Why was Mike Greenwell called "The Gator"? Origin of his moniker and career highlights explored as former Red Sox star dies at 62

Former Red Sox star Mike Greenwell has passed away at the age of 62. He had been battling with medullary thyroid cancer since August 2025.

He played his entire Major League Baseball career with the Red Sox and also held the position of a two-time All-Star. Additionally, he was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008. The Boston Red Sox shared a Facebook post remembering Greenwell on his demise. They wrote:

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell. “The Gator” spent his entire career in a Red Sox uniform and was a beloved fixture at Fenway Park and in Fort Myers. He gave so much to this organization, Lee County, and Red Sox Nation. We send our love to the Greenwell family.”

Greenwell was nicknamed “The Gator” by his teammates. He picked up this name during a spring training session in Winter Haven. He captured an alligator, tape its mouth shut, and placed in the locker of his teammate, Ellis Burks.

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All we know about Mike Greenwell’s career

Mike Greenwell was based in Louisville, Kentucky. However, he grew in Florida during his childhood.

According to a Hawaii News Now report, he developed a passion for both football and baseball while attending North Fort Myers High School.

He started to play for the Boston Red Sox in 1985, where he ended up spending his entire career. He was a Boston player for 12 seasons.

Greenwell won the 1988 Silver Slugger Award. He also finished second in the same year’s MVP voting to Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco.

According to a report in CBS News, Greenwell's teammate Dwight Evans said:

“He was deeply involved in the Fort Myers community and gave so much of himself to others. You always wanted to be around him - I truly enjoyed my time with him.”

Evans added that “he will be deeply missed."

Greenwell finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1987. The following year, 1988 had been stated as his best season.

On September 2, 1996, Mike Greenwell set an MLB record for the most runs batted in RBIs by a single player, accounting for all the runs in a single game for his team. In the same year, he announced his retirement after appearing in seven games.

According to a report in the USA Today, on his passing, Hall of Famer Joe Morgan remembered Greenwell as one of his “favorites.” He added:

“He didn’t start out great, but he worked hard and became a very good left fielder. He was fun to be around, happy-go-lucky. We’ll all miss him greatly.”

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Greenwell later transitioned into auto-racing as he had been a fan of NASCAR. After his MLB career, he returned to Florida where around the year 2000, he competed in late model stock cars. He ended his career in 2010, as per a report in ESPN.

Mike Greenwell is survived by his wife, Tracy Greenwell and their sons, Bo and Garrett.

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