even acknowledge the pain of being hit, refusing to rub his bruises when he took his base. <

Baylor played for seven first-place teams in his 19 seasons and was a respected clubhouse leader. He earned Manager-of-the-Year recognition in his post-playing career and clicked on all cylinders when he claimed the AL Most Valuable Player award in 1979.

While a member of the Yankees, he was traded to the Red Sox shortly before Opening Day in 1986. Though he managed to bat just .238, his 31 home runs and 94 RBIs were his best since his MVP year. He also established a single-season record by getting hit by pitches 35 times.

Baylor operated a kangaroo court in the Sox clubhouse. On the night Roger Clemens struck out 20 Seattle Mariners, he fined Clemens $5 for giving up a single to light-hitting Spike Owen on a 0-2 pitch.

In the 1986 ALCS, against the Angels, the Sox were two outs from elimination in Game #5 when Baylor smashed a game-tying, two-run home run. He batted .346 in the seven ALCS games but started only three of the seven World Series games the Mets as designated hitters were not used in the National League ballpark.

Baylor posted one of his lowest power totals, declining to 16 homers and 63 RBIs in 1987. The Minnesota Twins, making a surprising playoff run, craved his right-handed bat and acquired him from the Sox for the final month of the 1987 season.

In 1985 Baylor was selected as the winner of the prestigious "Roberto Clemente Award", presented annually to a major leaguer of exceptional character who contributes a lot to his community. He was recognized for his work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the 65 Roses (so-named for the way one child pronounced Cystic Fibrosis) club.

In 2003 while serving as a hitting coach with the Mets, he was diagnosed with  multiple myeloma. Don Baylor passed away on August 7, 2017 at age 68, and was laid to rest at Texas State Cemetery in Austin.