"Although his average dropped somewhat, he was enjoying one of his more productive seasons when he tore ligaments in his hand sliding into second against Chicago in late August and was through for the season. The Yanks missed his steady hand at shortstop as he hasn't lost anything in the field.
Born in Savannah, Georgia, Bucky grew up in the Miami area and signed with the White Sox out of Miami Dade North J.C. He will always be remembered for his autumn of 1978, when his home run beat the Red Sox in the AL East Playoff and his .417 average against the Dodgers won him World Series MVP honors.
One deficiency is his lack of speed, but you'd never know it by the way he covers shortstop."
-Bill Madden, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1982 Edition
"After appearing in the movies, having his poster plastered on bedroom walls all over the country and hitting a historic home run against the Boston Red Sox, Bucky Dent should be able to sit back and enjoy life the way Floridians usually do. Sip a cool drink, take a dip in the pool and work on his seemingly everlasting tan. This 5'11", 180-pound Southern boy could simply let all the accolades roll his way. To this, Russell Earl Dent politely says, 'No thank you!'
After hurting his hand while sliding late last season, Bucky chose to spend his off-season time working out and rehabilitating. A daily regimen of lifting weights, running and playing racquetball were just some of his personal requirements to get back into the shape of a well-disciplined professional athlete. Nineteen Eighty-Two was fast approaching and Bucky couldn't afford to lose any edge over the competition.
After coming to the Yankees in April of '77, Bucky has done a job nothing short of sensational. He'll make those great plays from deep in the hole and he'll get you those all-important hits late in a game. How does he do it? It's basically dedication and hard work. Something today's young athletes would do well to remember and try to emulate as they strive for careers in professional sports."
-The New York Yankees Official 1982 Yearbook
"Dent was having another steady season in 1981 in the field and at the plate when he tore a ligament in his right ring finger on August 30, requiring surgery and forcing him out of action for the remainder of the year. He was voted to the starting lineup of the American League All-Star team for the second consecutive year.
Bucky had six home runs in the first half of the season, trailing Gamble, Nettles and Winfield with seven each for the team lead. He hit a three-run game-winning homer on Opening Day, had a four-RBI game on May 6 at Oakland and hit into a triple play on May 23 at Cleveland.
In his rookie season, Dent finished second to Mike Hargrove for Rookie of the Year honors but was named the shortstop on the Topps All-Rookie team. He came to the Yankees after the 1976 season and began his first of five years as Willie Randolph's double play partner. 1978 was an injury-plagued year (pulled right hamstring), yet Bucky won the 1978 Eastern Division playoff game with a three-run homer off Mike Torrez at Fenway. He capped off that year by hitting .417 (10-for-24) in the World Series with seven RBIs, earning World Series MVP honors.
Dent grew up in the Miami area. He played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion ball in Hialeah and earned All-State honors as a halfback at Hialeah High School. He attended Miami Dade North Junior College where he was an All-American infielder.
Bucky was a roommate of Rich Gossage when they were together in the White Sox organization. The first time he ever saw a major league game in person, he played in it."
-1982 New York Yankees Media Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment