1985 Profile: Don Mattingly

1985 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Mattingly won the AL batting title in his first season in the majors. He posted a .343 mark, nipping teammate Dave Winfield by going 4-for-5 on the final day of the season. Mattingly showed startling power, too- he had never hit more than 10 home runs in any minor league season, although he did have a composite .332 average for five seasons in the bushes. He finished 1984 as the league leader in hits, doubles and average, and was second in the AL in slugging percentage (.537), 10th in on-base percentage (.381) and tied for fifth in RBI. Don had three five-hit games.
Don began the 1984 season slated for reserve duty at first base and in the outfield- now it'll take an explosion to dislodge him from daily duty at first. Born in Evansville, Indiana, he was drafted in the 19th round in 1979 because many teams expected him to accept a college scholarship. His brother Randy was a pro football player.
Mattingly is a hustler, an excellent defensive player and the Yankees' answer to the Mets' Darryl Stawberry."

-Tracy Ringolsby, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1985 Edition

"For many players, winning a batting crown is the epitome of one's career. And there's nothing wrong with that- batting crowns don't come by every day. One AL batting champion who's well aware of that is Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly.
Don is proud of what he accomplished in 1984 as he became a scourge to pitchers with his .343 average. But Mattingly is the first to admit one year does not a career make. He wants more.
'I would have been proud of my season whether I won the title or not,' Mattingly said at spring training. 'I'm coming in here feeling like I have to earn a job. I don't want to back away from the way I play. I want more.' Even an off-season knee injury hasn't discouraged the man who powered 23 home runs and 110 RBI, best on the team.
'If I have as good a year as last year, I'd be happy. But who says I can't do more?' Good point."

-The New York Yankees Official 1985 Yearbook

"Mattingly moved into prominence as a bona fide star in the American League. He did not start until April 7 at Texas as a left fielder. He started his first game at first base on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on April 10 against Minnesota and became the regular first baseman on April 25. Named to his first AL All-Star team in his first full major league season, he was the first Yankee to win the AL batting championship since Mickey Mantle in 1956, battling teammate Dave Winfield to the last day of the season and winning .343 to .340. Don was the Yankees' first left-handed batter to hit .340 since Lou Gehrig hit .351 in 1937.
In addition to batting average, Don led the AL with 207 hits, 44 doubles and 59 multiple-hit games; was second with a .537 slugging percentage, tied for fourth with 69 extra-base hits, fifth with 310 total bases, tied for fifth with 110 RBI and tenth with a .381 on-base percentage. His 207 hits were the most by a Yankee since Bobby Richardson's 209 in 1962, his 44 doubles were the most by a Yankee since Red Rolfe's league leading 46 in 1939, and his 603 at-bats were the most by a Yankee since Thurman Munson's 617 and Chris Chambliss' 625 in 1978.
Mattingly hit .331 in 45 games against lefites and .348 in 108 games against righties. At .364, he was the top road hitter in the AL and also led league road hitters with 117 hits, 179 total bases, 25 doubles, 61 RBI, a .558 slugging average and a .407 slugging average.
Don was held hitless in only 36 games (three were pinch-hit appearances). He doubled in six straight games (April 22-28), had three five-hit games, five two-double games (tying Ken Griffey for the team high) and two five-RBI games. Don hit an inside-the-park home run on May 5, and with Winfield and Don Baylor hit one of three consecutive home runs in the sixth inning on May 29 at California.
Mattingly had super hot streaks of 12-for-23 (.522 BA) May 5-10, 16-for-26 (.615 BA) May 25-30, 10-for-24 (.417 BA) June 16-22 and 26-for-55 (.473 BA) August 15-28. His longest hitting streak was 13 games, August 15-28, along with other hitting streaks of ten (twice), nine, eight, seven (three times), six and five games.
He led AL first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage, making only five errors in 1,236 total chances. Don has gone 83 straight games without committing an error at first, last doing so on June 22 at Baltimore.
Don had a terrific rookie season in 1983. He won the James P. Dawson Award as the top Yankee rookie in spring training camp and was in the Yankees starting lineup for the home opener. Optioned to Columbus on April 14, he hit eight home runs with 39 RBI and a .340 average there and was recalled on June 20 when Bobby Murcer retired. Don hit his first major league homer off John Tudor on June 24 at Fenway Park. He hit in 24 of 25 games, July 13- August 11, going hitless (0-for-2) in both ends of the Pine Tar Game (July 24 and August 18). He played one-third of an inning at second base in the August 18 conclusion of the Pine Tar Game.
Mattingly was named South Atlantic League MVP in 1980. In 1981, he was Yankee Minor League Player of the Year, led the Southern League in doubles and was named to the Southern League All-Star team as well as to the Topps Class AA All-Star team as an outfielder. He was named an International League All-Star as an outfielder in 1982 and his outstanding season earned him a promotion to the Yankees in September.
Don was drafted late as teams expected him to accept a college scholarship. Signed by Yankee scouts Jax Robertson and Gust Poulos, he had a .332 (611-for-1842) career minor league batting average.
He attended Evansville (IN) Memorial High where he played baseball, basketball and football. Don played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion ball in Evansville. His brother Randy played pro football.
Don enjoys racquetball."

-1985 New York Yankees Information Guide