Vince Coleman is selected by the BBWAA as the National League’s Rookie of the Year. The Cardinals freshman outfielder, who stole 110 bases for the pennant-winning Redbirds, joins Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie McCovey as only the fourth unanimous winner of the award.
On November 20, 1984, Four days after his 20th birthday, New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest player ever to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Gooden posted a 17-9 record with a 2.60 ERA and a major league-leading 276 strikeouts. Bryce Harper will be even younger when he wins…
Dwight Gooden becomes the second consecutive Met player to be named the National League’s Rookie of Year. The 19 year-old right-hander, who compiled a 17-9 record along with a 1.53 ERA and a league-leading 268 strikeouts, joins his teammate and close friend Darryl Strawberry to be honored the coveted freshman award.
New York Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry breaks the Los Angeles Dodgers’ four-year stronghold on the National League Rookie of the Year Award when he becomes the first non-Dodger to win the honor since Bob Horner in 1978. Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Sax had been the previous winners.
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.
1981 – Following the strike-shortened season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela becomes the third consecutive Dodgers player to be named National League Rookie of the Year. The Mexican lefthander posted a 13-7 record with a 2.48 ERA and led the NL in strikeouts (180), games started (25), complete games (11), shutouts (8) and innings pitched (192 1/3). His 13 wins tied him with Steve Carlton in second place behind Tom Seaver, who finished with 14. Valenzuela also made his first All-Star Game appearance and received the Cy Young and TSN Rookie of the Year awards.
1978 – Bob Horner of the Braves edges Ozzie Smith of San Diego to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Horner batted .266 with 23 home runs in just 323 at-bats after starting the season at Arizona State University before being the first overall pick of the June draft.
1977 – Andre Dawson of the Montreal Expos wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award by one vote over Steve Henderson of the New York Mets. Dawson hit .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, while Henderson had a batting line of .297, 12, 65.
Giant pitcher John Montefusco (15-9, 2.88, 215), also known as ‘The Count,’ wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The Expos’ freshman catcher Gary Carter (.270, 18, 68), a 2003 inductee into the Hall of Fame, receives nine of the first-place votes of the 24 cast by the writers to finish second in the balloting.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Bake McBride wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
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