Highlighted Year: Tommy Harper, 1970

Third Baseman/Second Baseman/Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Age: 29

2^nd season with Pilots/Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 165 

Prior to 1970:

Born in Louisiana, Harper moved with his family to Alameda, California at age 4. An excellent all-around athlete, in addition to baseball, he was a star quarterback at Encinal High School, captained the basketball team, and was a track & field sprinter. Following high school he enrolled at San Francisco State to pursue a physical education degree. After his first year, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1960. Initially assigned to Topeka of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League, the 19-year-old second baseman batted .254 with 22 extra-base hits, 26 stolen bases, and drew 76 walks to give him a .429 on-base percentage. Still with Topeka in 1961, Harper hit .324 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .488 OBP thanks to his drawing 136 walks. In addition to being the league’s all-star second baseman, Harper was named MVP as well. He started the 1962 season with the Reds, but when his hitting slumped he was sent down to San Diego of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .333 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 26 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He also stole 22 bases, drew 105 walks, produced a .450 OBP, and a .569 slugging percentage. Harper was back with the Reds in 1963 where he was shifted to the outfield. Appearing at all three outfield positions, he hit .260 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, 12 stolen bases in 13 tries, and a .335 OBP. He was named a Topps Rookie All-Star. Platooned primarily in left field in 1964, Harper had a disappointing season, batting .243 with 11 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .326 OBP. In the offseason he did reserve duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Playing regularly in left field in 1965, where he proved to be a good fit defensively, Harper displayed more power by hitting 18 home runs with 64 RBIs while batting .257 and drawing 78 walks for a .340 OBP. He also scored a league-leading 126 runs and stole 35 bases, but his 127 strikeouts were a cause of concern. He performed a different sort of service in the offseason, teaching sports to boys in detention at the Montgomery County Family Court Center in Dayton. In 1966 Harper had hitting streaks of 17 and 24 games but a late-season slump combined with poor hitting on the road (he batted .231 on the road and .327 at home) left him at .278 with a .348 OBP. His home run total dropped to 5, along with 22 doubles and 5 triples and he stole 29 bases while drawing 57 walks and whiffing 85 times. In 1967 a broken right wrist cost Harper two months of action and, limited to 103 games, he ended up hitting .225 with 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, and a .306 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to Cleveland for three players. Platooned once again with the Indians (much to his displeasure), he hit .217 in 1968 with 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a .295 OBP. Left unprotected in the AL expansion draft, Harper was chosen by the Settle Pilots, who had him starting the 1969 season at second base, although he would end up playing an equal number of games at third. He went on to lead the AL with 73 stolen bases while batting .235 with 10 doubles, 9 home runs, 78 runs scored, 41 RBIs, and a .349 OBP that was boosted by drawing 95 walks. The bankrupt Pilots moved to Milwaukee four days prior to the start of the 1970 season and were renamed the Brewers.

1970 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

3B – 128, 2B – 22, LF – 7, CF – 5, RF – 3, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 692 [9]

At Bats – 604 [12]

Runs – 104 [5]

Hits – 179 [6]

Doubles – 35 [4]

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 31 [7]

RBI – 82 [15, tied with Vada Pinson & Jim Fregosi]

Bases on Balls – 77 [13, tied with Al Kaline]

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 107 [7, tied with Bill Melton]

Stolen Bases – 38 [2]

Caught Stealing – 16 [2, tied with Pat Kelly]

Average - .296 [12, tied with George Scott & Roy White]

OBP - .377 [10, tied with Al Kaline]

Slugging Pct. - .522 [5]

Total Bases – 315 [3]

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 4 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 25, HR – 17, RBI – 42, SB – 28, AVG – .311, OBP – .379,  SLG – .540

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Boston 4/25, (in 4 AB) vs. Oakland 5/19, (in 5 AB) vs. California 7/2, (in 5 AB) at Boston 7/17

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 18

HR on road – 13

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 5 AB) vs. California 7/2, (in 4 AB) vs. California 9/21

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 3 on five occasions

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 2 (.500) with 1 2B

Fielding (3B)

Chances – 422

Put Outs – 123

Assists – 275

Errors – 24

DP – 23

Pct. - .943

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

6^th in AL MVP voting (78 points – 1 first place vote, 23% share)

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The relocated and rechristened Brewers went 65-97 to finish tied for fourth with the Kansas City Royals in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins. With an infusion of new talent, the Brewers were somewhat more respectable than they were the previous year in Seattle. A six-game August losing streak stuck them in fifth place in the AL West, but two wins at Oakland to finish the season pulled them up a notch. They drew 933,690 fans to County Stadium which included a young group known as the “Brew Crew” who regularly sat in the left field bleachers and generated much enthusiasm.

Aftermath of 1970:

Harper got off to a slow start in 1971 and his batting average bottomed out at .155 in May. His hitting improved when he was moved from third base to left field and he finished at .258 with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, 65 walks drawn, and a .333 OBP. Following the season he was dealt as part of a major multi-player trade with the Boston Red Sox. Regularly playing in center field, in 1972 Harper hit .254 with 29 doubles, 14 home runs, 92 runs scored, 49 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and a .341 OBP. With Carl Yastrzemski moving to first base in 1973, Harper was shifted to left field and, following a slow start, he went on a batting tear from July onward to finish at .281 with 17 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a league-leading 54 stolen bases. He placed 13^th in AL MVP voting. Despite his fine performance, Harper entered the 1974 season dealing with much uncertainty. Having made some major offseason trades and with some talented outfielders making their way through the minors, the Red Sox had some questions regarding where the 33-year-old veteran fit in. Hindered by injuries, he made 61 appearances in left field and 51 as Designated Hitter to end up batting .237 with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and 28 stolen bases. Dealt to the California Angels in the offseason, he was utilized primarily as a DH in 1975 and was hitting .239 when he was sold to the Oakland Athletics in August. He finished with a combined .254 average with 5 homers, 38 RBIs, a .337 OBP, and 26 stolen bases. Oakland topped the AL West and Harper saw his only taste of postseason action in the ALCS loss to the Red Sox, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance. Released by the A’s in the offseason, Harper spent one last major league season with the Baltimore Orioles in 1976, mostly appearing as a DH, pinch-hitter, or pinch-runner and batting .234. Waived by the Orioles and failing to make the A’s in 1977, Harper became a minor league instructor and scout with the New York Yankees. For his major league career he batted .257 with 1609 hits that included 256 doubles, 36 triples, and 146 home runs. He scored 972 runs and compiled 567 RBIs, 408 stolen bases, drawing 753 walks and posting a .338 OBP. With the Pilots/Brewers he batted .264 with 456 hits, 261 runs scored, 71 doubles, 9 triples, 54 home runs, 136 stolen bases, and a .354 OBP. A one-time All-Star, he received league MVP votes on four occasions, with his highest finish being sixth in 1970 with the Brewers. Following his time with the Yankees organization, Harper worked in several different capacities for the Red Sox, sometimes laced with controversy due to issues pertaining to racial discrimination. He also coached for the Montreal Expos. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20), pitching wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10), or have been participants in the annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Don Mincher, 1969

First Baseman, Seattle Pilots

Age: 31 (June 24)

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Left, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 1969:

A native of Huntsville, Alabama Mincher played football and basketball as well as baseball at Butler High School, captaining the football and baseball teams as a senior. All-State in football, he turned down a football scholarship to the University of Alabama to pursue a baseball career. Having also played American Legion baseball, he was signed by the Chicago White Sox in 1956 for $4000. Initially assigned to Duluth-Superior of the Class C Northern League in ’56, the 18-year-old first baseman batted .282 in 78 games with 19 extra-base hits, 49 RBIs, and a .398 on-base percentage. With Duluth-Superior again in 1957, Mincher hit .288 with 21 doubles, 4 triples, 13 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .387 OBP, and a .440 slugging percentage. He also led the league’s first basemen in putouts (1103), assists (62), and double plays (99). Moving up to Davenport of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1958, Mincher was a league All-Star as he batted .330 with 29 doubles, 23 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .427 OBP, and a .544 slugging percentage. Advancing to Charleston of the Class A South Atlantic (or Sally) League in 1959 he hit .272 with 22 home runs, 92 RBIs, a .353 OBP, and a .442 slugging percentage. Prior to the 1960 season he was traded to the Washington Senators as part of the deal for first baseman Roy Sievers. Mincher started the season with the Senators but with his average at .230 he was sent to the Charleston Senators of the Class AAA American Association where he batted .306 with 32 doubles, 12 home runs, 65 RBIs, a .374 OBP, and a .489 slugging percentage. Recalled to the Senators in September his totals in 27 major league games were .241 with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs, and a .330 OBP. With the franchise becoming the Minnesota Twins in 1961, Mincher again spent most of the season in Class AAA, this time with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, hitting .257 with 24 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .349 OBP, and a .497 slugging percentage. In 35 games with the Twins he hit .188 with 5 homers and 11 RBIs. With Minnesota in 1962, while newly-acquired veteran Vic Power handled regular duty at first base, Mincher appeared in 86 games, pinch-hitting in 63 of them. He had two homers and 5 RBIs in a late April game at Cleveland and went on to bat .240 with 9 home runs, 29 RBIs, a .406 OBP thanks to 34 walks in 157 plate appearances, and a .488 slugging percentage. Getting more action at first base in 1963, Mincher hit .258 with 17 home runs, 42 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a .520 slugging percentage. In 1964, Mincher was one of six Twins to hit at least 20 home runs as he finished with 23 while batting .237 with 56 RBIs, a .300 OBP, and a .547 slugging percentage. Described as an introvert and intense, he again found himself vying for playing time at first base, this time platooning with Bob Allison, who had been shifted from the outfield. Minnesota won the AL pennant in 1965. With Allison back in the outfield, Mincher saw most of the action at first base, splitting time with Harmon Killebrew, who was signifcantly sidelined by an injury. Mincher hit .251 with 17 doubles, 22 home runs, 65 RBIs, a .344 OBP, and a .509 slugging percentage. In the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers he homered in his first at bat, which was one of three hits that he managed for the entire Series that the Dodgers won in seven games. Used regularly at first base in 1966, Mincher’s power production dropped off somewhat to 14 home runs along with 30 doubles, 62 RBIs, a .251 average, a .340 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage. In the offseason he was traded to the California Angels as part of the package for RHP Dean Chance. He filled a need at first base for the Angels in 1967 and had his first ever All-Star season while hitting .273 with 23 doubles, 25 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .367 OBP, and a .487 slugging percentage. Trouble struck in the second game of the 1968 season when Mincher was beaned by a pitch from Cleveland’s fireballing LHP Sam McDowell. He was bothered by dizziness and headaches for long after the beaning and his batting dropped off to .236 with 12 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and a .368 slugging percentage. Having lost the confidence of Angels manager Bill Rigney, he was left unprotected for the AL expansion draft in the offseason and was taken by the Pilots with their first overall pick.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 140 games

