Nine-year Major League veteran and former member of the Red Sox organization Jerry Moses passed away on Tuesday. He was 71.
Moses was a catcher for the Red Sox organization from 1964-70. At age 18, he became the youngest player in Red Sox history to hit a pinch-hit home run, doing so in his second MLB at-bat.
A native of Yazoo City, Miss., Moses resided for most of his life on Boston's North Shore. He appeared in 155 games during his four-year tenure with the Red Sox, batting .278 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs. His best season came in 1970, when he hit .263 with 18 doubles and 35 RBIs over 92 games and was selected to the American League All-Star team.
"I loved every minute that I played for Boston," Moses once said. "The Red Sox experience after [the Red Sox won the AL pennant in 1967] particularly was wonderful because that's when the crowds started to come. For guys like me just coming to the big leagues, it was a wonderful time to be a Red Sox."
Moses appeared in Major League games with seven teams over the course of his professional career: the Red Sox, California Angels, Indians, Yankees, Tigers, Padres and White Sox. He tripled off Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer in his final big league at-bat on Aug. 9, 1975, his 29th birthday. Over 386 career games, he hit .251 with 25 homers and 109 RBIs.
Upon his retirement from baseball, Moses embarked on a career in the food industry, spending 11 years with the Ogden Food Service Corporation. He also co-owned Fanfare, a startup company he collaborated on with Boston businessman Joe O'Donnell, and was later a part-owner of Ann's Boston Brownie Company.
Moses also dedicated his post-playing career to assisting his friend, Mike Andrews, in Jimmy Fund events and organizing a bone marrow donor program in support of Red Sox Hall of Famer Bill Monbouquette. He partnered with Andrews for 25 years in creating a kids baseball camp in Massachusetts; one of the many campers in attendance was current Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy.
"I was blessed to get to know Jerry later through his many charitable efforts and in his frequent visits to Fenway Park, a place for which he had such obvious fondness," Kennedy said. "Jerry was proud to have played for the Red Sox, and we were so thankful that he maintained his connection to us for so many years. The entire Red Sox family extends its condolences to Jerry's family and friends."
"I don't think I ever met a better man in my life," Andrews added. "Everyone loved Jerry. He's just a lovable guy, and he loved everybody back. He supported not only the Jimmy Fund but many other charities, and he was a very smart, successful businessman.
"When I look at people that made the most of their life after baseball, Jerry is at the top. He took care of his family. [He was] very family-oriented."