1981 Profile: Bucky Dent

1981 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Russell Earl Dent always knew what his fans had hoped for since he first set foot onto Yankee Stadium turf in 1977. Bucky had the confidence to hit for average and the range to play as fine a shortstop as you'll see anywhere, but he just had to prove it. It wasn't until that date with destiny during the '78 playoff game against the Red Sox that Bucky caught the attention of the entire baseball community. That bright, sunny afternoon at Fenway Park, Bucky took Mike Torrez downtown for a three-run blast that swung all the momentum toward the men in pinstripes. The momentum which would eventually carry the Yankees through the playoffs and on to their last World Championship.
Bucky no longer needs to bask in that shining moment of glory. His pesky bat pounded out 26 doubles last season. He also punched home 52 runners and batted a respectable .262, his highest average as a Yankee. His glimmering work at shortstop produced a .982 fielding percentage- the best among all American League shortstops last summer!
Beginning his fifth season as a resident of the House That Ruth Built, Bucky only foresees a great '81 season. For four seasons, he's paired with the premier second baseman in the league, Willie Randolph, and fans can only notice the best double-play combination in baseball get better with age and experience."

-The New York Yankees Official 1981 Yearbook

"Dent had his best Yankee season in 1980. He was very steady both in the field and at the plate. He led American League shortstops in fielding, .982, just missing the club record of .983 set by Fred Stanley. Dent had the same amount of errors (13) in 76 more chances than Gold Glove winner Alan Trammell. At the plate he posted his highest average (.262) since he hit .264 in 1975, and drove in 52 runs, fifth on the club.
Bucky's biggest day was September 3 when he drove in five runs with a single, a double and a triple against Oakland. He missed two weeks of the '80 season with a badly slashed right wrist suffered in Oakland in mid-June while tagging Tony Armas at second.
Originally signed by the White Sox, Bucky first made it to the majors in 1973. In his rookie 1974 season, he finished second to Mike Hargrove for Rookie of the Year honors, was named shortstop on the Topps All-Rookie team, and led the AL in sacrifice bunts with 23. He also tied for the league lead in double plays. Bucky's best all-around year was 1975 when he drove in 58 runs while leading the league's shortstops in fielding (.981), putouts, assists, double plays and total chances; he was named to the All-Star team that year.
Dent came to the Yankees after the 1976 season and began his first of four years as Willie Randolph's double-play partner. He hit a career high of eight home runs in '77 and played his usual steady shortstop. 1978 was an injury-plagued year (pulled right hamstring) and was the first year he failed to play in 154 or more games, yet he finished third in the league with a .981 fielding percentage.
Bucky won the 1978 pennant with his three-run homer off Mike Torrez in the playoff game at Fenway. He capped off the year by hitting .417 in the World Series (10-for-24) with seven RBIs and earning World Series MVP honors. He fell off at the plate in 1979, but hit .270 with men in scoring position and was his usual steady self in the field, finishing second in the AL at .977.
Dent grew up in the Miami area and played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion ball in Hialeah, earning All-State honors as a halfback at Hialeah High School. He attended Miami Dade North J.C., where he was an All-American infielder, and was a roommate of Rich Gossage when they were together in the White Sox organization. The first time Bucky saw a major league game, he played in it.
He starred in a movie with the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders after the 1978 season."

-1981 New York Yankees Media Guide