Willie Wilson: A Look at His Stolen Base Record
Willie Wilson was a professional baseball player for 18 seasons, from 1976-1994, and he is well-known for his impressive stolen base record. He played for the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics during his career, as well as two other teams. Wilson was a speedy outfielder with incredible base-running instincts, and he is still remembered today as one of the greatest base stealers in the history of the game. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Willie Wilson’s stolen base record and see just how impressive it really was.
Early Career with the Kansas City Royals
Willie Wilson began his career with the Kansas City Royals in 1976 and quickly made a name for himself with his base stealing talents. In the first two years of his career, Wilson stole an impressive 146 bases, and he was named to the American League All-Star team in 1978. Wilson was a key member of the Royals team that won the World Series in 1985 and he was named the World Series MVP that year. During his time with the Royals, Wilson stole a total of 711 bases, which was a Royals record at the time.
A Move to the Oakland Athletics
In 1990, Wilson signed a free-agent deal with the Oakland Athletics and continued to impress with his base stealing abilities. In his first season with the A’s, Wilson stole a career-high 81 bases and was named to the American League All-Star team for the second time in his career. Wilson continued to be a major contributor to the A’s through the 1993 season, when he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. During his time in Oakland, Wilson stole an additional 246 bases, bringing his career total to 957.
Career Highlights
Willie Wilson was one of the most prolific base stealers of his era, and he had some impressive accomplishments during his career. He was named to the American League All-Star team twice, and he was the 1985 World Series MVP. Wilson also led the American League in stolen bases three times during his career, in 1979, 1980, and 1982. He was also the American League leader in triples in 1979 and 1982.
The Record
So, just how many stolen bases did Willie Wilson have during his 18-year career? The answer is an impressive 1,067 stolen bases. This number is a testament to Wilson’s amazing speed and base-running instincts, and it ranks him sixth all-time in stolen bases. Wilson’s 1,067 stolen bases also rank him first in Kansas City Royals history, and second in Oakland Athletics history, behind only Rickey Henderson.
Leading Stolen Base Seasons
Willie Wilson had some impressive individual seasons during his career, and here is a look at some of his more impressive stolen base seasons:
- 1979: Wilson led the American League with 83 stolen bases in 1979.
- 1980: Wilson again led the American League with 77 stolen bases in 1980.
- 1982: Wilson led the American League with 85 stolen bases in 1982.
- 1990: Wilson had a career-high 81 stolen bases in his first season with the Oakland Athletics.
Career Average
In addition to his impressive stolen base total, Willie Wilson also had an impressive career average when it came to stolen bases. During his 18-year career, Wilson stole an average of 59 bases per season, which is a remarkable achievement. Wilson also had a career success rate of 81.5%, which is another testament to his incredible base-running abilities.
Legacy
Willie Wilson’s impressive stolen base record has earned him a place in the history books, and he is still remembered today as one of the best base stealers of all time. Wilson’s 1,067 stolen bases rank him sixth all-time in stolen bases, and he is still the Kansas City Royals all-time leader in stolen bases. He was also a key member of the Royals team that won the World Series in 1985, and he was named the World Series MVP that year.
Conclusion
Willie Wilson was an incredible base stealer during his 18-year career, and he is still remembered today as one of the best base stealers of all time. He had an impressive 1,067 stolen bases during his career, which ranks him sixth all-time, and he also had an impressive career average of 59 stolen bases per season. Wilson also led the American League in stolen bases three times during his career, and he was named to the American League All-Star team twice. Wilson’s legacy as one of the greatest base stealers in the history of the game will continue to live on for years to come.