On November 24, 1982, Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles wins the American League’s Rookie of the Year Award. Ripken hit .264 with 28 home runs and 93 RBI’s while splitting his time between shortstop and third base for the Orioles. His consecutive games played streak is in its infancy at 118 games.
Second baseman Steve Sax of the Los Angeles Dodgers is named National League Rookie of the Year, becoming the fourth consecutive player from the Dodgers to win the award. Sax hit .282 and stole 49 bases as the replacement for Davey Lopes in the Dodgers’ infield.
1982 – Judge Roy Hofheinz dies in Houston at age 70 of a heart attack. A former state representative, Harris County Judge and Mayor of Houston before setting his sights on baseball, Hofheinz starts out owning just 1% of the Houston Sports Association but eventually retains control and builds other entities such as an amusement park, a hotel and an exhibition hall to his “Astrodomain”. Poor health and poor investments cause him to sell his ownership in 1975.
1982 – Center fielder Dale Murphy wins the National League MVP Award, becoming the first Braves player to be so honored since Hank Aaron in 1957, when the team played in Milwaukee. Murphy hit .281 with 36 home runs, 109 RBI, 113 runs, and 23 stolen bases.
The Orioles get their first new manager since 1968 when Joe Altobelli succeeds the retiring Baltimore skipper, Earl Weaver. The former San Francisco manager will compile a 212-167 (.559) record during his 2+ seasons with the team and will lead the club to a World Championship his first year in Baltimore.
1982 – Robin Yount, who hit .331 for the Milwaukee Brewers and led the American League in hits (210), doubles (46), and slugging percentage (.578), is a unanimous choice as AL Most Valuable Player. The future Hall of Famer captures all 27 first-place votes easily beating runner-ups Eddie Murray and Doug DeCinces.
1982 – New York Yankees coach Mike Ferraro lands his first major league managing job, signing a two-year contract to lead the Cleveland Indians. He will be fired before the end of the season.
1982 – Pitcher Pete Vuckovich becomes the Milwaukee Brewers’ second consecutive Cy Young Award winner in the American League, edging Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles. Vuckovich (18-6 with 105 strikeouts and a 3.34 ERA) posted a .750 winning percentage, the highest in the majors over the past two seasons.
The National League owners block the re-election of Bowie Kuhn, thus ending his fourteen-year reign as baseball’s boss. Next year, the commissioner’s supporters will make a failed last-ditch effort to retain him, but he will be allowed to stay in his position to the end of the 1984 regular season, before being replaced by Peter Ueberroth.
Doug Rader becomes the twelfth manager in the Rangers’ twelve-year history when he replaces interim Darrell Johnson. The 38 year-old skipper, who managed the Padres’ Triple A club for the past three years, will compile a 155-200 (.437) record during his 2+ season with Texas.
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