"Learning to overcome back problems that robbed him of superstar status. His '92 home run total matched his two previous seasons combined. Mattingly topped the Yankees in batting average, hits, doubles, runs and RBI. He posted his highest total of doubles since 1986 and ranks fourth on the club's all-time list in that category. He did fail to hit .300 for the third consecutive year after six straight seasons above that mark, although the peerless first baseman added a seventh Gold Glove to his collection.
Mattingly set a Hall of Fame pace early in his career, capturing the batting title with a .343 average in 1984. He earned AL MVP honors the following season by knocking in 145 runs, the most by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio's 155 in 1948. Mattingly set club marks with 248 hits and 53 doubles in 1986, set a major league mark with six grand slams in 1987 and tied another standard by homering in eight consecutive games.
Born April 20, 1961, in Evansville, Indiana, Mattingly was not chosen until the 19th round of the 1979 draft."
-Tony DeMarco (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) and Tom Pedulla (Gannett Newspapers), The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1993 Edition
"How did it happen that Don Mattingly has gone from a young prospect with Stan Musial-like potential to an elder statesman with possible Hall of Fame credentials? How has he grown so fast to become a respected leader, team captain, solid civic-conscious citizen and legendary Yankee who continues his assault on a myriad of team records? Where has the time gone?
Mattingly, 32, now is in his 11th season as the Yankees' first baseman. He is among the top 10 Yankees in hits, doubles, home runs and RBI.
The 1992 season was one of vindication for Mattingly, who shrugged off the injury and frustration of the previous two years and refuted the notion that he is a member of the 'Over the Hill Gang.' He played in all but five games last year, brought his home run total back into double figures (14), hiked his RBI total to a more Mattingly-like 86, and won a seventh Gold Glove.
But it's the magic wand he wields at the plate that has set him apart from the crowd. He is among baseball's top six in hits, RBI and batting average over the past decade.
Clearly, this is not a tale of unfulfilled potential. Rather, it's a story of one of the game's most productive performers. His best days may be behind him, but there are plenty of good days ahead for Don Mattingly.
And maybe Cooperstown beckons."
-The New York Yankees Official 1993 Yearbook
"The Hitman is back. Mattingly posted team-leading numbers in virtually every category, hitting .288 with 40 doubles, 14 home runs and 86 RBIs.
He had a typical Matting April, hitting .232 with two homers and nine RBIs. After starting the season 7-for-20 he finished the month with 12 hits in 62 at-bats. He played all but one game in April, missing the final game of the month with tendinitis in his right pinky finger.
Don started with a bang, getting three hits on Opening Day. He hit his first home on April 11 at Detroit (off Bill Gullickson) and his second on April 16 at Toronto (off Jack Morris).
His batting average climbed in May, with Don hitting .254 with four homers and 17 RBIs for the month. On May 10 at Oakland, he struck out three times for only the third time in his career. He suffered through a season-worst 0-for-13 skid in the middle of the month. A 1-for-5 effort on May 13 against Seattle dropped his average to a season low .217.
Don's bat became hot for the final 13 games of the month, hitting .327 (18-for-55) to raise his batting average from .219 to .250. On May 23 against Milwaukee, he hit a game-tying, 8th inning two-run homer. Mattingly capped the month by hitting home runs in consecutive games at Milwaukee, on May 30 (off Chris Bosio) and May 31 (off Ricky Bones), with the second being a game-tying 9th inning solo homer.
In June he continued to show progress with the bat, hitting .310 with three home runs and 15 RBIs. He hit safely in 24 of 28 games during the month. Mattingly hit in the second and fourth spots in the batting until June 24, when in the 69th game he was moved into the third spot for the first time in 1992.
Mattingly capped the month by hitting safely in his final 13 games, raising his average from .250 to .272. From June 18-July 3, he hit in a season long 15 straight games, with an average of .403 (25-for-62), raising his overall average over .280 for the first time since April 19.
Going into the break, Don was hitting .279 with nine homers and 45 RBIs. In the field at the break, he had made one error in 777 chances. He reached base safely in the final 23 games before the break.
Don hit safely in 22 of 25 July contests for a mark of .330. From July 17-20 he drove in five runs over four games.
He hit .280 in August and on August 19 had his third four-hit game of 1992, getting three infield hits. He also had seven RBIs in a five-game stretch from August 17-21. He ended the month with one hit in his final 19 at-bats.
Don hit .296 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in September/October. He went 4-for-5 on September 12 against Kansas City, his fourth four-hit game of the season. His numbers after the break were a .298 batting average with five homers and 41 RBIs.
For the 1992 season, Mattingly led the club in games, at-bats, batting average, RBIs, runs, hits, doubles and multi-hit games. He was third in bases on balls and fifth in home runs. In the American League, he ranked third in doubles, fifth in at-bats and hardest to strike out (1:16 plate appearances), sixth in hits and tied for seventh in multi-hit games (50).
