1965 NL Stargell Award

National League 1965

			AVG	OBA	SLU	AB	HIT	DB	TP	HR	RUN	RBI	BB	SB	OPS
RF	H AARON	MIL	318	384	560	570	181	40	1	32	109	89	60	24	938
RF	F ROBINSON	CIN	296	388	540	582	172	33	5	33	109	113	70	13	925
LF	B WILLIAMS	CHI	315	380	552	645	203	39	6	34	115	108	65	10	929
1B	W MCCOVEY	SF	276	383	539	540	149	17	4	39	93	92	88	0	920
3B	D ALLEN	PHI	302	378	494	619	187	31	14	20	93	85	74	15	870
RF	J CALLISON	PHI	262	328	509	619	162	25	16	32	93	101	57	6	836

CF	J WYNN	HOU	275	371	470	564	155	30	7	22	90	73	84	43	841
RF	R CLEMENTE	PIT	329	380	463	589	194	21	14	10	91	65	43	5	842
2B	P ROSE	CIN	312	383	446	670	209	35	11	11	117	81	69	8	828
3B	D JOHNSON	CIN	287	345	515	616	177	30	7	32	92	130	52	0	854
CA/1B	J TORRE	MIL	291	373	489	523	152	21	1	27	68	80	61	0	862

CF	W MAYS	SF	317	399	645	558	177	21	3	52	118	112	76	9	1043
3B	R SANTO	CHI	285	379	510	608	173	30	4	33	88	101	88	3	888
2B	J LEFEBVRE	LA	250	339	369	544	136	21	4	12	57	69	71	3	706
2B	J MORGAN	HOU	271	375	418	601	163	22	12	14	100	40	97	20	791
SS	M WILLS	LA	286	331	329	650	186	14	7	0	92	33	40	94	660
SS	L CARDENAS	CIN	287	358	431	557	160	25	11	11	65	57	60	1	786

         There was a big difference between Mays and everyone else in the power department. Willie McCovey was second in the league with 39 homers - 13 behind Mays. Henry Aaron was second with a .560 slugging percentage - 85 points behind Mays. Add in Mays' NL-leading on-base percentage, and his Gold Glove, and he outdistances the group by a fairly large margin.
         Most baseball fans consider Babe Ruth to be the greatest player to ever play the game; those who don't, usually choose Willie Mays as their man. Mays joined the Negro Leagues when he was 17 years old, then was acquired by the Giants in 1950. He made his debut with the big club in 1951, at age 20; after a slow start, Mays notched his first major league hit — a home run — off of Warren Spahn, and a star was born. He was Rookie Of The Year in 1951, and helped the Giants win the pennant.
        Mays joined the service in 1952; he returned in 1954, and had a legendary season. Not only was he the MVP, but Mays also led the Giants to a World Series victory — their last one to date. In the playoffs against Cleveland, Mays made the most famous catch in baseball history, an over-the-shoulder grab off of a deep drive by Vic Wertz. Mays also played in his first All-Star game in 1954, the first of twenty straight seasons that he played in the Midsummer Classic.
         Mays would become the ultimate example of a complete player. Not only did he hit for average and power, but he was also a great baserunner, and great fielder, and he had an outstanding throwing arm. He could dominate the game at bat, on the bases, or in the field. He remained one of the greatest players in the game, and one of the most beloved, for the next two decades.
         When his career ended in 1973, Mays had hit 660 home runs in his career, trailing only Ruth and Aaron. He also had over 3000 hits, over 2000 runs scored, over 300 stolen bases, and he set a lifetime record for putouts in the outfield. To this day, Willie remains one of the game's greatest icons - and is arguably the greatest player to ever step on a ball diamond.          This was Mays' last MVP Award. In my revisionist view of the MVP vote, the two players who gain the most are Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. In addition to the two he won during his career, I've given Mays four more. I don't know if he was the greatest player ever, or even the greatest centre fielder; I don't know how to compare him to someone like Ty Cobb. But Willie was a phenomenal player; I wish I could have seen him play.
        Following Mays in the MVP vote was pitcher Sandy Koufax, then Maury Wills and Deron Johnson. Wills played for the best team in the league, and did some things well, but I still think he was overrated. His on-base percentage was mediocre, and he had no power. He stole a lot of bases, but was also caught 31 times, which isn't a great success rate. Wills finished ahead of guys like Aaron, Frank Robinson and Ron Santo. I have difficulty believing he was better than Leo Cardenas, who was clearly a better hitter, and who also won the Gold Glove at shortstop.
        Deron Johnson drove in a lot of runs, but I think that Johnson and Santo (and Dick Allen) were equals as hitters. Santo was also much better defensive player. I think Ron Santo was the best NL third baseman of the era, this year included.
        The Dodgers have a long history of having young players win Rookie Of The Year awards. Many times, however, these have been strange votes; I think a lot of young Dodgers have won the award not because of what they did on the field, but because of their blue uniform.
        A classic example was this year, when both Jim Lefebvre and Joe Morgan were rookies. Lefebrve, a Dodger, was named Rookie Of The Year. How can anyone look at these two, and think that Lefebrve had had a better year? They were both second baseman, and both were good defensive players. Morgan was clearly much better at the plate. Of course, Morgan was stuck playing in Houston, far away from the limelight of L.A. Maybe I'm looking back with 20-20 vision, because Joe became such a great player; but I still think you would have a tough time justifying Lefebvre as the better player this year.