Happy Birthday, Boog

Orioles legend and the namesake for "Boog's BBQ" at Camden Yards, Boog Powell turns 65 today. Happy birthday, Boog.

A four-time All-Star from 1968 to 1971, Boog was the American League MVP in 1970 when he batted .297 with with 35 home runs, 114 RBIs, and, yes, one stolen base. He had the league's third-highest on-base percentage (.412) and the second-highest slugging percentage (.549). Boog finished second to Harmon Killebrew in MVP voting in 1969.

Talk about your glory days, the 1970 Orioles had six players in the top 20 of the MVP voting that year: Boog, Brooks (No. 7), Frank Robinson (No. 10), Mike Cuellar (No. 11), Dave McNally (No. 16), and Don Buford (No. 20). Cuellar and McNally both won 24 games in 1970. Meanwhile, Jim Palmer, a 20-game winner, finished No. 25 in the MVP voting and was the seventh Oriole receiving votes.

The Orioles of course went on to win the second of their three World Series titles that season, beating the Cincinnati Reds in five games. Boog batted .294 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in the Series.

In 1971, the Orioles would become the last Major League team to field four 20-game winners: Palmer, McNally, Cuellar, and Pat Dobson.

In 2004, Boog was voted as one of the fans' 50 all-time favorite Orioles.