Post by wilkyisdashiznit on Mar 8, 2023 15:29:51 GMT -8
Jim Wilson hit 21 home runs in 1982 in 44 games. At the time, the fences at Coleman Field were six-feet high all the way around.
1982 might be memorable for some, because that was the year that Oregon dropped baseball. To make up for a lack of Oregon, The Pac-10 North added Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, Portland, and Portland State.
Oregon State started the season in the Banana Belt Tournament in Lewiston, playing a "non-conference" game against Eastern Washington and Wazzu and two games against NAIA Lewis-Clark State. Wilson hit two home runs in those four games. I have no idea against who, but Oregon State scored 25 runs in the two games against Lewis-Clark State and combined for 13 against the two conference opponents. Lewis-Clark State would finish second at the NAIA World Series in Lubbock, losing to Grand Canyon University 3-1 and 10-6 in the Championship Game.
Wilson hit a home run in Klamath Falls against NAIA Oregon Tech.
Oregon State played Pacific, @ St. Mary's, @ Santa Clara, @ Pacific, and UC Santa Barbara @ San Jose and hit one home in those five games.
Wilson hit two home runs in San Jose against San Jose State in a 9-2 win to bring his total to six in 13 games, heading into conference play.
In the world at large, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands shortly after Oregon State finished up the 14th non-conference game against NAIA Western Oregon.
Jim Wilson hit a three-run home run at Portland State in the game 16, home run #7.
In a road trip doubleheader against Wazzu, Wilson hit a home run in a 4-3 loss and then hit three more in the nightcap, driving in five on the three home runs in a wild 13-12 win. One home run included what would be the game winner in the ninth. Those four brought his total to 11 in 20 games.
In a second road trip doubleheader the next day against Gonzaga, Wilson hit a 12th home run in a 6-3 win.
Oregon State played at home against Washington on the 24th, and Wilson hit a three-run shot to erase an early 1-0 Husky lead, Wilson's 13th home run. England invaded South Georgia.
The next day, Oregon State played at home against Portland. Wilson hit a solo shot to post a 1-0 lead, which the Beavers would never relinquish in a 3-1 win, Wilson's 14th home run.
In the second-to-last midweek game against NAIA Western Oregon in Monmouth, Wilson hit his 15th home run. That home run tied Al Hunsinger's home run record that was set the year before.
Oregon State hit a home run in a 4-2 loss to Portland the following weekend. That set the all-time record with 16 home runs. England started to bombard the Falkland Islands.
Wilson hit home run #17 at home against Gonzaga.
For the first time since 1975, Oregon State swept a doubleheader against long-time North power Wazzu. The Cougars led 6-0 in the fifth, but Wilson started the comeback with a grand slam, his 18th home run. Steve Smith tied it at six in the seventh on a solo shot, and Mickey Riley (Jack's son) hit the game-winner with two outs in the bottom of the 10th. The two wins gave Oregon State the series win, thereby reducing the Beavs' magic number to one to win the North.
In the final three games of the regular season against Portland State in Corvallis and at Eastern Washington, Wilson hit one home run to get to 19. The win against Portland State clinched the Pac-10 North Championship for Oregon State, which is important, because the Beavers lost the next two, and Wazzu won out. Oregon State's series win against Wazzu clinched the Pac-10 North Championship. Wilson was unanimously selected as the Pac-12 North Player of the Year.
Oregon State won the Pac-10 North Championship for the first time ever, a divisional championship since 1969, and a Pacific Coast Conference North Championship since 1963. (The Beavers, for a time claimed AAWU/Pac-8 North Championships in 1967 and 1969, when the AAWU/Pac-8 briefly used a combined conference format. Oregon State also lost the Pac-8 North Championship Game to Wazzu in 1975.) The Championship earned Oregon State a trip to Sunken Diamond to play Stanford for a right to go to the NCAA Tournament.
Stanford won the opener 15-6. Wilson homered twice, a solo shot and a two-run shot, in the final game, but Oregon State could only muster one other run in a 15-4 loss. The two home runs in game 44 helped Wilson notch 21 total home runs in 1982.
