Bill “Monbo” Monbouquette — a three-time All Star pitcher and Red Sox hall-of-famer — died on Sunday, after a long battle with leukemia, the Red Sox announced Monday.
Monbouquette, 78, pitched eight seasons for the Red Sox from 1958-65. He tossed a no-hitter in 1962 and won 20 games for the club in 1963.
In New Hampshire, he was a frequent visitor to the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center and chaired its annual fund. Under his leadership, the fund passed the $3 million mark last year, the first time in Crotched Mountain’s 60-year history.
“Bill was a true champion of Crotched Mountain’s mission to renew lives and restore hope, whether visiting with patients or leading our annual fund,” said Donald L. Shumway, president and chief executive of Crotched Mountain.
“Bill was a longtime champion of the needs and rights of people with disabilities, and we are grateful for the many hours he volunteered with (his wife) Josephine on our campus visiting with children and adults,” Shumway said.
A Massachusetts native, Monbouquette had a 96-91 record with the Red Sox and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000. Monbo struck out 17 Washington Senators in a 2-1 win on May 12, 1961. It marked a club record, that thathas since been reached by only Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez.
He went on to play for the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees for two seasons, and the San Francisco Giants for a season. During his career, he played alongside Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.
After retiring as a player, “Monbo” spent 38 years as a scout and coach for several major league teams; his last six years were spent as a pitching coach for the Tigers. In 2006, he coached the Class A Lowell Spinners for a day so he could officially retire as a member of the Red Sox, the organization said.
“Monbo” and his wife led fund-raising efforts at Crotched Mountain, brought World Series trophies for a visit and played baseball with students and staff, Shumway said.
“What stood out most was their unwavering encouragement, their obvious affection for everyone they met and talked with, and their commitment to do whatever they could in support of our students, clients, and staff,” he said.
Last year, he became the second recipient of the organization’s Don Kent Legacy Award.
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