Preview
The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers hit 216 home runs during the regular season, thus earning them the nickname Harvey's Wallbangers (after manager Harvey Kuenn). In a sharp contrast, the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals only hit 67 home runs, fewer than Gorman Thomas' 39 and Ben Oglivie's 34 combined. The Cardinals had built their reputation and won their division behind solid pitching, exceptional defense, and aggressive base running, they manufactured runs in a style that would come to be called “Whiteyball,” after Cardinal Manager Whitey Herzog who managed the Cardinals from 1980 to 1990. This style would be the hallmark of the Cardinals through the 1980s and see them into two more world series (in 1985 and 1987).
The 1981 American League MVP Rollie Fingers was not available for the Brewers during the 1982 World Series due to a torn arm muscle. Coincidentally, Fingers was traded from the San Diego Padres to St. Louis in December 1980, but when the Cardinals acquired Sutter from the Chicago Cubs later that winter, Fingers was then shipped to Milwaukee before ever donning a Cardinal uniform.
The Brewers/Cardinals trade in December of 1980 was expected to be a major benefit to both teams. The Cardinals picked up pitchers Dave LaPoint and Larry Sorenson and outfielders Sixto Lezcano and David Green. In return the Brewers received Pete Vukovich, Rollie Fingers and Ted Simmons. The Cardinals built their team on speed, clutch hitting and pitching. The Cardinals made additional trades for Willie McGee, Ozzie Smith, George Hendrick, Joaquin Andujar and Bruce Sutter, all designed to craft a well balanced championship level team.
The Brewers combined a productive farm system with additional trades as well to build their heavy hitting ball club. Moose Haas, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Gorman Thomas came through the system, while Mike Caldwell, the aforementioned Vukovich, Simmons and Fingers, and Ben Oglivie, Cecil Cooper and Don Money all arrived via the trade route. On June 1, with the team 23–24 and floundering in fifth place, Brewer GM Harry Dalton replaced manager Buck Rogers with Harvey Kuenn. The Brewers responded by winning at a .626 clip the rest of the way, taking first place for good on July 31 and never looked back.
Read more about this topic: 1982 World Series
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