Red Sox unveil statue for Carl Yastrzemski

The Red Sox unveiled a statue yesterday honoring Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski. It’s the third statue at Fenway Park, joining one of Ted Williams and a “teammates” statue featuring Williams, Johnny Pesky, Dom DiMaggio, and Bobby Doerr.

The new monument sits outside Fenway’s Gate B and depicts a 44-year-old Yastrzemski tipping his cap at Fenway before his final major league at-bat 30 years ago on October 2, 1983. Jim Rice, Dwight Evans, Luis Tiant, and Bill Lee were among those on hand for yesterday’s unveiling.

Yastrzemski, who also threw out of the first pitch prior to yesterday’s game against the Blue Jays, told the Associated Press that he was touched by the team’s tribute.

“It means tremendous importance to me,” he said, standing at the base of the statue after a 30-minute ceremony that included some of his former teammates and current members of the AL East champions. “This is as important to me as being elected to the Hall of Fame and having my number retired. It’s a tremendous honor.”

Plenty deserving of the honor, Yastrzemski spent his entire 23-year career with the Red Sox, compiling a .285/.379/.462 batting line to go along with 3,419 hits, 452 home runs, and 1844 RBI. An 18-time All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove Award winner, he was awarded the American League MVP award in 1967 after winning the Triple Crown.

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