Jackie Jensen

Jackie Jensen was one of the most athletically gifted players of the 1950s, a college football star turned baseball MVP whose immense potential was matched only by his internal battles with the pressures of fame. A right fielder with tremendous power and speed, Jensen was named the 1958 American League MVP after hitting .286 with 35 home runs and a league, leading 122 RBIs. He played for the Yankees, Senators, and Red Sox, finishing with 199 home runs over an 11-year career.

Throughout his career, he remained a popular player with the press, especially during the final years of his career in Boston when he was at his peak. While issues related to his marriage and his crippling fear of flying forced him into retirement after 1961, he remained a popular local figure on the West Coast, a testament to his star power when he was on the field.