1B – 122, PH – 19

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 514

At Bats – 427

Runs – 53

Hits – 105

Doubles – 14

Triples – 0

Home Runs – 25 [16, tied with Jim Northrup & Reggie Smith]

RBI – 78

Bases on Balls – 78 [16]

Int. BB – 13 [4, tied with Rico Petrocelli]

Strikeouts – 69

Stolen Bases – 10

Caught Stealing – 11 [10]

Average - .246

OBP - .366 [15]

Slugging Pct. - .454 [19, tied with Bobby Murcer]

Total Bases – 194

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 5 [17, tied with thirteen others]

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

Midseason snapshot: HR – 17, RBI – 51, AVG – .240, SLG – .455, OBP – .361

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 4 AB) at KC Royals 7/6, (in 3 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/17, (in 4 AB) vs. Minnesota 9/28

Longest hitting streak – 7 games

HR at home – 13

HR on road – 12

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at KC Royals 7/6

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 at KC Royals 7/6, at Cleveland 8/11

Pinch-hitting – 2 for 9 (.222) with 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI & 7 BB

Fielding

Chances – 1132

Put Outs – 1033

Assists – 93

Errors – 6

DP – 98

Pct. - .995

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they still managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated.

Aftermath of 1969:

Following his fine comeback season in 1969 with the lowly Pilots, Mincher was traded to the Oakland Athletics in the offseason along with infielder Ron Clark for four players. He had a solid season for the A’s in 1970, hitting .246 with 27 home runs, 74 RBIs, a .327 OBP, and a .460 slugging percentage. Early during the 1971 season Mincher was dealt again, this time to the Washington Senators along with two other players for first baseman Mike Epstein and reliever Darold Knowles. For the year he batted .280 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .386 OBP, and a .427 slugging percentage. The franchise shifted to Arlington, Texas in 1972 and was renamed the Texas Rangers. Mincher was hitting .236 with 6 home runs and 39 RBIs when he was traded back to Oakland in July. Backing up at first base and pinch-hitting as the A’s headed for the AL West title, Mincher batted .148 with a .281 OBP and no homers. He made two postseason plate appearances as Oakland advanced to winning a World Series title. He retired after the season and for his major league career he batted .249 with 1003 hits that included 176 doubles, 16 triples, and 200 home runs. He scored 530 runs and compiled 643 RBIs, a .348 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. Appearing in 11 postseason games he hit .160 with one home run and 2 RBIs. He was a two-time All-Star. Mincher operated a sporting goods store until returning to baseball in 1985 as general manager of the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League. He helped to keep the team in Huntsville and he later became president of the Southern League. Mincher was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, four years before his death in 2012 at age 73.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20), pitching wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10), or have been participants in the annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Mike Hegan, 1969

Outfielder/First Baseman, Seattle Pilots

Age:  27 (July 21)  

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 188 

Prior to 1969:

The son of major league catcher Jim Hegan, Hegan was a native of Cleveland, Ohio, where his father played most of his career for the Indians. Hegan played football and basketball, as well as baseball, at St. Ignatius High School. Following his high school graduation, Hegan accepted a football and baseball scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross. Following an outstanding freshman season, Hegan was heavily pursued by major league teams and signed with the New York Yankees, where his father had become a coach, in August of 1961, under the stipulation from his parents that he would continue his college education, which he did at John Carroll University. With Fort Lauderdale of the Class D Florida State League in 1962, the young first baseman batted .306 with 11 doubles, 3 home runs, 43 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, and a .438 on-base percentage thanks to drawing 99 walks. In 1963 he was assigned to Idaho Falls of the Class A Pioneer League where he led the league with 123 runs scored while hitting .323 with 24 doubles, 9 triples, 28 home runs, 98 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and a .457 OBP thanks to drawing 112 walks. In 1964 he was promoted to Columbus of the Class AA Southern League where he batted .233 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 10 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .333 OBP. Called up to the Yankees in September, Hegan went hitless in five at bats. Added to the World Series roster as a replacement for injured shortstop Tony Kubek, Hegan scored a run when inserted into Game 1 as a pinch-runner, which pretty much represented the extent of his offensive production. Returning to Columbus in 1965, he was promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League where, in 128 games ended up with combined totals of .210 with 7 home runs, 42 RBIs, and a .335 OBP. Still with Toledo in 1966, Hegan batted .265 with 27 doubles, a league-leading 11 triples, 11 home runs, 44 RBIs, and a .393 OBP boosted by his league-leading 98 walks drawn. Once more a late-season call-up to the Yankees, he appeared in 13 games and hit .205. Offseason service in the Army National Guard caused Hegan to join the Yankees late in 1967. Having proven to be a good fielder, he backed up the aging and injury-plagued Mickey Mantle at first base and hit .136 with 6 extra-base hits (including a home run) and a .266 OBP. Sent down to the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League in 1968, Hegan batted .304 with 15 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, 39 RBIs, a .413 OBP, and a .465 slugging percentage. He was sold to the expansion Pilots. A strong spring performance had him starting in right field for the club’s first game in 1969.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 95 games

