Robin Yount in 1982
The Brewers' Hall of Famer had his Best Season in '82
Back then, shortstop was primarily a defensive position, handled by relatively little guys like the St. Louis Cardinals' marvelous Ozzie Smith. Any offense from such players was a plus.
Yount had been such a shortstop during his first seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. The 19-year-old entered the major leagues in 1974 and promptly earned the affectionate nickname of "The Kid."
In the late 1970s, however, Yount began strength training, developing a muscular and well-balanced physique. And his power hitting picked up, with 23 home runs in 1980.
Two years later, Yount turned the good-field-little-hit shortstop stereotype upside down.
He hit .331, losing the American League batting title to Kansas City's Willie Wilson by a point. The Kid hit 29 homers and drove in 114 runs, becoming the first AL shortstop to hit .300 with 20 homers and 100 RBI.
His hits (210), doubles (46) and slugging percentage (.578) led the majors. Yount also ripped 12 triples and stole 14 bases, while striking out just 63 times.
And he didn't pile up those stats by hitting third, fourth or fifth. The Kid batted second, behind lead-off man Paul Molitor.
Yount's Defense and Demeanor
Yount's great year went beyond his offense. His defense included 253 putouts and 489 assists, which won him a Gold Glove.
Also, Robin's modesty and calm, quiet demeanor---especially noticeable among some bona-fide characters like his teammates Gorman Thomas, Mike Caldwell and Pete Vukovich (Caldwell sometimes made sure at least one person was watching him, then chugged a full bottle of ketchup)---made him a fan favorite as the heavy-hitting Brewers slugged their way through '82.
Yount and the Brewers defeat the Orioles and Angels for the 1982 Pennant
But the Brewers were still neck-and-neck with the Baltimore Orioles during the season's final week. The two teams were tied for first place in the AL East going into the final game in Baltimore.
That's when Jim Palmer, the Orioles' great right-hander (and now Yount's fellow Hall of Famer) learned just how good The Kid had become at the plate. Yount homered twice off Palmer, with one dinger coming off a nearly perfect pitch from a righty pitcher to a right-handed batter---a strike on the low outside corner.
Yount drove it on a line into the right-field stands, and the Brewers won 10-2. Milwaukee then beat the California Angels in a hard-fought playoff series to win the AL pennant.
Yount Pounds the Cardinals in the '82 World Series---and Wins MVP
The Brewers' pitching in '82 didn't match their offense, and they lost the World Series to the Cardinals in seven games. Yount, however, remained unquenchable. He hit .414, with a homer, six RBI and as many runs scored. He was also the first player to record two four-hit games in a Series.
It's not surprising that The Kid was almost a unanimous choice for AL Most Valuable Player.
Yount Enters the Hall of Fame
An injured right shoulder reduced Yount's productivity in the mid-80s, so 1982 remained his career year. But he made a comeback after surgery and rehabilitation.
To spare his arm, Yount moved to center field, and his athletic ability eventually made him one of the AL's best in that position. Regaining some pop in 1989, he hit .318, with 21 dingers, 103 RBI and another Most Valuable Player award.
Yount was a shoo-in for the Baseball Hall of Fame (he was elected in 1999, his first year of eligibility) after finishing his career with 3,142 hits. Typically, however, The Kid downplayed that tremendous accomplishment.
"I guess if you play long enough and go to the plate enough times, you're going to get a certain amount of hits," he told a reporter. "It's really not that big a deal."
Sources
John Benson and Tony Blengino, editors, Baseball's Top 100: The Best Individual Seasons of All Time. Wilton, Connecticut: Diamond Library, 1997.
Baseballlibrary.com---The Ballplayers: Robin Yount
What do you think about this article?
Latest Articles