Baseball - Retired Number - Lou Boudreau
The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics retired the Illinois baseball jersey worn by former Fighting Illini baseball and basketball legend Lou Boudreau April 18, 1992, on “Lou Boudreau Day.” No. 5, which was worn by Boudreau throughout his collegiate and professional careers, was officially retired between games of the Illinois-Minnesota Big Ten doubleheader.
Boudreau led Illinois to Big Ten titles in basketball and baseball in 1937, earning All-America honors in basketball in 1938 before embarking on a 50-year career in professional baseball.
He joined Illinois football legends Red Grange (#77) and Dick Butkus (#50) as the only athletes in Illinois history to have their jersey numbers retired.
Boudreau joined the Cleveland Indians in the spring of 1938. Four years later at age 24, he was named player-manager of the Indians. In 1948, Boudreau led the Indians to a world championship, hitting .355 with 18 homers and 106 RBI and earning The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year and American League Most Valuable Player honors.
In his 15-year major league playing career, Boudreau hit .295 with 68 homers and 789 RBI.
One of the great fielding shortstops of his era, Boudreau led the league in fielding eight times and in double plays five times. He still holds the major league record for doubles in a game (four) set in 1946.
Boudreau managed four major league teams: Cleveland, Boston (1952-54), the Kansas City Athletics (1955-57) and the Chicago Cubs (1960). He served as a television and radio announcer for the Cubs for more than 20 years and was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970.
As an Illinois sophomore third baseman in 1937, Boudreau hit .347 with 25 hits and four triples to lead the Illini to the Big Ten championship.
A few months earlier, Boudreau had helped lead the basketball squad to the Big Ten title. He also was captain of the 1937-38 squad as a junior.
Despite missing the last third of the 1938 basketball season, Boudreau was named an All-American by the Associated Press.
In June 1990, Collegiate Baseball named Boudreau to its all-time college baseball “Dream Team.”
Boudreau’s involvement at Illinois did not end when he joined the Indians in 1938. He returned to coach the freshman basketball team in 1939 and 1940.
In 1987, Boudreau was named Varsity “I” Man of the Year for his more than 50 years of loyal service to the University.
Boudreau passed away Aug. 10, 2001, at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields, Illinois. He had lived with his family in Dolton, Illinois, since his retirement.
