"Gator Mike" is a local baseball star and this collector's card and picture, both signed, is a great addition to any Boston Red Sox fan's collection.

Michael Lewis Greenwell (born July 18, 1963) is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire MLB career with the Boston Red Sox (1985–1996). He played a few games for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan (1997), before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator".  He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.  He was fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1987. 

 

Greenwell was a leading contender for the American League MVP award in 1988.  Greenwell hit .325 with 22 home runs and 119 RBIs in 1988, setting career highs in all three categories.  Born in Louisville, Kentucky, when he was five years old, his family relocated to Fort Myers, Florida.  He attended North Fort Myers High School, where he played both baseball and football. 

 

Greenwell was drafted in the third round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft by the Red Sox, and was signed on June 9, 1982. Throughout his Red Sox career, he provided a solid and reliable presence in the team's lineup for several seasons. Well respected, he also served as the team's player representative for a time.   Greenwell was runner-up for the 1988 American League MVP Award to Jose Canseco of the Oakland Athletics. 

 

On September 14, 1988, Greenwell hit for the cycle, becoming the 17th player to do so in Red Sox franchise history.  On September 2, 1996, the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 9–8 in 10 innings at the Kingdome, with Greenwell driving in all nine runs for the Sox, a record for most runs driven in by one player accounting for all of that team's runs in a single game.  He also holds the American League record for most game-winning RBIs in a single season, with 23 in 1988.  Greenwell was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

 

Greenwell received his nickname “The Gator” during spring training in Winter Haven.  He had captured an alligator, taped its mouth shut, and put it in Ellis Burks' locker. 

 

After retiring from baseball, Mike became a very successful businessman and recently decided to enter public services.  Mike was appointed to the Lee Board of County Commissioners on July 22, 2022, by Governor Ron DeSantis.  He is the liaison to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council and the Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership.  As a commissioner, he also serves on boards for the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization and Lee County Port Authority.

 

He is passionate about protecting our water quality for generations to come. Other priorities include improving the county's transportation network, preparing for growth, and maintaining the county's infrastructure, focusing on economic growth and keeping taxes low for Lee County families and businesses. 

Mike and his wife, Tracy, are Alva residents and active in the community.