Mickey Rivers Stats & Facts
Mickey Rivers
Position: Centerfielder
Bats: Left • Throws: Left
5-10, 165lb (178cm, 74kg)
Born: October 30, 1948 in Miami, FL
Draft: Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 1st round (13th) of the 1968 MLB January Draft-Regular Phase from Miami Dade College (Miami, FL), the New York Mets in the 8th round of the 1968 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase from Miami Dade College (Miami, FL), the Washington Senators in the 1st round (8th) of the 1969 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase from Miami Dade College (Miami, FL) and the Atlanta Braves in the 2nd round of the 1969 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase from Miami Dade College (Miami, FL).
High School: Northwestern HS (Miami, FL)
Schools: Miami Dade College (Miami, FL), Miami Dade College, North Campus (Miami, FL)
Debut: August 4, 1970 (13,037th in major league history)
vs. OAK 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: September 30, 1984
vs. CAL 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: John Milton Rivers
Nicknames: Mick the Quick
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1970
Dave Concepcion
Jose Cruz
Don Baylor
Larry Bowa
Ken Singleton
Bobby Grich
Cesar Cedeno
Bert Blyleven
Charlie Hough
The Mickey Rivers Teammate Team
C: Thurman Munson
1B: Pete O’Brien
2B: Willie Randolph
3B: Graig Nettles
SS: Bucky Dent
LF: Vada Pinson
CF: Al Oliver
RF: Frank Robinson
DH: Reggie Jackson
SP: Clyde Wright
SP: Nolan Ryan
SP: Ed Figueroa
SP: Ron Guidry
SP: Charlie Hough
RP: Sparky Lyle
RP: Goose Gossage
M: Billy Martin
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Notable Events and Chronology
Mickey Rivers
An often-quoted, off-the-wall character, Rivers had a language all his own. He called people “Gozzlehead” and “Warplehead” (words he said heard in the ghetto) and presided over kangaroo courts with a unique wisdom. Some of his more memorable quotes included his goals for the 1983 season, “I’d like to hit .300, score 100 runs and stay injury-prone,” and his philosophy of life, “Ain’t no sense worrying about things you got no control over, ’cause if you got no control over them ain’t no sense in worrying. And ain’t no sense worrying about things you got control over, ’cause if you got control over them, ain’t no sense worrying.” When Reggie Jackson claimed he had an IQ of 160, Rivers said, “Out of what, 1,000?” His slouching walk made teammate Sandy Alomar call him the “Almighty Tired Man.” But Rivers was an intimidating, lefthanded-hitting leadoff man, a line-drive hitter who led the AL in triples with the Angels in 1974 and 1975 and stole a league-high 70 bases in 1975. He made up for many mistakes and a weak arm with his speed in centerfield. Traded to the Yankees in December 1975, he was New York’s sparkplug for three straight pennant-winners (1976-78). Yet he often sulked when criticized, lost confidence in his basestealing, and spent money unwisely, often at the racetrack. Owner George Steinbrenner traded him to Texas in 1979, saying, “We had to get him out of the New York environment. He’s just a sweet, sweet kid.” Rivers excelled in Texas, hitting .333 in 1980. Plagued with knee and ankle injuries, he retired after 1984.
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Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts
“Mick the Quick” belied his nickname with a slow, painful walk to the batters box, lulling the opposing team to sleep before he burst down the base line in a flash of speed. He led the AL in steals in 1975 with 70, and the next season he became the Yankees’ leadoff man, helping them to three straight pennants. A contact hitter, Rivers hit .300 five times as a regular and retired with a .295 batting average.
California Angels (1970-1975)
New York Yankees (1976-1979)
Texas Rangers (1979-1984)
Best Season: 1976
Installed as the Yankee’s leadoff man, Rivers swiped 43 bases in 50 tries, batting .312 with 95 runs scored. He also had a fine season for the Rangers in 1980, hitting .333 with 210 hits, a team record.
Post-Season Appearances
1976 American League Championship Series
1976 World Series
1977 American League Championship Series
1977 World Series
1978 American League Championship Series
1978 World Series
Notes
Third in American League Most Valuable Player voting in 1976.
Hitting Streaks
24 games (1980)
20 games (1976)
20 games (1980)
Transactions
Mickey was not that heartbroken to have been dealt away from the Yankees. The constant scrutiny, much of it asinine, wore on him.
“Once, George [Steinbrenner] called me upstairs and said I’d been clocked to first in 3.5 on one play and 3.7 on the next play,” Mickey said in his first post-Yankee season. “He wanted to know why I’d slowed up. That kind of thing got to worrying me. I’d listen to George and think I was losing a step or something.”
All-Star Selections
1976 AL
Best Strength as a Player
Speed
Largest Weakness as a Player
Judging flyballs
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