Robin Yount 1982 MVP Season

Lore & Background

Yount was drafted in 1973 and advanced to the major leagues one year later at the age of 18. He won two American League Most Valuable Player awards. In 1982, he led the Brewers to a World Series appearance. Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 in his first year of eligibility. Since his retirement as a player, he has held several roles as a coach.

Reader's Guide

Yount led the American League with 210 hits in 1982. The 1982 AL East race came down to a winner-take-all game between the Brewers and the Baltimore Orioles. With the title on the line, Yount hit home runs in each of his first two at-bats against Orioles starter Jim Palmer. Yount finished with a four-hit game, as the Brewers won 10-2.

In addition to his only 200-hit season, he registered career highs with 29 home runs, 114 RBI, and a .331 batting average. Yount finished with a .578 slugging percentage and .957 OPS on his way to gaining 367 total bases – leading the major leagues in all three categories. His slugging percentage was the second highest ever by a shortstop, and his 129 runs set the record for that position. That year, Yount also won his only Gold Glove Award and his first Most Valuable Player Award.

His performance garnered 27 of 28 possible first place votes in the 1982 MVP balloting. The year ended with the Brewers making their only World Series appearance. Although Yount became the only player in history to have two 4-hit games in one World Series, Milwaukee lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Yount batted .414 in the Series, with one home run and 6 RBI.

Did You Know?

• Yount is the last 18-year-old to hit a home run in the Major Leagues (Andruw Jones, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Juan Soto are the most recent teenagers to hit Major League home runs, but did so as 19-year-olds).
• On September 14, 1975 (two days before his 20th birthday), Yount broke Mel Ott's 47-year-old record for most games played in the major leagues before turning 20.
• Yount's .331 batting average in 1982 was .001 behind the league leader, Willie Wilson.

The 1982 Breakout Season

Robin Yount's 1982 campaign stands as the definitive peak of his illustrious career, marking a rare convergence of power and average for a shortstop. This offensive explosion propelled him to win both the Gold Glove Award and his first Most Valuable Player award, securing 27 of the possible 28 first-place votes from voters. His performance was instrumental in driving the Milwaukee Brewers to their only World Series appearance, where he continued his hot streak by batting .414 with a home run and six RBIs across seven games against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Deciding Moment

The climax of Yount's MVP season arrived on the final day of the regular schedule in a winner-take-all showdown between the Brewers and the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East title. With the division standing tied, the atmosphere was electric as Yount stepped up to face legendary pitcher Jim Palmer. In a display of clutch hitting that defined his legacy, Yount launched home runs in each of his first two at-bats. He finished the contest with four hits, providing the offensive firepower necessary for Milwaukee to secure a 10-2 victory and capture the division pennant.

This dramatic performance capped off a year where he was an All-Star selection and established himself as the league's premier player. Although the Brewers ultimately fell to the Cardinals in the World Series, Yount's ability to deliver when the stakes were highest cemented his reputation as a leader who could elevate his team during critical junctures.

A Legacy of Versatility

Yount is historically unique for winning two MVP awards while playing two distinct positions: shortstop and center fielder. Initially drafted in 1973, he debuted at age 18 and became the last teenager to hit a home run until the modern era. After a shoulder injury in 1985 forced him out of the infield, he transitioned successfully to the outfield, playing over 1,200 games there with exceptional defensive reliability. This positional shift did not diminish his offensive output; in fact, he won his second MVP award in 1989 as an outfielder, becoming only the third player ever to win the honor at two different spots on the diamond. He remains the last active major leaguer to have shared a clubhouse with Hank Aaron and holds virtually every significant franchise record for the Milwaukee Brewers.