In the home run race, Turley's five is ahead of Wilson's four after 12 games, but Wilson hit two home runs in game 13, so Turley needs a home run to keep pace.
1982 might be memorable for some, because that was the year that Oregon dropped baseball. To make up for a lack of Oregon, The Pac-10 North added Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, Portland, and Portland State.
Oregon State started the season in the Banana Belt Tournament in Lewiston, playing a "non-conference" game against Eastern Washington and Wazzu and two games against NAIA Lewis-Clark State. Wilson hit two home runs in those four games. I have no idea against who, but Oregon State scored 25 runs in the two games against Lewis-Clark State and combined for 13 against the two conference opponents. Lewis-Clark State would finish second at the NAIA World Series in Lubbock, losing to Grand Canyon University 3-1 and 10-6 in the Championship Game.
Wilson hit a home run in Klamath Falls against NAIA Oregon Tech.
Oregon State played Pacific, @ St. Mary's, @ Santa Clara, @ Pacific, and UC Santa Barbara @ San Jose and hit one home in those five games.
Wilson hit two home runs in San Jose against San Jose State in a 9-2 win to bring his total to six in 13 games, heading into conference play.
In the world at large, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands shortly after Oregon State finished up the 14th non-conference game against NAIA Western Oregon.
Jim Wilson hit a three-run home run at Portland State in the game 16, home run #7.
In a road trip doubleheader against Wazzu, Wilson hit a home run in a 4-3 loss and then hit three more in the nightcap, driving in five on the three home runs in a wild 13-12 win. One home run included what would be the game winner in the ninth. Those four brought his total to 11 in 20 games.
In a second road trip doubleheader the next day against Gonzaga, Wilson hit a 12th home run in a 6-3 win.
Oregon State played at home against Washington on the 24th, and Wilson hit a three-run shot to erase an early 1-0 Husky lead, Wilson's 13th home run. England invaded South Georgia.
The next day, Oregon State played at home against Portland. Wilson hit a solo shot to post a 1-0 lead, which the Beavers would never relinquish in a 3-1 win, Wilson's 14th home run.
In the second-to-last midweek game against NAIA Western Oregon in Monmouth, Wilson hit his 15th home run. That home run tied Al Hunsinger's home run record that was set the year before.
Oregon State hit a home run in a 4-2 loss to Portland the following weekend. That set the all-time record with 16 home runs. England started to bombard the Falkland Islands.
Wilson hit home run #17 at home against Gonzaga.
For the first time since 1975, Oregon State swept a doubleheader against long-time North power Wazzu. The Cougars led 6-0 in the fifth, but Wilson started the comeback with a grand slam, his 18th home run. Steve Smith tied it at six in the seventh on a solo shot, and Mickey Riley (Jack's son) hit the game-winner with two outs in the bottom of the 10th. The two wins gave Oregon State the series win, thereby reducing the Beavs' magic number to one to win the North.
In the final three games of the regular season against Portland State in Corvallis and at Eastern Washington, Wilson hit one home run to get to 19. The win against Portland State clinched the Pac-10 North Championship for Oregon State, which is important, because the Beavers lost the next two, and Wazzu won out. Oregon State's series win against Wazzu clinched the Pac-10 North Championship. Wilson was unanimously selected as the Pac-12 North Player of the Year.
Oregon State won the Pac-10 North Championship for the first time ever, a divisional championship since 1969, and a Pacific Coast Conference North Championship since 1963. (The Beavers, for a time claimed AAWU/Pac-8 North Championships in 1967 and 1969, when the AAWU/Pac-8 briefly used a combined conference format. Oregon State also lost the Pac-8 North Championship Game to Wazzu in 1975.) The Championship earned Oregon State a trip to Sunken Diamond to play Stanford for a right to go to the NCAA Tournament.
Stanford won the opener 15-6. Wilson homered twice, a solo shot and a two-run shot, in the final game, but Oregon State could only muster one other run in a 15-4 loss. The two home runs in game 44 helped Wilson notch 21 total home runs in 1982.
In the home run race, Turley's five is ahead of Wilson's four after 12 games, but Wilson hit two home runs in game 13, so Turley needs a home run to keep pace.
