By Daniel Sonnenshein
For the first time in Major League history, the same player won the Rookie of Year and MVP in the same season. The year was 1975. And the player was Fred Lynn. The graceful centerfielder batted .331 with 21 homers and 105 RBIs. He led the American in both doubles (47) and runs scored (103). Lynn also led the AL with a .967 OPS and .566 slugging percentage.
Paired with fellow rookie sensation Jim Rice, Lynn rocketed his Boston Redsox to the 1975 World Series. Although the Bosox ultimately lost the Fall Classic to the Cincinnati Reds, the team (largely because of Lynn) goes down as one of the most exciting in baseball history.
Other members of the 1975 Redsox include Hall of Famers OF/1B Carl Yastrzemski and catcher Carlton Fisk (Rice is also in the hall of Fame), Rick Burleson (SS), Rico Petrocelli (3B), Dwight Evans (RF), DH Cecil Cooper, Doug Griffin and Denny Doyle (2B), Bernie Carbo (OF), backup catchers Bob Montgomery and Tim Blackwell, backup 3B Bob Heise, backup OF Rick Miller, and utility man Juan Beniquez. The pitching staff included starters Luis Tiant, Bill Lee, Reggie Cleveland, and Rick Wise. Dick Drago, Roger Moret, Jim Burton, and Diego Segui were part of the bullpen.
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