Sam Bowen

Samuel Thomas Bowen

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 170 lb.
• School Brunswick Junior College, Valdosta State College
• High School Glynn Academy
• Debut August 25, 1977
• Final Game October 4, 1980
• Born September 18, 1952 in Brunswick, GA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Sam Bowen appeared in a total of 16 games for the Boston Red Sox in three cups of coffee between 1977 and 1980. He hit .136 (3 for 22) but did manage one home run, which came on July 27, 1978, in a 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers; the pitcher was Jon Matlack.

He had a complicated draft history, being selected five different times by as many teams, the last of which coming in the 7th round of the 1974 amateur draft when the Red Sox took him from Valdosta State University. He played in their system from 1978 to 1982, all of his time being spent in AAA starting in 1977. In the minors, he was a low-average hitter but with good power, having seasons of 28 and 27 homers for the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League in 1979 and 1981. He led the 1979 IL in homers and joined Bobby Brown and Mookie Wilson as the All-Star outfielders. He was also an All-Star outfielder in the 1981 IL, alongside Brett Butler and Gary Rajsich. Overall, he hit .241 with 119 homers in 9 seasons. He both walked and struck out a lot, which would have made him a hotter prospect, especially given his above-average power, had he come up a couple of decades later.

In his final minor league season, in 1982, he also played 27 games for the Charleston Charlies, the top affiliate of the Cleveland Indians after starting the year in Pawtucket.

Related Sites

• Sam Bowen at the SABR Bio Project