Famous Baseball Players
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Baseball Players
Mo Vaughn
Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn (born December 15, 1967 in Norwalk, Connecticut), nicknamed "Hit Dog", (a nickname given to him by his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers at Seton Hall University) was a Major League Baseball first baseman from 1991 to 2003. Vaughn won the American League MVP award in 1995 and was a key factor in the Boston Red Sox's 1995 and 1998 playoff teams.
He was noted for "crowding the plate"; his stance was such that his front elbow (protected by plastic armor) often appeared to be hovering in the strike zone, which intimidated pitchers into throwing wide and outside. Because of Vaughn, Barry Bonds, and others like them, Major League Baseball instituted regulations in 2001 that put limits on the size and thickness of body armor that batters would be allowed to wear. At the same time, the office of the Commissioner of Baseball issued directives to the umpires that put emphasis on calling the strike zone as it is defined in the rule book, with particular emphasis on the "high strike".
Vaughn became the center of the Red Sox's line-up in 1993, hitting 29 home runs and contributing 101 RBIs, but his reputation as one of the most feared hitters in the American League wasn't grounded until after the 1994 strike-shortened season when Vaughn hit 39 home runs with 126 RBIs and a .326 average in 1995. He also pitched in with 11 stolen bases, although he was considerably slimmer earlier on. His efforts, which led the Red Sox to the playoffs (only to lose to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series), were rewarded with the American League MVP award.
Vaughn continued to improve over the next several seasons, batting .315 or higher from 1996 to 1998 and averaging 40 home runs and 118 RBIs. The Red Sox lost in the American League Division Series in 1998, once again to the Cleveland Indians, although Vaughn played well, hitting two home runs and driving in seven runs in game one.
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