RF – 61, 1B – 19, PH – 11, PR – 10, LF – 2, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 334

At Bats – 267

Runs – 54

Hits – 78

Doubles – 9

Triples – 6 [4, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 8

RBI – 37

Bases on Balls – 62

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 61

Stolen Bases – 6

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .292 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .427 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .461 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 123

GDP – 1

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 0 

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 8, 3B – 5, HR – 7, RBI – 30, AVG – .293, OBP – .426

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Most hits, game – 3 (in 5 AB) at Oakland 5/4, (in 4 AB) vs. Washington 5/10, (in 3 AB) vs. Cleveland 6/2, (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/11 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 8 games

HR at home – 4

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 3 AB) vs. Cleveland 6/2

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Washington 5/10, at NY Yankees 9/1 – 13 innings

Pinch-hitting/running – 2 for 8 (.250) with 7 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI & 3 BB

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 112

Put Outs – 100

Assists – 7

Errors – 5

DP – 1

Pct. - .955

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they still managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated. While Hegan was an All-Star selection he was forced to miss the game due to an injured hamstring.

Aftermath of 1969:

With the move of the Pilots to Milwaukee in 1970 and the departure of first baseman Don Mincher, Hegan became the regular at the position and batted .244 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .336 OBP. He started the 1971 season with the Brewers but was purchased by the Oakland Athletics in June. Backing up at first base and used as a late-innings defensive replacement for Mike Epstein, Hegan hit .236 for the division-winning A’s with a .300 OBP. Utilized in similar fashion in 1972, he appeared in 98 games and batted .329 with a .375 OBP and was typically sure-handed in the field. Hegan started the 1973 season backing up Gene Tenace at first base but his consecutive game errorless streak ended at 178 games, at the time an AL record. He was dealt back to the Yankees in August and went on to bat a combined .243 with 7 home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .284 OBP. The acquisition of Chris Chambliss in May of 1974 placed Hegan back in a strictly reserve role at first base and he was sold to the Brewers soon after. Backing up George Scott at first and also seeing significant time as a DH and pinch-hitter, he batted a combined .235 with 9 home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .340 OBP. Hegan played three more years with the Brewers with declining offensive production and retired during the 1977 season. A fine defensive player with limited hitting ability, for his major league career he batted .242 with 504 hits that included 73 doubles, 18 triples, and 53 home runs. He scored 281 runs and accounted for 229 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and a .341 OBP. With the Pilots/Brewers his batting production was .249 with 380 hits, 221 runs scored, 56 doubles, 13 triples, 42 home runs, 188 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a .355 OBP. Appearing in 13 postseason games he hit .125. His record errorless streak at first base remained as the AL mark until 2010. Following his playing career he went into broadcasting and also owned a company which provided indoor baseball and softball batting cages as well as instruction in batting, pitching and fielding. Inducted into the St. Ignatius High School Athletic Hall of Fame, he died in 2013 at age 71.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20), pitching wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10), or have been participants in the annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Tommy Harper, 1969

Second Baseman/Third Baseman/Outfielder, Seattle Pilots

Age:  28

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 165 

Prior to 1969:

