1982 Milwaukee Brewers season

Did You Know?

• Rob Picciolo was traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Brewers on May 14, 1982, for Mike Warren and John Evans (minors).
• Dale Sveum was drafted by the Brewers in the 1st round (25th pick) of the 1982 amateur draft and signed on June 14, 1982.
• On August 30, 1982, the Brewers traded players to be named later and cash to the Houston Astros for Don Sutton; the deal was completed on September 3 with Kevin Bass, Frank DiPino, and Mike Madden going to the Astros.

Regular season

The 1982 Brewers led MLB in runs, home runs, RBIs, slugging, OPS, total bases, and extra-base hits. Paul Molitor’s 136 runs were the most in the AL since 1949. Robin Yount became the first AL shortstop to lead the league in slugging, also topping the league in hits, doubles, and total bases, earning MVP honors. On August 27, Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record against Milwaukee, with Doc Medich pitching. On September 24, Yount drove in six runs versus Baltimore. Needing one win in a four-game series in Baltimore, the Brewers lost the first three but won the finale, essentially a one-game playoff.

Postseason

Game 5, played at Milwaukee County Stadium, was the most dramatic of the series. The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first on a double by Brian Downing and a single by Fred Lynn. Milwaukee tied it in the bottom of the inning when Paul Molitor doubled and scored on a Ted Simmons sacrifice fly. The Angels went up 2-1 in the third on an RBI single by Fred Lynn and extended the lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Bob Boone. Ben Oglivie's homer in the bottom of the fourth cut the lead to 3-2. In the bottom of the seventh, Milwaukee loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, and Cecil Cooper delivered a two-run single that put the Brewers ahead 4-3. The bullpen held the Angels scoreless over the final two innings, and the Brewers won their first American League pennant. In the World Series, the Brewers faced the St. Louis Cardinals. The series was nicknamed the "Suds Series" due to the beer rivalry between the cities. Paul Molitor set a World Series record with his fifth hit in the 9th inning of Game 1. Robin Yount became the first player in Series history to have two four-hit games in one Series, doing so in the 7th inning of Game 5. Cardinals catcher Darrell Porter was named Series MVP. The Brewers and Cardinals would meet again in the playoffs 29 years later, in the 2011 National League Championship Series.

Popular Culture

The 1982 season remains highly regarded by Brewers fans, and the players continue to be honored by the franchise. In 2007, the Brewers commemorated the 25th anniversary with miniature bobblehead giveaways for key players and a ceremony. MLB Productions produced a documentary titled "Harvey's Wallbangers: The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers," which airs occasionally on MLB Network. The DVD release includes the final inning of the AL East division-clinching win, postseason home runs, and the complete broadcast of the pennant-clinching Game 5. In 2024, an independent documentary directed by Sean Hanish, "Just A Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers," was released. It features interviews with players and staff from the 1982 team and archival footage, including some of the last interviews of broadcaster Bob Uecker. The documentary premiered on September 11, 2024, and is available for free streaming on Roku and Tubi.