Dwight Evans

Dwight Michael "Dewey" Evans (born November 3, 1951) is an American former professional baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who played with the Boston Red Sox (1972–1990) and Baltimore Orioles (1991) in Major League Baseball (MLB).

He was a three-time All-Star, won eight Gold Glove Awards, and won two Silver Slugger Awards.

Evans played the second-most career games for the Red Sox of any player, surpassed only by Carl Yastrzemski.

Evans was born in Santa Monica, California.

He played Pony League and Colt League baseball in Northridge, California, with Doug DeCinces.

Dwight attended Granada Hills High School in the tenth grade, but was not happy with the poor treatment he received from the baseball coaches.

He then transferred to Chatsworth High School, from which he graduated in 1969.

Evans was drafted in the fifth round of the 1969 MLB draft by the Red Sox, with the 107th overall pick, and then played in Boston's minor league system from 1969 through 1972.

He played for the Florida Instructional League Red Sox (1969), short season Class A Jamestown Falcons (1969), Single-A Greenville Red Sox (1970), Single-A Winston-Salem Red Sox (1971), and Triple-A Louisville Colonels (1972).

Evans acquired the nickname "Dewey" while playing for Winston-Salem in 1971.

It was coined by manager Don Lock who had already called Don Newhauser "Newie" and another teammate "Louie".

In 1972, with Louisville, Evans was named MVP of the International League.

Evans made his major league debut with the Red Sox on September 16, 1972, during a Red Sox 10–0 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Evans appeared in a total of 18 games late in the season, batting 15-for-57 (.263) with one home run and six RBIs.

Early in his major league career, Evans was primarily a defensive standout (he would win eight Gold Glove Awards) with a modest bat.

In the second half of his career, he became a powerful hitter, twice winning a Silver Slugger Award.

Originally, Evans was assigned the uniform number 40, but quietly he wanted to wear number 24, the number of his idol Willie Mays.

In 1973, the Sox gave him number 24, the number he wore for the rest of his career.

Evans was the Red Sox regular right fielder starting in 1973, a role he would have until 1987.

In 1973 he batted .223 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs, and in 1974 he batted .281 with 10 home runs and 70 RBIs.

In 1975, the Red Sox won the AL East and then swept the Oakland Athletics in the 1975 ALCS.

Evans batted 1-for-10 against Oakland, being held to a double in the first game.

In the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Evans batted 7-for-24 (.292) with a home run and five RBIs.

From 1976 through 1980, Evans batted an overall .260 with 94 home runs and 279 RBIs; he was limited to 73 games in 1977 by a knee injury; in each of the other years he appeared in at least 146 games.

He was named an All-Star in 1978; he would be an All-Star twice more during his career.

In 1981, despite the strike-shortened season, Evans had his best all-around year.

He paced the league in total bases (215), OPS (.937), walks (85), times on base (208), and tied Eddie Murray, Tony Armas and Bobby Grich for the home run title with 22.

He also ranked second in runs scored (84) and on-base percentage (.415), and third in slugging percentage (.522).

He added a .296 batting average with 71 RBIs, was an All-Star for the second time, and received his first Silver Slugger Award.

On Opening Day of 1982, the Red Sox were visiting the Milwaukee Brewers, and Evans watched Sixto Lezcano's famous walk off grand slam in the bottom of the Ninth sail over his head.

Brewers announcer Bob Uecker called the homerun as follows: "Here's a drive to deep right-center, way back goes Evans. It's got a chance to gooooo, GOOOONE !!!!!".

From 1982 through 1985, Evans batted an overall .274 with 115 home runs and 338 RBIs; in both 1982 and 1984 he played in every Red Sox game.

His home run eclipsed the mark held by the Chicago Cubs' Bump Wills, who hit the second pitch for a home run on April 5, 1982.

Evans hit a home run on opening day four times during his career.

On June 28, 1984, he hit for the cycle, in a 9–6 extra-innings win over the Seattle Mariners.

In 1986, Evans hit a home run on opening day, April 7, on the first pitch of the MLB season, as Boston and the Detroit Tigers were playing the first game that day.

The Red Sox went on to win the AL East, and defeated the California Angels in seven games in the 1986 ALCS; Evans batted 6-for-28 (.214) with a home run and four RBIs.

Boston then lost the 1986 World Series to the New York Mets in seven games; Evans batted 8-for-26 (.308) with two home runs and nine RBIs.

In the historic sixth game, with the score tied 6–6 in the 11th inning, Evans made a spectacular catch of a drive hit by Reds second baseman Joe Morgan; Evans then threw to first base to complete an inning-ending double play.

Carlton Fisk hit his famous walk-off home run in the 12th inning to win the game for the Red Sox, 7–6, forcing a seventh game, which was won the next day by the Reds.