Born in Louisiana, Harper moved with his family to Alameda, California at age 4. An excellent all-around athlete, in addition to baseball, he was a star quarterback at Encinal High School and also captained the basketball team and was a track & field sprinter. Following high school he enrolled at San Francisco State to pursue a physical education degree. After his first year, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1960. Initially assigned to Topeka of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League, the 19-year-old second baseman batted .254 with 22 extra-base hits, 26 stolen bases, and drew 76 walks to give him a .429 on-base percentage. Still with Topeka in 1961, Harper hit .324 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .488 OBP thanks to his drawing 136 walks. In addition to being the league’s all-star second baseman, Harper was named MVP as well. He started the 1962 season with the Reds, but when his hitting slumped he was sent down to San Diego of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .333 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 26 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He also stole 22 bases, drew 105 walks, and produced a .450 OBP, and a .569 slugging percentage. Harper was back with the Reds in 1963 where he was shifted to the outfield. Appearing at all three outfield positions, he hit .260 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, 12 stolen bases in 13 tries, and a .335 OBP. He was named a Topps Rookie All-Star. Platooned primarily in left field in 1964, Harper had a disappointing season, batting .243 with 11 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .326 OBP. In the offseason he did reserve duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Playing regularly in left field in 1965, where he proved to be a good fit defensively, Harper displayed more power by hitting 18 home runs with 64 RBIs while batting .257 and drawing 78 walks for a .340 OBP. He also scored a league-leading 126 runs and stole 35 bases, but his 127 strikeouts were a cause of concern. He performed a different sort of service in the offseason, teaching sports to boys in detention at the Montgomery County Family Court Center in Dayton. In 1966 Harper had hitting streaks of 17 and 24 games but a late-season slump combined with poor hitting on the road (he batted .231 on the road and .327 at home) left him at .278 with a .348 OBP. His home run total dropped to 5, along with 22 doubles and 5 triples and he stole 29 bases while drawing 57 walks and whiffing 85 times. In 1967 a broken right wrist cost Harper two months of action and, limited to 103 games. He ended up hitting .225 with 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, and a .306 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to Cleveland for three players. Platooned once again with the Indians (much to his displeasure), he hit .217 in 1968 with 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a .295 OBP. Left unprotected in the AL expansion draft, Harper was chosen by the Pilots, who had him starting the 1969 season at second base, although he would end up playing an equal number of games at third.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

2B – 59, 3B – 59, CF – 22, PH – 8, LF – 4, RF – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 640

At Bats – 537

Runs – 78

Hits – 126

Doubles – 10

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 9

RBI – 41

Bases on Balls – 95 [9]

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 90 [17]

Stolen Bases – 73 [1]

Caught Stealing – 18 [1, tied with Don Buford]

Average - .235

OBP - .349

Slugging Pct. - .311

Total Bases – 167

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading stolen bases were +11 ahead of runner-up Bert Campaneris

Midseason snapshot: HR – 5, RBI – 20, SB – 44, AVG – .236, OBP – .359

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on nine occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Detroit 6/1, vs. Cleveland 8/24

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 5 (.200) with 1 R, 1 RBI & 2 BB

Fielding (2B)

Chances – 269

Put Outs – 113

Assists – 145

Errors – 11

DP – 33

Pct. - .959

Awards & Honors:

29^th in AL MVP voting, tied with five others (2 points, 1% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated.

Aftermath of 1969:

The bankrupt Pilots were moved to Milwaukee and re-named the Brewers in 1970. Harper, now primarily playing at third base, had an outstanding season as he batted .296 with 31 home runs, 82 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, 77 walks drawn, and a .377 OBP, becoming the fifth NL/AL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season. Along the way he was an All-Star for the only time in his career. He got off to a slow start in 1971 and his batting average bottomed out at .155 in May. His hitting improved when he was moved from third base to left field and he finished at .258 with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, 65 walks drawn, and a .333 OBP. Following the season, he was dealt as part of a major multi-player trade with the Boston Red Sox. Regularly playing in center field, in 1972 Harper hit .254 with 29 doubles, 14 home runs, 92 runs scored, 49 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and a .341 OBP. With Carl Yastrzemski moving to first base in 1973, Harper was shifted to left field and, following a slow start, he went on a batting tear from July onward to finish at .281 with 17 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a league-leading 54 stolen bases. He placed 13^th in AL MVP voting. Despite his fine performance, Harper entered the 1974 season dealing with much uncertainty. Having made some major offseason trades, and with some talented outfielders making their way through the minors, the Red Sox had some questions regarding where the 33-year-old veteran fit in. Hindered by injuries, he made 61 appearances in left field and 51 as Designated Hitter to end up batting .237 with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and 28 stolen bases. Dealt to the California Angels in the offseason, he was utilized primarily as a DH in 1975 and was hitting .239 when he was sold to the Oakland Athletics in August. He finished with a combined .254 average with 5 homers, 38 RBIs, a .337 OBP, and 26 stolen bases. Oakland topped the AL West and Harper saw his only taste of postseason action in the ALCS loss to the Red Sox, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance. Released by the A’s in the offseason, Harper spent one last major league season with the Baltimore Orioles in 1976, mostly appearing as a DH, pinch-hitter, or pinch-runner and batting .234. Waived by the Orioles and failing to make the A’s in 1977, Harper became a minor league instructor and scout with the New York Yankees. For his major league career he batted .257 with 1609 hits that included 256 doubles, 36 triples, and 146 home runs. He scored 972 runs and compiled 567 RBIs, 408 stolen bases, drawing 753 walks and posting a .338 OBP. With the Pilots/Brewers he batted .264 with 456 hits, 261 runs scored, 71 doubles, 9 triples, 54 home runs, 136 stolen bases, and a .354 OBP. A one-time All-Star, he received league MVP votes on four occasions, with his highest finish being sixth in 1970 with the Brewers. Following his time with the Yankees organization, Harper worked in several different capacities for the Red Sox, sometimes laced with controversy due to issues pertaining to racial discrimination. He also coached for the Montreal Expos. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20), pitching wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10), or have been participants in the annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.

