Mookie Betts

Mookie Betts (born October 7, 1992, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.) American professional baseball player known for his all-around play, winning multiple Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards. He also won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox (2018) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2020).

Early life and minor league career

Betts was born to Diana Collins and Willie Betts, and they nicknamed him “Mookie” to honour various relatives. Both parents encouraged him to play sports, though his mother was especially influential. When he was three, she taught him to bowl, and two years later she tried to sign him up for Little League. When he was rejected by several coaches, Collins formed a team for her son and other unwanted players, and she served as the coach.

Britannica Quiz

Batter Up

After his parents divorced when he was eight, Betts became even more involved in athletics. While attending John Overton High School in Nashville, he was on the basketball, baseball, and bowling teams. He was recruited by several Division I collegiate baseball programs, eventually committing to the University of Tennessee. However, Betts ultimately never played college baseball. In the 2011 MLB draft he was selected as the 172nd overall pick by the Boston Red Sox of the American League (AL), and he opted to play in the minors.

Betts was on various Red Sox affiliates as he advanced through the system. In 2014 he was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Triple-A International League, the highest level in the minors. That season Betts, a second baseman, also began playing in the outfield. After a month with Pawtucket, he was called up to the majors.

MLB: the Red Sox and Dodgers

Betts made his major-league debut on June 29, 2014. In a win against the New York Yankees, he went one for three with a walk. Betts spent the rest of the season alternating between the Red Sox and Pawtucket. He appeared in 52 major league games in 2014 and posted a batting average of .291. In 2015 Betts became the starting right fielder for the Red Sox, and he had a breakout season the next year. In 2016 Betts posted a batting average of .318, led the MLB in at bats (672) and total bases (359), and was voted an All-Star for the first time. He helped the Red Sox win the AL East, but in the postseason the team lost in the division series. Betts won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, and he finished second in the vote for the AL’s MVP.

Betts was less productive in 2017, although he won a Gold Glove and finished sixth in the vote for MVP. The following season was particularly notable. In 2018 Betts led the MLB in runs (129), batting average (.346), and slugging (.640). His exceptional performance helped the Red Sox win a franchise-record 108 games in the regular season, and the team coasted through the playoffs, ultimately defeating the Dodgers to win the World Series. Betts also won the AL batting title as well as the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. To complete his remarkable season, Betts was named MVP of the AL.

In 2019 the Red Sox missed the playoffs, and during the off-season Betts was part of a blockbuster trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League (NL). In the 2020 season—which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic—Betts posted a batting average of .292 and finished second in voting for the NL’s MVP. He won another World Series when the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. After a relatively lacklustre season in 2021, Betts won his fifth Silver Slugger and sixth Gold Glove awards in 2022.

An accomplished bowler, Betts occasionally competed on the professional bowling circuit during baseball’s off-season. In 2015 and 2017 he participated in the Professional Bowlers Association World Series of Bowling. Betts also bowled perfect games on several occasions.