Somebody’s Keeping Score
In this criminally underviewed youtube link, MVP and crazy face Maury Wills is singing “Somebody’s Keeping Score.” You may not know that Wills was an accomplished banjo player. Also, how come teams don’t do albums like this one anymore? Barry Zito, where are you?
Let’s have a toast to one of the least deserving MVPs and most incompetent managers of all time, and to this big pile of sacks.
Summer Anne Burton is a writer and illustrator living in Austin, Texas. She is drawing pictures of Every Hall of Famer.
Not saying he should have won, but when you’re a Gold Glove shortstop, head and shoulders above every other hitter at the position, steal 104 bases, and play in 165 games for a 102-win team… I don’t think you’re one of the least deserving MVP’s of all time.
you’re missing the point. The point, as evidenced by the picture, is that he literally stole all of those bases and then crooned his way out of legal hotwater.
Fair enough, but looking at the leaderboards in 1962, the only category (other than stolen bases) that Wills led in were stolen bases (and caught stealing, of course), games played, at bats, plate appearances. Yes, he played a LOT and he stole bases a LOT. I think I said “least deserved” because of the years that both Frank Robinson and Mays had in ’62. Leo Cardenas was an equally good or better defensive shortstop, Mays led the league in total bases and home runs, Robinson led the league in on base and slugging, runs, doubles… All of that said, LEAST deserving probably wasn’t fair. Not deserving could have sufficed.
No idea why Willie Mays didn’t win. I’m guessing it had to do with the 104 steals and a newfound enthusiasm for steals in general. In the 1930’s-1950’s, stolen base leaders would only get 20 or 30 steals a year. Wills himself lead the league in 1961 with 35 steals.
And if you’re interested in seeing the actual least deserving MVP’s of all time, check out the bottom of this list: http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?103784-MVPs-and-WAR&s=5fa01c84c69f1ec450f2e37257158511&p=1882332#post1882332