MVP Profile: Robin Yount, 1989

Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  34 (Sept. 16)

16^th season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 165

Prior to 1989:

Born in Illinois, Yount grew up in Woodland Hills, California, where he excelled in playing shortstop at Taft High School and was the third overall pick by the Brewers in the 1973 amateur draft. Assigned to the Newark Co-Pilots of the Class A NewYork-Pennsylvania League, he batted .285 in 64 games and made the jump to the shortstop-deficient Brewers at age 18 in 1974. “The Kid” showed his potential while honing his craft at the major league level, hitting .250 in 107 games until he was sidelined by a foot injury. His range and throwing arm at short was also very satisfactory. Yount started off strong in 1975 until he was again hindered by a foot injury and tailed off in the field, where he committed 44 errors, as well as at the plate where he batted .267 with 28 doubles, 8 home runs, and 52 RBIs.  He stayed healthy in 1976, appearing in 161 games, and hit .252 while leading AL shortstops in total chances (831) and put outs (290), and dropped his errors to 31 for the last place Brewers. A 1977 season in which his batting average rose to .288 was followed by his walking out of spring training in 1978, indicating that he might prefer to become a professional golfer rather than continue with baseball. Returning to the Brewers, Yount missed the first month of the season but still hit .293 with 9 home runs and 71 RBIs. The Brewers rose to second place in the AL East in 1979 and Yount contributed a .267 average with 8 home runs and 51 RBIs along with steady play in the field. With the team desiring greater power production out of his bat, he engaged in a weight-training program in the offseason that paid off with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, and 87 RBIs, his first All-Star selection, and a Silver Slugger in 1980. The Brewers reached the postseason for the first time in the strike-interrupted 1981 season and “Rockin’ Robin” hit well down the stretch while batting .273 overall with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. In the field he committed only 8 errors. Yount followed up with another strong season in 1983, even though he was hampered by a back injury while the Brewers dropped to fifth in the AL East. Bothered by a sore shoulder in 1984, he finished the season as a Designated Hitter and hit .298 with 27 doubles, 7 triples, 16 home runs and 80 RBIs. Yount was shifted to the outfield in 1985 and was limited to 122 games as his shoulder injury required surgery. Still, he batted .277 with 15 home runs and 68 RBIs. Installed in center field in 1986, the position he would play for the remainder of his career, Yount hit .312 with 9 home runs and 46 RBIs while scoring a team-leading 82 runs. He was better offensively in 1987, again batting .312 with 21 home runs and 103 RBIs. In 1988 Yount tied for the AL lead with 11 triples to go along with 38 doubles, 13 home runs, 91 RBIs, and a .306 average. He placed eleventh in league MVP voting.  

1989 Season Summary

Appeared in 160 games

CF – 144, DH – 16

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 690 [8]

At Bats – 614 [11]

Runs – 101 [3, tied with Ruben Sierra]

Hits – 195 [4]

Doubles – 38 [5]

Triples – 9 [4, tied with Ivan Calderon, Tony Fernandez & Harold Reynolds]

Home Runs – 21 [16, tied with Pete Incaviglia, Alvin Davis & Cal Ripken]

RBI – 103 [7]

Bases on Balls – 63

Int. BB – 9 [14, tied with four others]

Strikeouts – 71

Stolen Bases – 19

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .318 [4]

OBP - .384 [10]

Slugging Pct. - .511 [3]

Total Bases – 314 [2]

GDP – 9

Hit by Pitches – 6 [9, tied with eleven others]

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 4

Midseason snapshot: HR - 10, RBI - 54, AVG - .299, SLG - .468

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Cleveland 8/10

Longest hitting streak – 19 games

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 7

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Seattle 5/26

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 5 at NY Yankees 7/2

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Chances - 376

Put Outs – 361

Assists – 8

Errors – 7

DP – 2

Pct. - .981

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Robin Yount, Mil.: 256 pts. - 8 of 28 first place votes, 65% share

Ruben Sierra, Tex.: 228 pts. – 6 first place votes, 58% share

Cal Ripken, Balt.: 216 pts. – 6 first place votes, 55% share

George Bell, Tor.: 205 pts. – 4 first place votes, 52% share

Dennis Eckersley, Oak.: 116 pts. – 3 first place votes, 30% share

(1 first place vote for Carney Lansford, Oak., who ranked 17^th)

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Brewers went 81-81 to finish fourth in the AL Eastern Division, 8 games behind the division-winning Toronto Blue Jays while leading the league in stolen bases (165).

Aftermath of ‘89:

Yount followed up in 1990 by dropping to .247 with 17 home runs and 77 RBIs. He remained with the Brewers, his only major league team, until 1993, after which he retired at age 38. For his 20-year career he batted .285 with 3142 hits that included 583 doubles, 126 triples, and 251 home runs. He further accumulated 1406 RBIs and 271 stolen bases. The two-time AL MVP was also a three-time All-Star who won one Gold Glove at shortstop and was awarded three Silver Sluggers. The Brewers retired his #19 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

MVP Profile: Ryan Braun, 2011

Outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  27

5^th season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 205

Prior to 2011:

