1981 Milwaukee Brewers Season
The 1981 Milwaukee Brewers season was the franchise's 13th overall season and 12th season based in Milwaukee. The Brewers finished first in American League East during the second half of the split season (caused by the 1981 Major League Baseball strike) and compiled an overall record of 62 wins and 47 losses. The team advanced to the postseason for the first time in franchise history due to their second-half first-place finish, but lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. Rollie Fingers became the first relief pitcher in the history of the American League to win the MVP Award. Offseason * December 12, 1980: Sixto Lezcano, David Green, Lary Sorensen and Dave LaPoint were traded by the Brewers to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ted Simmons, Rollie Fingers and Pete Vuckovich. * January 13, 1981: Ernest Riles was drafted by the Brewers in the 3rd round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft (Secondary phase). * February 21, 1981: Paul Hartzell was signed as ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
American League East
The American League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. MLB consists of an East, Central, and West division for each of its two 15-team leagues, the American League (AL) and National League (NL). This division was created before the start of the season along with the American League West division. Before that time, each league consisted of 10 teams without any divisions. Four of the division's five teams are located in the Eastern United States, with the other team, the Toronto Blue Jays, in Eastern Canada. It is currently the only division that contains a non-American team. At the end of the MLB season, the team with the best record in the division earns one of the AL's six Major League Baseball postseason, playoff spots. The most recent team to win this division was the New York Yankees in . History Baseball writers have long posited that the American League East is the toughest division in MLB; during its 50-year existence, an AL East team has gone on to pla ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Split Season
A split season is a schedule format implemented in a variety of sports leagues. The season is divided into two parts, with the winners of both halves playing each other at the end for the overall championship. Split seasons are usually found in sports with longer seasons, such as baseball, basketball, and association football. They are common in scholastic sports, specifically basketball, in the United States. A number of Minor League Baseball leagues also use split seasons. In Latin America, some association football leagues use a similar format known as Apertura and Clausura. Baseball Major League Baseball Major League Baseball has used split seasons twice in its history. 1892 In 1892, the National League decided to split its season in an attempt to increase interest, following the collapse of the rival American Association. The Boston Beaneaters won the first half of the season, while the Cleveland Spiders took the second half. Boston defeated Cleveland 5 games to 0, with on ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Ernest Riles
Ernest Riles (born October 2, 1960) is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. From 1985 through 1993, Riles played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1985–1988), San Francisco Giants (1988–1990), Oakland Athletics (1991), Houston Astros (1992) and Boston Red Sox (1993) of the Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Career Riles grew up in Georgia where he was the youngest child in a family of ten boys and one girl. He played baseball his entire life and idolized Bert Campaneris as a child. He attended Bainbridge High School in Bainbridge, Georgia where he was coached by John Palermo. He was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft. In 1983, he led the Texas League in batting average (.349), on-base percentage (.450) and OPS (.958), being promoted to Triple-A Pacific Coast League the next year. Riles debuted with the Brewers in the 1985 mid-season. In his first major league stint, he ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Pete Vuckovich
Peter Dennis Vuckovich ''(VOO-koh-vich)'' (born October 27, 1952) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1975 to 1986. He came across as an intimidating presence on the mound with his 6'4" (1.93 m) 215 lb (100 kg) frame and horseshoe moustache. Vuckovich was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1974. Despite a notable 12-year career as a professional baseball player, he is known mainly for his role as fictional Yankees slugger Clu Haywood, the chief nemesis of Charlie Sheen's character Ricky Vaughn, in the popular 1989 film '' Major League''. Vuckovich graduated from Conemaugh Valley High School then went on to Clarion University to play baseball. Nearly 30 years to the day after the Chicago White Sox drafted Vuckovich they drafted his son, Peter Vuckovich, Jr., who also attended both Conemaugh Valley High School and Clarion University, in the 48th round of the 2004 amateur draft. Vuckovi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Ted Simmons
Ted Lyle Simmons (born August 9, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. A switch-hitter, Simmons was a catcher for most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1968–1980), the Milwaukee Brewers (1981–1985) and the Atlanta Braves (1986–1988). Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Johnny Bench, Simmons is considered one of the best Batting (baseball), hitting catchers in MLB history. While his power numbers paled in comparison to Bench, Simmons still managed to hit for a higher batting average (baseball), batting average despite playing home games in a notoriously tough hitter's park. At the time of his retirement, Simmons led all catchers in career hits and doubles and ranked second in RBIs behind Yogi Berra and second in total bases behind Carlton Fisk. He also retired with the National League record for home runs by a switch-hitter despite playing several years in the American League. Simmons ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Dave LaPoint