He had his first 40-double season since 1986 (53). It was his fourth 40-double season, third most in Yankee history behind Lou Gehrig (7) and Bob Meusel (5). He played in 157 games and has now played 150-plus games in six seasons, becoming the sixth Yankee to do so (Gehrig, Graig Nettles, Wally Pipp, Bobby Richardson, Babe Ruth). Mattingly led the club in RBIs for the sixth time, the first Yankee to lead the team in RBIs in at least six seasons since Yogi Berra (1949-55).
Mattingly ranks high on many of the all-time Yankee lists: games played at first base, 3rd (1,282) ... doubles, 4th (363) ... batting average, 8th (.311) ... Yankee Stadium home runs, 8th (115) ... RBIs, 9th (913) ... hits, 10th (1,754) ... home runs, 10th (192) ... at-bats, 13th (5,643) ... games played, 16th (1,426) ... runs 16th (808).
In 1992 Don started a club-high 153 games (1B-138, DH-15). He started penciled in second in the batting order in 60 games, third 63 times and fourth 30 times. Don hit .313 batting third.
He hit a team-best .313 (50-for-160) with runners in scoring position and drove home 17 of 35 runners from third base with less than two out. He was 3-for-5 with six RBIs with the bases loaded, and for his career with the bases loaded has hit .286 (28-for-98) with six grand slams.
Don hit .349 (105-for-301) with seven home runs and 46 RBIs in Yankee wins and .233 (79-for-339) with seven homers and 40 RBIs in Yankee losses. Over the past four seasons, he has hit 91 points higher in wins, .337 (339-for-1006) with 29 home runs and 183 RBIs, than in losses, .246 (306-for-1246) with 22 homers and 126 RBIs.
He hit .317 (6 HR, 42 RBI) at home and .261 (8 HR, 44 RBI) on the road. He hit .284 (2 HR) against left-handed pitching and .289 (12 HR) against right-handers. Don went 0-for-4 on his birthday and on eight birthdays with the Yankees has hit .323 (10-for-31) with two home runs and seven RBIs. He had no sacrifice bunts in 1992, his last coming on June 18, 1986, against Boston- getting 4,175 plate appearances since then.
Mattingly remained among baseball's elite in fielding in 1992. He led American League first basemen with a .997 fielding percentage, winning his seventh Rawlings Gold Glove (having won in1985-89, 1991-92). He made just four errors in 1,330 chances and was third in the league in assists and double plays and fourth in putouts and chances.
Mattingly tied the Yankee single-season record for fielding percentage among first basemen, joining Chris Chambliss (1978) and Joe Pepitone (1965). His .996 career fielding percentage is the highest in American League history and is tied for the highest in major league history with Steve Garvey and Wes Parker. Mattingly has earned more Gold Gloves than any other Yankee (since Gold Gloves were first awarded in 1957), surpassing Ron Guidry, Bobby Richardson and Dave Winfield, who each won five. His seven Gold Gloves ranks tied for third most among MLB first basemen (with Vic Power and Bill White), behind Keith Hernandez (11) and George Scott (8).
He signed a five-year contract on April 9, 1990. The contract extends through the 1995 season.
In 1979 Don was selected by the Yankees in the 19th round of the June draft. He was drafted late as teams expected him to accept a college scholarship. He was signed by Yankee scouts Jax Robertson and Gust Poulos.
He was named South Atlantic League MVP in 1980. In 1981, Mattingly was named Yankee Minor League Player of the Year, led the Southern League in doubles and was named to the Topps and Southern League [Class AA] All-Star teams 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.
Mattingly was promoted on September 7 with Steve Balboni, Curt Kaufman and Mike Patterson. He made his major league debut on September 8 against Baltimore, replacing Dave Winifield in left field. His first at-bat came on September 11 against Milwaukee (Jim Slaton). He notched his first career hit on October 1 against Boston, an 11th inning off Sammy Stewart.
Don had a terrific rookie season in 1983. He won the James P. Dawson Award as the top Yankee rookie in spring training and was in the starting lineup for the Yankee home opener. Optioned to Columbus on April 14, he hit eight home runs with 37 RBIs and a .340 batting average with the Clippers before his recall 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 that game. He played first base on July 4th when Dave Righetti no-hit the Red Sox.
In 1984, Mattingly became the first Yankee to win the American League batting championship since Mickey Mantle in 1956, battling teammate Dave Winfield to the last day of the season, winning .343 to .340. He was named to his first AL All-Star team in his first full season in the majors.
He led the AL with 207 hits, 44 doubles and 59 multiple-hit games, was second with a .537 slugging percentage and was the top road hitter in the AL at .364. Don was the first Yankee left-handed batter to hit .340 since Lou Gehrig hit .351 in 1937. He also led AL first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage, making only five errors in 1,236 total chances.
In a phenomenal 1985 season, displaying prowess with bat and glove in notching MVP honors, Mattingly outdistanced George Brett in the voting, 367-274, and received 23 of 28 first place votes (Brett received the other five). He became the first Yankee to win the award since Thurman Munson also outdistanced Brett in 1976.
Mattingly led the majors with 145 RBIs, 48 doubles and 15 sacrifice flies and led the American League with 370 total bases, 21 game-winning RBIs and 86 extra-base hits. He was second in the AL with 211 hits, a .567 slugging percentage and 66 multiple-hit games, third with a .324 batting average, fourth with 35 home runs and tied for sixth with 107 runs. He also led AL first basemen with a .995 fielding percentage.
His 145 RBIs were the most by a Yankee since DiMaggio had 155 in 1948, and he was the first Yankee to lead the AL in RBIs since Roger Maris in 1961; he reached the 100 RBI plateau on August 20- the earliest by a Yankee since Maris and Mantle recorded their 100th on August 4 and August 6, respectively, in 1961. He drove in Rickey Henderson with 56 of his 145 RBIs. He was the first player to lead the majors in RBIs and strike out as few as 41 times since Ted Kluszewski led the bigs with 141 RBIs in 1954 while striking out 35 times.
His 211 hits were the most by a Yankee since Red Rolfe's 213 in 1939. Mattingly was the first Yankee to collect 200+ hits in consecutive seasons since DiMaggio in 1936-37.
He was the first AL player to lead the majors in doubles in consecutive seasons since Tris Speaker in 1920-23 and was the first player to lead the AL in doubles in consecutive seasons since Tony Oliva in 1969-70. His 48 doubles is the third highest single-season total in Yankee history, and his 652 at-bats is the eighth highest total in Yankee history.
Don was the first Yankee to have 600+ at-bats in consecutive seasons since Chris Chambliss in 1976-78. Don's 159 games led the team and is the second highest total by a Yankee at first base (he played 160 in '86). The only two games Mattingly missed during the season came on May 26-27 at Oakland when he was suffering from a groin pull.
Don suffered a minor tear of the medial meniscus cartilage in his right knee in February while working out with weights at his Evansville, Indiana home. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the damage on February 22 and his rehabilitation caused him to miss the first 18 spring training games. Upon his return, Don homered in his first at-bat on March 26.
He didn't hit his first [regular season] home run until May 5, off Kansas City's Bud Black. He committed his first error on July 7 against Minnesota, breaking a streak of 153 games (1,371 total chances), dating back to June 22, 1984, of not committing an error at first base. He had the first two-homer game of his career on August 2 (both homers hit off Chicago's Britt Burns).
He underwent minor surgery on November 12 to correct a catch in the extensor tendon of his right hand's little finger- little to no rehabilitation was required.
The 1985 American League MVP, who would be runner-up in the 1986 MVP voting behind Roger Clemens, had another remarkable season in 1986, supporting a mid-season New York Times poll of 417 major league players that named Mattingly the best player in the game.
He led the majors with 238 hits, a .573 slugging percentage, 388 total bases (leading the majors for the second consecutive year), 86 extra-base hits (also leading the majors for the second consecutive year) and 53 doubles (leading the majors for the third consecutive year- the first player to lead the American League or the major leagues three straight years since Tris Speaker from 1920-23).
He was slowed in spring training of 1986 by a bone bruise of the left thumb, playing only 16 of 28 exhibition games, hitting .300 with six RBIs. Don recorded his 500th career hit with his first hit on Opening Day on April 8 against Kansas City. He did not hit his first home run until his 81st at-bat on April 30 against Minnesota off Bert Blyleven. Don tied the major league record with three sacrifice flies on May 3 against Texas.
He went into the final series of the season trailing Boston's Wade Boggs .357 to .350 in the American League batting race. While Boggs sat out the four-game set with a sore right hamstring, Don went 8-for-19 (.421 BA) with five runs, two doubles, two homers and four RBIs. Given the number of at-bats for Mattingly in that series (19), he would have needed 12 hits to overtake Boggs (the averages would have been .3574 for Mattingly and .3568 for Boggs).
His 238 hits broke the former Yankee record of 231 set in 1927 by Earle Combs; his 232nd hit, which broke the record, came in the seventh inning on October 2 at Fenway Park off Sammy Stewart. His 388 total bases were the most by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio posted 418 in 1937 and the most in the AL since Jim Rice's 406 in 1978, and equaled the fourth highest total in the majors since 1939; Mattingly became the 10th player to lead the majors in total bases two consecutive years, the first since Mike Schmidt in 1980-81, and the only Yankee besides Babe Ruth in 1923-24. His 53 doubles broke the Yankee mark of 52 set in 1927 by Lou Gehrig; his 53rd came in the fourth inning of New York's final game on October 5 at Fenway off Jeff Sellers.