Braun, a native of Los Angeles, starred at shortstop in high school and was a Baseball America All-American in college at the Univ. of Miami in Florida where he was shifted to third base as a junior. Chosen by the Brewers in the 2005 amateur draft, he readily advanced through the minor league system, hitting .352 with teams at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’05 and .289 with 22 home runs playing for High A and AA-level clubs in 2006. Braun got off to a strong start with Class AAA Nashville in 2007 where he was batting .342 with a .701 slugging percentage in 34 games when he was called up by the Brewers to fill a need at third base. He set the tone for his career by batting .324 with 34 home runs and 97 RBIs and a .634 slugging percentage. He received NL Rookie of the Year honors. The Brewers shifted Braun to left field in 2008 and he went on to achieve his first All-Star selection on the way to batting .285 with 37 home runs and 106 RBIs, while dealing with a rib injury during the season’s final weeks and earning a Silver Slugger for his efforts. Milwaukee reached the postseason as a Wild Card entry and lost to the Phillies in the NLDS despite a good performance by Braun. He was an All-Star again in 2009 and went on to lead the NL with 203 hits and averaged .320 with 32 home runs and 114 RBI while the Brewers dropped to third in the NL Central Division. In 2010 he hit .304 with 25 home runs and 103 RBIs while the Brewers again finished in third.

2011 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

LF – 147, DH – 1, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 629

At Bats – 563

Runs – 109 [2]

Hits – 187 [5]

Doubles – 38 [4, tied with four others]

Triples – 6 [12, tied with eight others]

Home Runs – 33 [6, tied with Ryan Howard]

RBI – 111 [4]

Bases on Balls – 58

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 93

Stolen Bases – 33 [7]

Caught Stealing – 6

Average - .332 [2]

OBP - .397 [5]

Slugging Pct. - .597 [1]

Total Bases – 336 [2]

GDP – 9

Hit by Pitches – 5

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading slugging percentage was +.011 ahead of runner-up Matt Kemp

Midseason snapshot: HR - 16, RBI - 62, AVG - .320, SLG PCT - .559

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Most hits, game – 3 on fifteen occasions

Longest hitting streak – 23 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Cincinnati 9/16

HR at home – 16

HR on road – 17

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Pittsburgh 5/15, at Cincinnati 9/17

Pinch-hitting – 2 of 3 (.667) with 1 2B, 1 HR & 3 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 268

Put Outs – 259

Assists – 8

Errors – 1

DP - 2

Pct. - .996

Postseason Batting: 11 G (NLDS vs. Arizona – 5 G; NLCS vs. St. Louis – 6 G)

PA – 46, AB – 42, R – 7, H – 17, 2B – 7,3B – 0, HR – 2, RBI – 10, BB – 4, IBB – 0, SO – 9, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .405, OBP - .468, SLG -.714, TB – 30, GDP – 0, HBP – 1, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Ryan Braun, Mil.: 388 pts. – 20 of 32 first place votes, 87% share

Matt Kemp, LAD: 332 pts. – 10 first place votes, 74% share

Prince Fielder, Mil.: 229 pts.  – 1 first place vote, 51% share

Justin Upton, Ariz.: 214 pts. – 1 first place vote, 48% share

Albert Pujols, StL.: 166 pts. – 37% share

Brewers went 96-66 to finish first in the NL Central Division by 6 games over the St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in home runs (185). The Brewers took command in the division race with a 23-6 run from mid-July to mid-August and hung on in September for their first NL Central title. Won NLDS over the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3 games to 2. Lost NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 2.

Aftermath of 2011:

Braun topped the NL with 108 runs and 41 home runs in 2012. But in 2013 he was suspended 61 games into the season for violation of major league baseball’s policy against the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Returning to the Brewers in 2014, Braun was moved to right field and his batting average dropped to .266 and his home runs to 19. He had offseason hand surgery and returned to All-Star form in 2015 while hitting 25 home runs and knocking in 84 runs with a .285 batting average. Following another solid season in 2016, Braun was nagged by injuries in 2017 and finished with 17 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .268 batting average. Through 2019, his major league career totals, all with Milwaukee, included 344 home runs, 1066 runs scored, 215 stolen bases, and 1128 RBIs. He has been a six-time All-Star and recipient of five Silver Slugger awards in addition to being a one-time league MVP. In 26 postseason games Braun has batted .337 with 2 home runs and 16 RBIs.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

MVP Profile: Robin Yount, 1982

Shortstop, Milwaukee Brewers

Age:  27 (Sept. 16)

9^th season with Brewers

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 165

Prior to 1982:

Born in Illinois, Yount grew up in Woodland Hills, California, where he excelled in playing shortstop at Taft High School and was the third overall pick by the Brewers in the 1973 amateur draft. Assigned to the Newark Co-Pilots of the Class A NewYork-Pennsylvania League, he batted .285 in 64 games and made the jump to the shortstop-deficient Brewers at age 18 in 1974. “The Kid” showed his potential while honing his craft at the major league level, hitting .250 in 107 games until he was sidelined by a foot injury. His range and throwing arm at short was also very satisfactory. Yount started off strong in 1975 until he was again hindered by a foot injury and tailed off in the field, where he committed 44 errors, as well as at the plate where he batted .267 with 28 doubles, 8 home runs, and 52 RBIs.  He stayed healthy in 1976, appearing in 161 games, and hit .252 while leading AL shortstops in total chances (831) and put outs (290), and dropped his errors to 31 for the last place Brewers. A 1977 season in which his batting average rose to .288 was followed by his walking out of spring training in 1978, indicating that he might prefer to become a professional golfer rather than continue with baseball. Returning to the Brewers, Yount missed the first month of the season but still hit .293 with 9 home runs and 71 RBIs. The Brewers rose to second place in the AL East in 1979 and Yount contributed a .267 average with 8 home runs and 51 RBIs along with steady play in the field. With the team desiring greater power production out of his bat, he engaged in a weight-training program in the offseason that paid off with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, and 87 RBIs, his first All-Star selection, and a Silver Slugger in 1980. The Brewers reached the postseason for the first time in the strike-interrupted 1981 season and “Rockin’ Robin” hit well down the stretch while batting .273 overall with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs. In the field he committed only 8 errors.  

1982 Season Summary

Appeared in 156 games

SS – 154, DH – 1, PH – 2

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 704 [8]

At Bats – 635 [4]

Runs – 129 [2]

Hits – 210 [1]

Doubles – 46 [1, tied with Hal McRae]

Triples – 12 [3]

Home Runs – 29 [11]

RBI – 114 [4]

Bases on Balls – 54

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 63

Stolen Bases – 14

Caught Stealing – 3

Average - .331 [2]

OBP - .379 [10]

Slugging Pct. - .578 [1]

Total Bases – 367 [1]

GDP – 19 [10, tied with Greg Luzinski & Willie Aikens]

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 10 [2]

League-leading hits were +5 ahead of runner-up Cecil Cooper

League-leading slugging pct. was +.018 ahead of runner-up Dave Winfield

League-leading total bases were +22 ahead of runner-up Cecil Cooper

Midseason snapshot: HR - 15, RBI - 57, AVG - .327, SLG - .585

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) vs. Boston 7/2

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 20

Most home runs, game – 2 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Baltimore 9/24

Pinch-hitting – 1 of 2 (.500) with 1 2B & 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances - 766

Put Outs – 253

Assists – 489

Errors – 24

DP – 95

Pct. - .969

Postseason Batting: 12 G (ALCS vs. California – 5 G; World Series vs. St. Louis – 7 G)

PA – 52, AB – 45, R – 7, H – 16, 2B – 3,3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 6, BB – 3, IBB – 1, SO – 4, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .356, OBP - .396, SLG -.489, TB – 22, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL MVP: BBWAA

MLB Player of the Year: Sporting News

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star (started for AL at SS)

Top 5 in AL MVP Voting:

Robin Yount, Mil.: 385 pts. - 27 of 28 first place votes, 98% share

Eddie Murray, Balt.: 228 pts. – 58% share

Doug DeCinces, Cal.: 178 pts. – 45% share

Hal McRae, KC: 175 pts. – 45% share

Cecil Cooper, Mil.: 152 pts. – 39% share

(1 first place vote for Reggie Jackson, Cal., who ranked sixth)

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Brewers went 95-67 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 1 game over the Baltimore Orioles, while leading the league in runs scored (891), home runs (216), RBIs (843), slugging (.455), and total bases (2606). The struggling Brewers came to life after manager Buck Rodgers was replaced by Harvey Kuenn in June. “Harvey’s Wallbangers” were primarily heralded for their hitting and went 72-43 the rest of the way, surviving the loss of bullpen ace Rollie Fingers in the final month and a surge by the Orioles, who they defeated in the season’s last game to clinch the division title. Won ALCS over the California Angels, 3 games to 2. Lost World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 3 despite Milwaukee’s batting heroics.

Aftermath of ‘82:

Yount followed up with another strong season in 1983, even though he was hampered by a back injury while the Brewers dropped to fifth in the AL East. Bothered by a sore shoulder in 1984, he finished the season as a Designated Hitter and hit .298 with 27 doubles, 7 triples, 16 home runs and 80 RBIs. Yount was shifted to the outfield in 1985 and was limited to 122 games as his shoulder injury required surgery. Still, he batted .277 with 15 home runs and 68 RBIs. Installed in center field in 1986, the position he would play for the remainder of his career, Yount hit .312 with 9 home runs and 46 RBIs while scoring a team-leading 82 runs. He was better offensively in 1987, again batting .312 with 21 home runs and 103 RBIs. In 1988 Yount tied for the AL lead with 11 triples to go along with 38 doubles, 13 home runs, 91 RBIs, and a .306 average. He placed eleventh in league MVP voting. He won his second MVP award in 1989 as he batted .318 with 38 doubles, 9 triples, and 21 home runs with 103 RBIs. Yount remained with the Brewers, his only major league team, until 1993, after which he retired at age 38. For his 20-year career he batted .285 with 3142 hits that included 583 doubles, 126 triples, and 251 home runs. He further accumulated 1406 RBIs and 271 stolen bases. The two-time AL MVP was also a three-time All-Star who won a Gold Glove at shortstop and was awarded three Silver Sluggers. The Brewers retired his #19 and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.