"Wynegar began the 1981 season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery for bone chips in his right elbow and was not activated until May 16. He was on the disabled list again in August with a shoulder injury.
1981 was overall a very disappointing season- especially after he had signed the longest contract (five years) ever offered by the Twins the previous winter. Twins owner Calvin Griffith talked about trading him in September, but conceded there was no catcher in the Twins' system who could match his defensive abilities; Butch had a solid 39 percent success ratio of throwing out baserunners prior to his injury-plagued '81 season and had previously been the most durable catcher in baseball, averaging over 140 games per season.
Born in York, Pennsylvania, Butch began switch-hitting at age nine to imitate his idol, Mickey Mantle."
-Bill Madden, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1982 Edition
"Dreams do come true- just ask Butch Wynegar! After serving the Minnesota Twins for six seasons, Wynegar was traded to the Yankees. Coming to the Yankees also meant coming back to the East where he was born and raised a Yankee fan.
The popular Wynegar was Sporting News Rookie of the Year in 1976 and an All-Star selection in each of his first four seasons in the big leagues. If there is a memorable moment in Butch's career, it has to be his first major league home run off Catfish Hunter in Yankee Stadium.
A very capable backstop, the 6'0", 194-pound Wynegar has an added plus- a strong arm that gives opposing runners something to think about before stealing a base.
For this boyhood fan of Mickey Mantle, pinstripes are what dreams are made of."
-The New York Yankees Official 1982 Yearbook
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