This Day In Dodgers History: Maury Wills Voted 1962 National League MVP
11/23/2024 05:55 PM
On Nov. 23, 1962, Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Maury Wills was named the National League MVP. The five-time All-Star appeared in 165 games, hitting .299/.347/.373 with 13 doubles, 10 triples, six home runs and 48 RBI.
Wills earned eight of 20 first-place votes and received 209 total points, beating out the likes of Willie Mays (202 points) and Dodgers teammate Tommy Davis (175).
Wills led the NL in triples, and all of Major League Baseball with 104 stolen bases and 759 plate appearances. He also earned a second consecutive All-Star Game appearance and Gold Glove Award.
Furthermore, Wills accumulated a career-best 6.0 WAR in 1962 despite posting a slightly below league average OPS+ of 99.
Wills played 12 seasons with the Dodgers over two separate stints, batting .281/.331/.332 with 150 doubles, 56 triples, 17 home runs, 374 RBI and 490 stolen bases. Among Dodgers franchise leaders, Wills ranks first in stolen bases, 10th in total at-bats (6,156), runs scored (876) and hits (1,732).
After spending two years with the Pittsburgh Pirates and one with the Montreal Expos, Wills returned to the Dodgers organization in 1969 for the final four seasons of his career.
Wills was on four Dodgers teams that reached the World Series (1959, 1963, 1965 and 1966), during which he played a part in the franchise winning titles in each of the first three of those appearances.
In May 2022, Wills became the fourth member of the "Legends of Dodger Baseball," joining Steve Garvey, Don Newcombe and Fernando Valenzuela. Kirk Gibson has since been added to the group as well.
Dodgers wore Maury Wills patch
After Wills passed away at the age of 89, the Dodgers wore a jersey patch for the remainder of the 2022 season.
"He just loved the game of baseball, loved working and loved the relationship with players," manager Dave Roberts recalled at the time.
"We spent a lot of time together. A lot of time together. He really showed me how to appreciate my craft and what it is to be a big leaguer. He just loved to teach, so I think a lot of where I get my excitement, my passion, my love for players, is from Maury."
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