David Jeffrey LaPoint (born July 29, 1959) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the manager of the Rockland Boulders, an American professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York and member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball known as the Can-Am League. Early life LaPoint was born in Glens Falls, New York, and attended Glens Falls High School, where he was a star baseball player alongside future fellow Major League Baseball player David Palmer. He graduated in 1977. Professional career Milwaukee Brewers Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 10th round (237th overall) of the 1977 MLB amateur entry draft, LaPoint would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Milwaukee Brewers on September 10, 1980. St. Louis Cardinals On December 12, 1980, LaPoint was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with Lary Sorensen, David Green, and Sixto Lezcano for Ted Simmons, Rollie Fingers, and Pete Vuckovich. He pitched in St. Louis until 1 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Lary Sorensen
Lary Alan Sorensen (born October 4, 1955) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1977–1980), St. Louis Cardinals (1981), Cleveland Indians (1982–1983), Oakland Athletics (1984), Chicago Cubs (1985), Montreal Expos (1987) and San Francisco Giants (1988). Baseball career Sorensen attended the University of Michigan, and in 1975 he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was selected by the Brewers in the 8th round of the 1976 MLB Draft. In an 11-season career, Sorensen posted a 93–103 record with a 4.15 ERA and 69 complete games, 10 shutouts, 569 strikeouts and 402 walks in 346 games (235 as a starter) totalling 1,736.1 innings pitched. In 1978, Sorensen won a career-high 18 games for the Brewers and made the American League All-Star team. He worked three innings and, after allowing a leadoff infield single to Larry Bowa, retired nine batters in a row ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
David Green (baseball)
David Alejandro Green Casaya (December 4, 1960 – January 29, 2022) was a Nicaraguan professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Between 1981 and 1987, he spent parts of six seasons in the MLB. He was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals for five of those years, and he also spent one season with the San Francisco Giants. Early life Green was born in Managua, Nicaragua, on December 4, 1960. He was one of ten children of Edward Green Sinclair and Bertha Casaya. His father was a very successful baseball player in Nicaragua, as an outfielder for the Cinco Estrellas club of Managua and the Nicaragua national baseball team. Green was raised in a primarily Spanish-speaking home in the primarily Creole-speaking city of Bluefields. His sisters, Isabel and Carlota, were noted basketball players. Green is considered to have been born in 1960, although there has been some debate about his age. Career Milwaukee Brewers (1979–19 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Sixto Lezcano
Sixto Joaquin Lezcano Curras (born November 28, 1953) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 12 seasons (1974–1985). He played for five MLB teams and won a Gold Glove during his career. Born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Lezcano attended Fernando Collegio San Jose High School in San Jose, Puerto Rico. Playing career In 1970, at age 16, Lezcano was signed as an amateur free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers. After spending four seasons in their minor league system, he reached the big leagues for the first time in 1974; Lezcano made his big league debut on September 10, 1974. Lezcano became the Brewers' starting right fielder in 1975, a job he held for the next six seasons. Lezcano showed a particularly strong throwing arm in right field, and led American League (AL) outfielders in assists, in 1978. The article erroneously states he also led National League outfielders in assists in 1983; he actually did so in 1982 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). Until 2020, the winners received the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award, which became the official name of the award in 1944, in honor of the first MLB commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who served from 1920 until his death on November 25, 1944. Starting in 2020, Landis’ name no longer appeared on the MVP trophy after the BBWAA received complaints from several former MVP winners about the late Commissioner’s role against integration of MLB. MVP voting takes place before the postseason, but the results are not announced until after the World Series. The BBWAA began by polling three writers in each league city in 1938, reducing that number to two per league city in 1961.Gillette & Palmer, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major league status. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season, 25 years after the formation of the National League (the "Senior Circuit"). At the end of every season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion; two seasons did not end in playing a World Series (1904, when the National League champion New York Giants refused to play their AL counterpart, and 1994, when a players' strike prevented the Series). Through 2021, American League teams have won 66 of the 117 World Series played since 1903, with 27 of those coming from the New York Yankees alone. The New York ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Rollie Fingers
Roland Glen Fingers (born August 25, 1946) is an American former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for three teams between 1968 and 1985, when his effectiveness helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and to usher in the modern closer role. A seven-time All-Star, he led the major leagues in saves three times, and was named Rolaids Relief Man of the Year four times. He first gained prominence as a member of the Oakland Athletics championship teams of the early 1970s, when his flamboyant handlebar mustache made him perhaps the most identifiable member of The Mustache Gang which led Oakland to become the only non-New York Yankees team ever to win three consecutive World Series titles. Fingers was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1974 World Series after earning a win in the opener and saves in the last three games to secure the title. Fingers joined the San Diego Padres as a free agent after the 1976 season, and led the major ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |