Red Sox Features On wbztv.com
Aug 26, 2008 4:12 pm US/Eastern
Yaz Released From Hospital After Heart Surgery
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Carl Yastrzemski has been released from Massachusetts General Hospital after undergoing heart bypass surgery last week, WBZ has learned.
The Hall of Famer underwent a successful heart bypass surgery last Tuesday after experiencing chest pains.
The 68-year-old Yastrzemski underwent the 6-hour surgery just hours after being admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital.
The popular Yaz was an 18-time All-Star and spent his entire career with the Boston Red Sox, taking over left field for Ted Williams in 1961 and playing through 1983.
In 1967, Yastrzemski helped revitalize the flagging franchise during the "Impossible Dream" season when the Red Sox went from ninth place in the 10-team AL in 1966 to the World Series, where they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.
And all over New England that summer, kids tried to imitate his unique lefty batting stance, with the bat held high over his head.
With calls of "Yaz" echoing around Fenway Park, he won the Triple Crown that year, hitting .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBIs. Behind the AL MVP, the Red Sox won their first pennant since 1946, but lost the World Series in Game 7.
Yastrzemski was baseball's last player to win the Triple Crown in 1967 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989. He has often shied away from celebrity and rarely made public appearances, but drew a big ovation when he threw out the first ball before Game 1 of last year's World Series.
Yaz finished with 452 career home runs and 1,844 RBIs. He had 3,419 lifetime hits and batted .285. He also won seven Gold Gloves, expertly playing the caroms off the Green Monster.
Yastrzemski is one of five former Red Sox players to have his number retired by the team. His No. 8 is painted on the facing of the right field grandstands at Fenway, along with those of Williams, Carlton Fisk, Bobby Doerr and Joe Cronin.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
