1984 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Winfield finished second in the AL in game-winning RBI (21), third in total RBI and tied for fifth in home runs. He had a streaky season: from Opening Day through May 31, he had nine home runs and 35 RBI in 45 games, then had four homers and 17 RBI in his next 35 games; he caught fire with a .350 average, 12 homers and 44 RBI in the following 30 games, then managed only one homer and eight RBI in an ensuing 27-game stretch through the middle of September.
His 37 homers in 1982 represented the most by any right-handed hitter in Yankee history, other than Joe DiMaggio. Winfield is one of nine players to hit 30 homers in both leagues.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Winfield went straight from the campus of the University of Minnesota, where he was 13-1 as a pitcher and hit better than .400 in his senior year and was selected 1973 College World Series MVP, to the starting lineup of the San Diego Padres. Winfield was also drafted by football's Minnesota Vikings and basketball's Utah Stars and Atlanta Hawks.
He signed a huge, long-term contract with the Yankees as a free agent prior to the 1981 season. He might wind up moving from left to center on a permanent basis."
-Tracy Ringolsby, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1984 Edition
"They say his leaping catch into the left field seats at Yankee Stadium against Doug DeCinces might have been the best catch ever made.
They say his throw from deep left center to nail Don Money at second base might have been the strongest throw ever made.
They say his line-drive homer into the center field seats at the Stadium might have been the hardest ball hit in years.
They say his 15 giant steps from first to third might be the fewest any mortal being can take.
They say ... they say ... they say ... but Dave Winfield does.
'It always happens when I come off a road trip and I go into a slump,' he says. 'I get advice from everybody under the sun. I appreciate it, but I know what's wrong. I've put the numbers on the board everyplace I've been, and I have enough confidence in myself to do the same in the future.
'I've paid my dues in more ways than one, and after we lost the Series to the Dodgers in 1981, I was depressed for a while. But then I realized the beautiful part about baseball. There is always a next year, another spring training, another chance to win, another chance to play on a championship team.
'So, here we are ... starting off fresh, another chance.'
And Dave Winfield is back in right field, with his cannon-like right arm and never-ending long legs, ready, willing and certainly able to stop runners from running at will. Fences don't bother him- he jumps over them. Pitchers? Sure, they'll nibble at corners and throw him curves, but he will hit his 30 homers and knock his 100 runs."
-The New York Yankees Official 1984 Yearbook
"Winfield led the Yankees at the plate in 1983 in games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits, triples, homers, RBI, game-winning RBI and walks. He finished second in the AL with 21 GWRBI, third with 116 RBI, fifth with 307 total bases, tied for fifth with 32 homers, tied for fifth with eight triples, seventh with a .513 slugging percentage and tied for eighth with 99 runs scored.
Dave was named to his seventh consecutive All-Star team and contributed three hits in the American League's win. He was selected as AL Player of the Week in two consecutive weeks in the first two weeks of August; from July 15 to August 15, in 30 games, he batted .350 with 41 hits, eight doubles, three triples, 11 homers and 44 RBI. On August 4 at Toronto he fatally beaned a seagull during between-innings warm-ups and was charged by Toronto Police with cruelty to animals, charges that were dropped the next day.
Winfield was named to the UPI and Sporting News AL All-Star teams. He won his second consecutive Gold Glove for outfielders and also won his third straight American League Silver Bat as an outfielder. Dave was named one of Ten Outstanding Young Men of America by the U.S. Jaycees.
Dave went to the major leagues off the campus of the University of Minnesota in 1973, hit safely in his first six major league games and never played in the minor leagues. He played eight seasons with San Diego and holds many Padre batting and outfield defense records. In 1979 Dave finished third in the NL MVP voting behind co-winners Willie Stargell and Keith Hernandez. He was also voted by the players to the Sporting News NL All-Star team and named to both the AP and UPI NL All-Star teams.
In 1981,his first season for the Yankees, Winfield led the team in games, at bats, hits, total bases, doubles, RBI, GWRBI and sacrifice flies. He hit his first home run as a Yankee on April 29 in Detroit off Jack Morris, and his first Yankee Stadium homer on May 23 off Rick Waits. He made his first appearance in postseason competition and was named to the 1981 UPI AL All-Star team. In 1982 he finished second in the AL with a .560 slugging percentage and third with 37 homers. He also led the Yankees with 106 RBI and his 37 home runs were a career high. Joe DiMaggio is the only right-handed Yankee batter to hit more homers in a season (46 in 1937, 39 in 1948). Winfield was the ninth player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season in both leagues (Dick Allen, Bobby Bonds, Jeff Burroughs, Frank Howard, Frank Robinson, Reggie Smith, Dick Stuart, Jason Thompson). Dave was named AL Player of the Month for September (.294, 11HR, 22 RBI, .661 slugging percentage).
At the University of Minnesota, Winfield was 13-1 on the mound in his senior year while batting over .400 in the outfield. He was the Gophers team captain, named a first team All-American and was MVP of the 1973 College World Series. Winfield also played basketball for Minnesota and was drafted in three different sports: Padres in baseball, Vikings in football, and Utah (ABA) and Atlanta (NBA) in basketball.
The David M. Winfield Foundation has received much acclaim for its work with youth groups and contributions to the community. Winfield set up a college scholarship program in his native St. Paul/Minneapolis area and was named 1979 winner of the YMCA Brian Piccolo Award for humanitarian services."
-1984 New York Yankees Information Guide
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