1981 New York Yankees season
Encyclopedia
The New York Yankees
' 1981 season
was the 79th season for the Yankees. In the ALCS
, the Yankees swept the Oakland Athletics
for their only pennant of the 1980s. However, they lost in the World Series
in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers
. New York was managed by Gene Michael and Bob Lemon
. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium.
for the first half of the season with a 34-22 record, but finished fifth in the second half with a 25-26 record, for an overall record of 59-48. The season was suspended for 50 days due to the infamous 1981 players strike and the league chose as its playoff teams, the division winners from the first and second halves of the season, respectively.
NL Los Angeles Dodgers
(4) vs. AL New York Yankees
(2)>
Game
Score
Date
Location
Attendance
Time of Game
1
Dodgers – 3, Yankees – 5
October 20
Yankee Stadium (New York)
56,470
2:32
2
Dodgers – 0, Yankees – 3
October 21
Yankee Stadium (New York)
56,505
2:29
3
Yankees – 4, Dodgers – 5
October 23
Dodger Stadium
(Los Angeles)
56,236
3:04
4
Yankees – 7, Dodgers – 8
October 24
Dodger Stadium
(Los Angeles)
56,242
3:32
5
Yankees – 1, Dodgers – 2
October 25
Dodger Stadium
(Los Angeles)
56,115
2:19
6
Dodgers – 9, Yankees – 2
October 28
Yankee Stadium (New York)
56,513
3:09
All-Star Game
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' 1981 season
1981 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPsNOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...
was the 79th season for the Yankees. In the ALCS
1981 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkIn Billy Martin's return to Yankee Stadium , the Yankees drew first blood in front of their old skipper...
, the Yankees swept the Oakland Athletics
1981 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' 1981 season involved the A's finishing with the best overall record in the American League West with a record of 64 wins and 45 losses. The season was suspended for 50 days due to the infamous 1981 players strike, and the league resorted to a split-season format with the...
for their only pennant of the 1980s. However, they lost in the World Series
1981 World Series
The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...
in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers
1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers season got off to a strong start when rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as "Fernandomania." Fernando went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards.The season was divided into two...
. New York was managed by Gene Michael and Bob Lemon
Bob Lemon
Robert Granville Lemon was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976....
. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium.
Offseason
- November 18, 1980: Brad GuldenBrad GuldenBradley "Brad" Lee Gulden is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants. He debuted with the Dodgers on September 22, 1978 against the San Diego Padres after being...
was traded by the New York Yankees with $150,000 to the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later and Larry Milbourne. The Seattle Mariners sent back Brad Gulden (May 18, 1981) to the New York Yankees to complete the trade. In effect, Brad Gulden was traded for himself. - December 8, 1980: Brian DoyleBrian Doyle (baseball)Brian Reed Doyle is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the New York Yankees and Oakland A's. He played primarily as a second baseman. His brother, Denny Doyle, was also a Major League baseball player...
was drafted from the Yankees by the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in the 1980 rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - December 15, 1980: Dave WinfieldDave WinfieldDavid Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
was signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees. - February 16, 1981: Rafael SantanaRafael SantanaRafael Francisco Santana de la Cruz is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who won a World Series ring with the 1986 New York Mets. He currently serves as the Dominican Republic scouting and player development supervisor for the Chicago White Sox.-St...
was traded by the Yankees to the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for a player to be named later. The Cardinals completed the deal by sending George Frazier to the Yankees on June 7. - March 31, 1981: Chris WelshChris WelshChristopher Charles Welsh is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and a current sportscaster for the Cincinnati Reds. He was a left-hander with a career ERA of 4.45 and career win/loss record of 22-31. He graduated from St...
, Ruppert JonesRuppert JonesRuppert Sanderson Jones is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and California Angels...
, Joe LefebvreJoe LefebvreJoseph Henry Lefebvre is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees , San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies , primarily as an outfielder...
, and Tim LollarTim LollarWilliam Timothy Lollar is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball from 1980-86 for the New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox , primarily as a starting pitcher.- Early career :Lollar played...
were traded by the Yankees to the San Diego PadresSan Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for Jerry MumphreyJerry MumphreyJerry Wayne Mumphrey is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Diego Padres , New York Yankees , Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs ....
and John PacellaJohn PacellaJohn Lewis Pacella was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to for the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers. Pacella had such an unusual delivery that at times his cap would fall off after a pitch.From Brooklyn, Pacella moved to Suffolk County...
.
Regular season
The team finished in first place in the American League EastAmerican League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
for the first half of the season with a 34-22 record, but finished fifth in the second half with a 25-26 record, for an overall record of 59-48. The season was suspended for 50 days due to the infamous 1981 players strike and the league chose as its playoff teams, the division winners from the first and second halves of the season, respectively.
Notable transactions
- April 6, 1981: Johnny OatesJohnny OatesJohnny Lane Oates was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1981...
was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. - May 20, 1981: Jim SpencerJim SpencerJames Lloyd Spencer was a Major League Baseball first baseman. Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, the left-handed Spencer was recognized for his excellent fielding ability, but also served in later years as a designated hitter....
and Tom UnderwoodTom UnderwoodThomas Gerald Underwood was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies , St...
were traded by the Yankees to the Oakland Athletics for Dave ReveringDave ReveringDavid Alvin Revering , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman from 1978-1982. Revering graduated from Bella Vista High School...
, Mike PattersonMike Patterson (baseball)Michael Lee Patterson is a former Major League Baseball Outfielder. Patterson played for the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees in and . He batted left and threw right-handed....
, and Chuck Dougherty (minors). - June 12, 1981: Doug BirdDoug BirdJames Douglas Bird was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase....
, a player to be named later, and $400,000 were traded by the Yankees to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Rick ReuschelRick ReuschelRickey Eugene Reuschel is a former professional baseball pitcher from the early 1970s into the early 1990s. His nickname was "Big Daddy" because of his portly physique...
. The Yankees completed the deal by sending Mike GriffinMike Griffin (pitcher)Michael Leroy Griffin is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during six seasons at the major league level for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, and Cincinnati Reds. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 3rd round of the amateur draft...
to the Cubs on August 5. - August 19, 1981: Pat TablerPat TablerPatrick Sean "Pat" Tabler is a former Major League Baseball player and currently a color analyst for the Toronto Blue Jays on the Canadian sports television network Rogers Sportsnet and formerly with Rod Black on TSN....
was traded by the Yankees to the Chicago Cubs for players to be named later. The Cubs completed the deal by sending Bill CaudillBill CaudillWilliam Holland Caudill is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. One of the wackier players to play the game, Caudill was also one of baseball's top closers from to . Caudill is perhaps most notable for being agent Scott Boras' first client.-Early years:Caudill was drafted by the St...
to the Yankees on April 1, 1982 and Jay HowellJay HowellJay Canfield Howell is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers .Howell was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the 1988 World Series...
to the Yankees on August 2.
Draft picks
- June 8, 1981: 1981 Major League Baseball Draft1981 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*John Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1981 amateur draft...
- John ElwayJohn ElwayJohn Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
was drafted by the Yankees in the 2nd round. - Phil LombardiPhil LombardiPhillip Arden Lombardi is a former professional baseball player. He played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball, between and , for the New York Yankees and New York Mets...
was drafted by the Yankees in the 3rd round. - Eric PlunkEric PlunkEric Vaughn Plunk , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1986-1999.Plunk was involved in two trades for Rickey Henderson...
was drafted by the Yankees in the 4th round. Player signed June 15, 1981. - Fred McGriffFred McGriffFrederick Stanley McGriff is a left-handed former Major League Baseball player who starred for several teams from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. A power-hitting first baseman with a tall, lanky build, the five-time All-Star became, in , the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both...
was drafted by the Yankees in the 9th round. McGriff signed on June 11, 1981.
- John Elway
Roster
| 1981 New York Yankees | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | R | H | Avg. | HR | RBI | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 71 | 234 | 23 | 57 | .244 | 2 | 21 | 0 | |
| 1B | 59 | 156 | 15 | 33 | .212 | 6 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2B | 93 | 357 | 59 | 83 | .232 | 2 | 24 | 14 | |
| SS | 73 | 227 | 20 | 54 | .238 | 7 | 27 | 0 | |
| 3B | 103 | 349 | 46 | 85 | .244 | 15 | 46 | 0 | |
| LF | 105 | 388 | 52 | 114 | .294 | 13 | 68 | 11 | |
| CF | 80 | 319 | 44 | 98 | .307 | 6 | 32 | 14 | |
| RF | 94 | 334 | 33 | 79 | .237 | 15 | 54 | 0 | |
| DH | 50 | 117 | 14 | 31 | .265 | 6 | 24 | 0 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 189 | 45 | .238 | 10 | 27 | |
| 61 | 163 | 51 | .313 | 1 | 12 | |
| 60 | 159 | 44 | .277 | 5 | 18 | |
| 40 | 125 | 26 | .208 | 6 | 10 | |
| 45 | 119 | 28 | .235 | 2 | 7 | |
| 25 | 63 | 9 | .143 | 2 | 4 | |
| 31 | 62 | 14 | .226 | 0 | 6 | |
| 34 | 55 | 6 | .109 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 | 26 | 5 | .192 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | 9 | 2 | .222 | 0 | 0 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 105.1 | 8 | 4 | 2.05 | 89 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 53.1 | 5 | 1 | 2.70 | 28 | |
| 9 | 32.2 | 1 | 4 | 4.41 | 29 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1.63 | 17 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.14 | 7 | |
ALDS
New York wins series, 3-2.| Game | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York 5, Milwaukee 3 | October 7 |
| 2 | New York 3, Milwaukee 0 | October 8 |
| 3 | Milwaukee 5, New York 3 | October 9 |
| 4 | Milwaukee 2, New York 1 | October 10 |
| 5 | New York 7, Milwaukee 3 | October 11 |
ALCS
New York Yankees win the Series over the Oakland Athletics, 3-0| Game | Score | Date | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland - 1, New York - 3 | October 13 | Yankee Stadium | 55,740 |
| 2 | Oakland - 3, New York - 13 | October 14 | Yankee Stadium | 48,497 |
| 3 | New York - 4, Oakland - 0 | October 15 | Oakland Coliseum | 47,302 |
World Series
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(4) vs. AL New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(2)>
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
(Los Angeles)
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
(Los Angeles)
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
(Los Angeles)
Awards and honors
- Tommy JohnTommy JohnThomas Edward John Jr. is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history...
, Lou Gehrig Memorial AwardLou Gehrig Memorial AwardThe Lou Gehrig Memorial Award was created by the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity in honor of the former Major League Baseball player Lou Gehrig, who was a member of the fraternity at Columbia University. It is given to players who best exemplify his character and integrity both on and off the field... - Dave RighettiDave RighettiDavid Allan Righetti is a former left-handed pitcher for various Major League Baseball teams, primarily the New York Yankees. He is currently the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the first player in history to both pitch a no-hitter and also lead the league in saves in his career...
was honored as the AL Rookie of the Year. - Graig NettlesGraig NettlesGraig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...
, Most Valuable Player in the AL Championship Series.
All-Star Game
1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 52nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on August 9, 1981, at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of...
- Willie RandolphWillie RandolphWillie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...
- Bucky DentBucky DentRussell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...
- Reggie JacksonReggie JacksonReginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
- Dave WinfieldDave WinfieldDavid Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
- Ron Davis
- Rich GossageRich GossageRichard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...