Of course, in the National league we had Johnny Bench pretty much taking over the baseball world with his second MVP Award in three years, and STILL only 24 years of age, when he slammed a league-leading 40 home runs with 125 runs batted in while taking the Cincinnati Reds back to the World Series.
It was the beginning of the monster we’d get to know as the “Big Red Machine”, with other future Hall of Fame members like Tony Perez and Joe Morgan, along with Pete Rose. But it was Bench that was the on-field general leading the way for one of the all-time great runs by an organization.
He wasn’t all offense mind you, as evidenced by his fifth straight Gold Glove. His fifth, and again I have to mention he was only 24! Incredible talent.
Over in the American League, we had another former Rookie of the Year winner in Chicago White Sox “thumper”, or should I say “Walloper”, in Dick Allen, who came ever so close to taking home the Triple Crown with his fantastic season.
All Allen did that year was lead the American League in homers (37), runs batted in (113), walks (99), OBP (.420) and slugging (.603) while missing out on the batting title by hitting .308 to Rod Carew’s .318. Yep, that close to immortality in the baseball achievement category for Allen.
Two great players from the decade taking home baseball’s biggest prize as far as personal awards go, a great season all around for fans.