His final batting average of .352 was second in the majors, his 117 runs was third in the majors and third in the AL, his 15 game-winning RBI tied for third in the majors and tied for first in the AL, his 113 RBIs was fifth in the majors and third in the AL, his .394 on-base percentage was seventh in the majors and fifth in the AL, and his 31 home runs tied for seventh in the majors and tied for sixth in the AL.
Mattingly was the first Yankee to hit .350 or better since Mickey Mantle hit .365 in 1957, and the first Yankee left-handed hitter to hit .350 or better since Lou Gehrig hit .351 in 1937. His .352 average was the highest by a Yankee left-handed hitter since Gehrig hit .354 and Bill Dickey hit .362 in 1936. Mattingly became only the eighth Yankee to ever hit at least .352, joining Babe Ruth (eight times), Gehrig (5), Joe DiMaggio (3), Mantle (2), Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri and Bill Dickey- all are Hall of Famers.
He became the 11th player in major league history, and the first in 27 years (Hank Aaron in 1959), to finish with at least 200 hits, a .350 BA, 30 homers and 100 RBIs- the others were Lou Gehrig (five times), Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby (three each), Chuck Klein, Jimmie Foxx and Stan Musial (twice each), Lefty O'Doul, Hack Wilson and Joe Medwick. He became the first AL player to record 230 hits, 100 RBIs and 30 homers (accomplished by six National Leaguers, most recently by Musial in 1948). Mattingly became the first player to lead the Yankees in average, hits, doubles and RBIs three straight years since Gehrig, 1932-34. His 53 doubles were the most in the majors since Hal McRae had 54 for Kansas City in 1977. He was the first Yankee to record 200+ hits three consecutive years since Lou Gehrig in 1930-32.
He hit .305 with runners in scoring position and his 79 multi-hit games led the club. 40 of the 113 runs driven in by Mattingly were scored by Rickey Henderson. Don had a career high 24-game hitting streak, the longest streak of his career, and the seventh longest hitting streak in Yankee history as well as being the longest in the AL in 1986. His final batting average of .352 was the highest point reached by Mattingly throughout the year. 0-for-12 was his longest 0-for of the season. His 677 at-bats in '86 is the fourth highest total in Yankee history, trailing only Horace Clarke's total of 686 in 1970, and Bobby Richardson's totals of 679 in 1964 and Yankee record of 692 in 1962.
Don became the fifth Yankee to play in 162 games in a single season, joining Richardson (1962), Roy White (1970 and 1973) and Chris Chambliss (1978). Through the end of '86 Don had played in 282 consecutive games (the final 120 of '85, 162 in '86). He missed just six innings of play in '86.
His .996 fielding percentage led AL first basemen for the third consecutive year and he's the only Yankee to ever lead the league in fielding percentage three straight years at any position. He led AL first basemen with 160 games and 1,483 total chances and won his second consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Don became the first left-handed third baseman since Mike Squires played 13 games at third for the White Sox in 1984, and the first such Yankee third baseman since Hal Chase played one game there in 1908.
Mattingly began his superb 1987 season slowly, hitting .175 on April 15 after nine games. He had his first career three-strikeout game on April 13 against Cleveland. His batting average was as low as .239 on May 9, after 29 games. Don then went hit .398 from May 10 through June 4.
Before the June 4 game at Milwaukee, Don's back was injured when he was wrestled in the clubhouse by Bob Shirley. He tried to play, going 2-for-3 with an RBI before the pain became too severe to continue. His innings missed in that game were his first since August 7, 1986 (he missed only six innings all of '86), and that game was the last of a string of 335 consecutive games played (final 120 of 1985, 162 in '86 and the first 53 of '87), Don last sitting out on May 27, 1985. Tests later taken at NYU Medical Center revealed a disc problem in his back, forcing him to be placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 9. Activated from the disabled list on June 24, the Yankees were 11-7 during Mattingly's absence (June 5-23).
Upon his return on June 24, he hit in 18 of the next 22 games, batting .411 with 25 runs, eight doubles, 12 homers and 33 RBIs, raising his overall batting average to .342- his season high.
From July 8 to July 18 he hit at least one home run in eight straight games, tying the major league record previously set by Dale Long in 1956. During the same streak, Mattingly smashed the American League record of homering in six straight games, previously done six times (last by Reggie Jackson with Baltimore in 1976; also done by Lou Gehrig in 1931 and Roger Maris in 1961). Over the eight-game homer streak, Mattingly hit .459 (17-for-37) with 10 homers and 21 RBIs.
Mattingly had seven RBIs on July 16 at Texas, his single-game career high and the most by a Yankee in '87. He had at least one extra-base hit in ten consecutive games, July 7 through July 19, breaking the AL record of nine set by Babe Ruth in 1921.
He was twice named AL Player of the Week- for the weeks ending on July 12 and July 19, coming into the game of July 20 with a season high batting average of .342. He was also named AL Player of the Month for July, going 37-for-99 (.374) with 21 runs, 10 homers and 24 RBIs for the month.
On July 20 Don tied the major league record of 22 putouts by a first baseman in a nine-inning game, also held by Tommy Jones (May 11, 1906), Hal Chase (New York Highlanders, September 21, 1906) and Ernie Banks (May 9, 1963).
He missed the games of July 21-22 at Minnesota with a slightly sprained right wrist suffered on July 18 after hitting his record-tying homer. Upon completion of the eight consecutive game home run streak on July 18, Mattingly went without a homer from July 19 through August 7 (16 games).
He ended the season by hitting in 28 of his last 32 games, batting .331 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs. Suffering from flu-like symptoms, Don was pinch-hit for by Orestes Destrade on October 1 against Boston, the first time he had been pinch-hit for since Vic Mata batted for him on August 3, 1984.
Don blasted six grand slams in 1987, setting a new major league record (No. 6 came September 29 at Yankee Stadium off Boston's Bruce Hurst) and breaking the record of five set by Ernie Banks in 1955 and tied by Jim Gentile in 1961. The Yankee record for grand slams in a season was four set by Lou Gehrig in 1934 and tied by Tommy Henrich in 1948.
With the bases loaded Don was 9-for-19 (.474 BA) in 21 plate appearances, and in addition to his six grand slams had two singles, a double, a pair of sacrifice flies and 33 RBIs. Prior to 1987, he was just 12-for-47 (.255 BA) with just one extra-base hit in career bases-loaded situations. In fact, prior to his first '87 grand slam, his career numbers with the bases loaded fell to 13-for-52 (.250) in 70 plate appearances with two extra-base hits, and beginning with the first grand slam he went 8-for-14 (.571 BA) with six homers and 29 RBIs.
In 1987 Don became the first player in the seven-year history of the Elias Sports Bureau's report for the MLBPA to compile a perfect 1.000 score, ranking first in each category used to measure the production of first basemen: plate appearances, batting average, on-base percentage, home runs and runs batted in. He was selected to his fourth consecutive AL All-Star team and was selected to the AP, UPI, and Sporting News All-Star and Silver Slugger teams, each for the third straight year. He also captured his third straight Rawlings Gold Glove Award for AL first basemen.
Don had his fourth straight 100+ RBI season and was the first Yankee since Mickey Mantle (1955-62) and Roger Maris (1960-62) to hit 30+ homers in three straight seasons. He became the first-ever Yankee to lead the club in batting average, hits, doubles and RBIs four consecutive seasons;
breaking down the individual categories, the last Yankees to lead the club at least four straight seasons were: batting average- Mantle 1955-58; hits- Bobby Murcer 1971-74; doubles- none until Mattingly; RBI - Reggie Jackson- 1977-80. Prior to Mattingly, the last Yankee to have at least four straight 100+ RBI seasons was Joe DiMaggio, 1937-42. Ranked in the American League in 1987, Mattingly's 38 doubles were tied for third; his .327 batting average and 115 RBIs were fifth; his .559 slugging percentage was seventh, and his 186 hits were eighth.
Mattingly's .996 fielding percentage (five errors in 1,335 total chances) was best in the American League for the fourth straight year (1,000 or more total chances), tying the AL's first baseman's record for most consecutive years leading the league in fielding (100 or more games played) set by Charles Gandil from 1916 to 1919 (the major league record is five consecutive years set by the Ted Kluszewski from 1951 to 1955). He tied with Kent Hrbek for fewest errors (5) by a first baseman (1,000 or more total chances).
On April 30, 1988, against Texas, he scored five runs in a game, which would tie Oakland's Luis Polonia for most runs in a game in 1988 and would also tie the Yankee single-game record (now done 12 times, having last been done by Bobby Murcer in 1972). Mattingly did not homer that season until May 10 against Chicago, his 32nd game, going 124 at-bats without a home run.
From May 8-25, he hit .429 with four home runs and 13 RBIs to bring his season average up to .320. On May 27 at Seattle, he suffered a strained muscle in his right side during batting practice, putting him on the 15-day disabled list on that date. From May 17- June 25, Mattingly hit safely in 17 straight games at a .352 pace. At the end of June, he was hitting .305 with five homers and 36 RBIs. From June 29 through August 9, Don hit safely in 33 of 35 games, going 54-for-152 (.355) with five homers and 25 RBIs, with 15 multi-hit games.
His third-inning single on July 3 at Chicago off Bill Long was his 1,000th career hit- Mattingly became the 33rd Yankee to reach that plateau. He was named American League Player of the Week, July 11-17, going 9-for-17 (.529) with five runs, a double, two homers, four RBIs, a .941 slugging percentage and a .529 on-base percentage [1.4700 OPS]. His batting average reached a season high of .334 on July 25. Don ended July at .329 with 10 home runs and 56 RBIs.
At the end of August, Don was hitting .310 with 13 home runs and 72 RBIs. In September/October, he hit safely in 16 of his last 18 games (.352), raising his batting average from .305 to his final of .311.
He ended '88 with a .993 fielding percentage, fifth best in the AL (after finishing first the previous four seasons). His nine errors were a career high, yet he won his fourth consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove.
For the season Mattingly batted .296 with runners in scoring position and 37 of his 88 RBIs drove in Rickey Henderson. He went 0-for-5 with the bases loaded.
Named to his fifth straight American League All-Star team, Mattingly became only the eighth player in Yankee history, and the first in 30 years, to hit .300 or better in five consecutive seasons, joining Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, Bob Meusel, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, with Mantle accomplishing this from 1954-58. Mattingly was the first Yankee to lead the club in hits five straight years since Mantle (1955-59); the only other Yankee to accomplish this was Gehrig (1930-34).
His .327 road batting average was second in the AL behind Wade Boggs for players with at least 250 at-bats. Don's .311 batting average was eighth in the American League, ninth in the majors; his 94 runs 10th in the AL, ninth in the majors; his 37 doubles tied for 11th in the AL, tied for 15th in the majors;, his 17-game hitting streak tied for fourth in the AL, tied for ninth in the majors; and his 13 game-winning RBI tied for seventh in the AL and tied for 16th in the majors.
He was ejected on May 6 at Texas for arguing a ninth-inning strikeout. On August 13 at Minnesota, he was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing a check-swing strikeout.
Don missed the first three games of 1989 (at Minnesota) with back spasms but did not miss another game the entire season. Through 32 games (May 14) he was hitting .226 with 16 RBIs. On May 24 against California, he homered off Dan Petry, his first homer in 171 at-bats (his then-longest career homerless streak) dating back to September 29, 1988. In the month of May, Don hit .333 with three homers and 21 RBI, raising his average from .221 to .287.
June was Don's most productive month. On June 22, a 3-for-4 effort with two home runs against Chicago bolstered him over the .300 mark for the first time. For the month of June, he hit .339 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs, raising his average from .287 to .306.
He hit safely in 17 straight from June 16 (game 1)-July 4, batting .364 with four home runs and nine RBIs. From June 10-July 13, Don hit in 28 of 30 games (.369 average) while reaching base safely in all 30 games and raising his average from .280 to .313.
At the All-Star break, Don was hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs. On July 19 at Chicago he was called out on strikes for the first time all year, the first of only two times in 1989. His homer on July 25 at Cleveland off Rich Yett was his first road home run in 218 at-bats dating back to September 29, 1988.
August was his worst month since April, with Mattingly hitting .268. He hit for his highest average in September-October, .357, with six home runs and 22 RBIs. On September 12 at California, Don celebrated his 1,000th career game by going 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs (giving him 100 for the year) and putting his average over .300 to stay. He hit .291 after the All-Star break with four home runs and 57 RBIs.
Mattingly became only the sixth player in Yankee history, and the first since 1942, to hit .300 or better in six consecutive seasons- he joined an elite Yankee group that includes Earle Combs, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, with DiMaggio being the last to accomplish this from 1936-42. He was named to his sixth straight All-Star team. He won his fifth straight Rawlings Gold Glove and his .995 fielding percentage ranked fifth among AL first baseman.
His four road home runs equaled a career low (1983), his .338 average against left-handed pitchers was his highest since 1986 (.358) and his .282 against right-handed pitchers was his lowest ever. He also set a career high with three stolen bases.
His 17-game hit streak (June 16-July 4) tied for the club best (with Steve Sax) and was his fifth career hitting streak of at least 17 games. Don was second on the club with 53 multi-hit games, and with runners in scoring position hit a team-leading .329 (56-for-165). He drove in a team-best 10 game-tying runs.
Of his 30 strikeouts, two were called (Greg Hibbard on July 19 at Chicago, Paul Mirabella on September 21 against Milwaukee). He was ejected on August 7 in the eighth inning after striking out, his first ejection since August 13, 1988. On August 25 against Baltimore, he struck out three times in one game for only the second time in his career (the other being April 13, 1987) and for the first time by one pitcher, Jeff Ballard.
In the American League he ranked hardest to fan per plate appearance (1 per 23.1 at-bats) and intentional walks (18), second in RBIs (119), fourth in total bases (301), fifth in extra-base hits (62), tied for fifth in sacrifice flies (10), sixth in doubles (37) and seventh in hits (191), at-bats (621) and slugging percentage (.477).
1990 was a tough season all around for the Yankee first baseman. He hit .256 with five home runs and 42 RBIs, playing in 102 games.
Mattingly had a hot spring training (.302) and continued his torrid hitting into April. He was hitting .385 after his first ten games and hit .313 with two home runs and six RBIs for the month. His batting average was 38 points higher than his lifetime April average of .275 entering 1990, and his two home runs were the most he had ever hit in the month of April (4 total entering '90).
He became the 11th Yankee to hit 100 career home runs at home when he connected on May 15 off Minnesota's Roy Smith into the right field seats. It was career homer No. 167. He became the first Yankee to accomplish the feat since Graig Nettles on July 15, 1982. Earlier that season, Bobby Murcer hit his 100th at the Stadium. There have been nine left-handed Yankee hitters, one right-handed (DiMaggio) and one switch-hitter (Mantle) to have done this.
On May 20, Don hit his fifth and final homer of the season off Jeff Montgomery of Kansas City and from May 20-23 was struck out in four straight games for the first time in his career. His season batting average on May 21 (game no. 35) was .301, the final time he would be above .300 in 1990. His season batting average dropped to .285 by the end of May. For the month, Don hit .269 with three homers and 18 RBIs.
Don had a rough June, hitting .216 with nine RBIs to end the month with a .257 average for the season. He played first base on July 1 in Andy Hawkins' no-hitter then did not play again before the break because of recurring back spasms. He missed seven games, next playing in the first game after the break. Don started the first 13 games after the break (7/12-24) before going on the disabled list until September 11. In those 13 games he hit .196 with nine singles, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored.
From May 22 through July 24, Don played in 51 games and hit .208 (43-for-207) with 36 singles, five doubles and 12 RBIs. He went on the disabled list on July 25 with lower back pains. He was examined on August 6 by Dr. Robert Watkins, who put Don on a prescribed exercise program in Los Angeles under his supervision.
Mattingly was activated from the DL on September 11 after missing 47 games. He made his first appearance on September 14 in Detroit as a pinch hitter and doubled off Mike Henneman. After his activation from the DL, he played in 16 games and hit .333 (17-for-51) with three doubles and seven RBIs.
He had a string of six straight .300+ seasons broken. His batting average (.256) was 67 points lower than his career average (.323) entering 1990. Don missed 54 games due to injury (47 on the DL, seven with back spasms) and the Yankees had a record of 25-29 in those games. He started 98 games (1B-89, DH-9). Despite getting only 394 at-bats, he drew a club best 13 intentional bases on balls (4th in AL). Don was 1-for-7 with two RBIs with the bases loaded.
After a down year in 1990, the team's captain in 1991 began to regain some of the form that labeled him as one of baseball's best players. Mattingly finished with a .288 batting average with nine home runs and 68 RBIs. He was appointed team captain on February 28, becoming the tenth player ever to captain the Yankees.
He started the season by hitting safely in the first seven games (10-for-31). His first home run was on April 23 off Frank Tanana of Detroit; the homer snapped a string of 312 homerless at-bats. Don finished the month of May by hitting safely in his last nine games (12-for-34), raising his average 17 points to .291.
After injuring his knee on May 16, Don was pinch-hit for by Jim Leyritz, the first time he had been pinch-hit for since October 1, 1987 (Orestes Destrade). He hit a home run on May 25 at Baltimore, his first road clout of the year. He hurt himself on May 27 against Boston- he dislocated his right pinky sliding headfirst into second on a first-inning double. He missed the next six games after playing in each of the Yankees' first 41 games.
Mattingly caught fire in June, hitting .336 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. He reached base safely in all 24 games in the month and hit safely in 23 of them (13 multi-hit games), raising his batting average 18 points to .309. He hit in a team-best 16 straight games from June 18-July 3 for a .361 mark (26-for-72), raising his average from .288 to .311. Don was hitting .301 with six homers and 34 RBIs at the break.
August saw Don hit .343 with 10 doubles, a home run and 17 RBIs. His homer came on August 5 at Detroit and broke a string of 155 homerless at-bats. He ended the month by getting six hits in his final 13 at-bats and his season batting average was .307 through August.
In an August 13 game against Kansas City (game 1), Don was called out on strikes and then ejected by home plate umpire Joe Brinkman for arguing, his only ejection of 1991. On August 15, Don was benched for refusing to get his hair cut.
Mattingly's batting average and production tailed off through September/October as he hit .218 in 34 games. From September 6-10, he had a string of 16 at-bats without a hit, the second longest of his career to an 0-for-19 skein in 1985. His numbers after the All-Star break were .275 with three home runs and 34 RBIs.
For the 1991 season, Mattingly hit .264 with five homers and 29 RBIs against left-handed pitching, 303 with four homers and 39 RBIs against right-handers; .305 with seven homers at home, .274 with two homers on the road; .290 (40-for-138) with runners in scoring position, and was 0-for-6 with six RBIs with the bases loaded. In Yankee wins, Mattingly hit .305 (79-for-259) with six home runs and 45 RBIs, and in New York losses hit .274 (90-for-328) with three home runs and 23 RBIs.
He ranked 10th in the American League in intentional bases on balls (11) and eighth in the hardest-to-strikeout category, fanning once every 15.4 plate appearances. He started 146 games (1B-124, DH-22), the second most starts on the club after Steve Sax.
Don attended Ritz Memorial High in Evansville (IN) where he played baseball, basketball and football. He played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion ball in Evansville. His older brother Randy played pro football.
Don enjoys racquetball and maintains homes in both Evansville and Tenafly, New Jersey. In August of 1987 he opened a restaurant in Evansville called 'MATTINGLY'S 23.' He and his wife Kim donate $100 for each home run the Yankees hit to singer Paul Simon's project to purchase mobile medical units providing medical service to underprivileged children in New York City.
Don and Kim are also involved in the New York chapter of the National Foundation of Ileitis and Colitis as well as the Evansville Easter Seals Society and are involved with the Westchester Association for retarded children. Don received the Joan Payson Humanitarian Services award for community service at the 1993 Baseball Writers Dinner, as voted by the New York chapter of the BBWAA."
-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide
Led South Atlantic League in sacrifice flies (12), 1980.
Named South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player, 1980.
American League All-Star team, 1984.
American League batting champion (.343), 1984.
Led American League first basemen in fielding percentage (.996), 1984.
The Sporting News American League Player of the Year, 1984.
The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, first baseman, 1984.
American League All-Star team, 1985.
American League Player of the Week, August 5-11, 1985.
American League Player of the Month, August 1985.
American League Player of the Month, September 1985.
Led American League in total bases (370), 1985.
Led American League in game-winning RBIs (21), 1985.
Led American League in sacrifice flies (15), 1985.
Led American League first basemen in fielding percentage (.995), 1985.
Tied for American League lead in double plays, first basemen (154), 1985.
American League Most Valuable Player, Baseball Writers' Association of America, 1985.
The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year, 1985.
The Sporting News American League Player of the Year, 1985.
The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, first baseman, 1985.
The Sporting News American League Silver Slugger Team, first baseman, 1985.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1985.
The Sporting News American League All-Fielding Team, first baseman, 1985.
United Press International All-Star Team, 1985.
Shares major league record for most sacrifice flies, one game (3), May 3, 1986.
American League All-Star team, 1986.
American League Player of the Month, September 1986.
Led American League in total bases (388), 1986.
Led American League in slugging percentage (.573), 1986.
Led American League first basemen in fielding percentage (.996), 1986.
Led American League first basemen in putouts, (1,377), 1986.
Led American League first basemen in total chances, (1,483), 1986.
Tied for American League lead in game-winning RBIs (15), 1986.
Holds major league record for most at-bats without a stolen base, one season (677), 1986.
Holds American League record for most at-bats, left-handed hitter, one season (677), 1986.
Holds Yankee record for hits, one season (238), 1986.
Holds Yankee record for doubles, one season (53), 1986.
The Sporting News American League Player of the Year, 1986.
The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, first baseman, 1986.
The Sporting News American League Silver Slugger Team, first baseman, 1986.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1986.
The Sporting News American League All-Fielding Team, first baseman, 1986.
United Press International All-Star Team, 1986.
Shares major league record for most doubles, inning (2), April 11, 1987, seventh inning.
American League Player of the Week, July 6-12, 1987.
American League All-Star team, 1987.
Holds major league record for most home runs, seven consecutive games (9), July 8-17, 1987.
Holds major league record for most home runs, eight consecutive games (10), July 8-18, 1987.
Shares major league record for most consecutive games, one or more home runs (8), July 8-18, 1987.
Holds American League record for most consecutive games, one or more extra-base hits (10), July 7-19, 1987.
American League Player of the Week, July 13-19, 1987.
Shares major league record for most putouts, nine-inning game, first basemen (22), July 22, 1987.
Shares major league record for most chances accepted, nine-inning game, first basemen (22), July 22, 1987.
American League Player of the Month, July 1987.
Holds major league record for most grand slams, one season (6), 1987.
Led American League first basemen in fielding percentage (.996), 1987.
The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, first baseman, 1987.
The Sporting News American League Silver Slugger Team, first baseman, 1987.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1987.
The Sporting News American League All-Fielding Team, first baseman, 1987.
United Press International All-Star Team, 1987.
Shares American League record for most consecutive years leading league in fielding percentage, first basemen (4), 1984-87.
American League All-Star team, 1988.
American League Player of the Week, July 11-17, 1988.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1988.
The Sporting News American League All-Fielding Team, first baseman, 1988.
American League All-Star team, 1989.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1989.
The Sporting News American League All-Fielding Team, first baseman, 1989.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1991.
Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award, First Base, 1992.
Led American League first basemen in fielding percentage (.997), 1992.
Owns major league career record for fielding percentage, first base (.996).
-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide
Donald Arthur Mattingly "Don" (1B) #23
Born April 20, 1961, in Evansville, Indiana, where he resides. Height: 6-0, weight: 200. Bats left, throws left.
Married, Kim (9/8/79), and father of Taylor Patrick (8), Preston Michael (5) and Jordon William (1). Major league service: 9 years, 163 days. Opening Day age: 31.
-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide
