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It wasn't exactly a difficult decision, but on this day in 1982 it was made official: Robin Yount was the American League MVP. Yount was given the #1 spot on 27 of the 28 collected ballots, winning the award for the first time.
We talk about it a fair amount, but I'm not sure we give Yount enough credit for having had one of the greatest seasons of baseball's modern era. rWAR estimates Yount's value at 11.5 wins for the season. There are only twelve players in all of baseball history that have reached that mark:
| Player | Season(s) |
| Babe Ruth | Six times |
| Barry Bonds | Three times |
| Mickey Mantle | Three times |
| Rogers Hornsby | Three times |
| Robin Yount | 1982 |
| Joe Morgan | 1975 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1967 |
| Stan Musial | 1948 |
| Ted Williams | 1946 |
| Lou Gehrig | 1927 |
| Ty Cobb | 1917 |
| Honus Wagner | 1908 |
The list of players that have done it since 1969 is much shorter: It's just Bonds (three times), Joe Morgan and Yount.
Yount was one of six Brewers to receive votes for the award: Cecil Cooper (fifth place), Gorman Thomas (eighth), Paul Molitor (12th), Rollie Fingers (tied for 16th) and Pete Vuckovich (18th) were the others.
With help from Brewerfan.net and the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- AZL Brewer Dustin Houle, who turns 18.
- 2006-10 Brewer Dave Bush, who turns 32.
- 1993-97 Brewer Angel Miranda, who turns 42.
- 1983-85 Brewer Dion James, who turns 49.
- 1985-94 Brewer Teddy Higuera, who turns 54.
- 1953-60 Milwaukee Brave Bill Bruton, who would have turned 86.