On October 10, 1982 — At County Stadium the Milwaukee Brewers complete their comeback from a 2-0 ALCS deficit by edging the California Angels, 4 – 3, to earn their first-ever trip to the World Series. Angels outfielder Fred Lynn bats .611 for the Series and is named MVP in a losing cause.
The Angels up 3-2 in the bottom of the 7th, but Cecil Cooper hits a 2 out bases-loaded opposite field single to give the Brewers the 4-3 lead. Bob McClure and Pete Ladd pitch 3,2 innings of scoreless relief to seal the Brewers first trip to the World Series. Milwaukee had last seen a World Series in 1958.
After the game, Cooper acknowledged, who had been hitting .125 in the series, “If somebody asked where Cecil Cooper had been during the playoffs, it would have been a fair question.”
After the game, Fred Lynn, who had batted .611 with 11 hits and 5 RBIs, was named the series MVP, a rare honor for a player on the losing team and one that riled Harvey Kuenn, who said, “Fred Lynn got the MVP? Not in my book. It should have gone to Ladd.” Ladd, who had retired all 10 batters he faced in the series, conceded, “Freddie deserved the MVP. But what we got is a chance to go to the World Series. And we deserved that.”
You can read the full game recap at the SABR Great Games Project
