Rookie Outfielders (Alonza Bumbry/Dwight Evans/Charlie Spikes)

Alonza Benjamin Bumbry (April 21, 1947-) was a Bronze Star recipient for his service during the Vietnam War prior to becoming a Major Leaguer with the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles drafted Al in the 11th round of the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft and he debuted in 1972. Bumbry batted .337 in 1973 leading the league in triples, had 120 hits, stole 23 bases and drove in 34 RBI en route to the American League Rookie of the Year award. Al played the outfield for 13 years in a Baltimore Orioles uniform (1972-1984) and finished his career with the San Diego Padres (1985). Bumbry’s best all-around season came in 1980 when he hit .318, 205 hits – becoming the first Oriole to amass 200 hits in a season – had 44 stolen bases and drove in 53 runs earning his only All-Star selection. Al played in two World Series and in 1983 helped the Orioles defeat the Philadelphia Phillies for their third in franchise history. Al Bumbry finished his career with a .281 batting average, 1,422 hits including 220 doubles, 778 runs, 254 stolen bases and 402 RBI in 14 seasons. He posted a .986 career fielding percentage with 2,975 putouts, 68 assists, 10 double plays and 44 errors in 3,087 chances.

Dwight Michael “Dewey” Evans (November 3, 1951-) spent 19 years in a Boston Red Sox uniform (1972-1990) freezing would-be base stealers in their tracks for two decades before finishing his career in Baltimore for one season (1991). The California native was named a San Fernando Valley All-Valley selection and won the league MVP as a senior in high school. The Boston Red Sox took Dwight in the fifth round of the 1969 MLB Amateur Draft and assigned him to the minors for seasoning. He quickly climbed the minor league ladder and his 1972 International League MVP season where he hit .300 with 17 home runs and 95 RBI earned him his ticket to the Major League club. Once in Boston, Evans never went back and spent the next 19 years roaming right field at Fenway Park. By his fourth full season in Beantown, Dwight was established as the best right fielder in the American League and won his first of eight Gold Gloves at the position. He was no slouch at the plate either as he led the AL in home runs, runs scored, on-base percentage and total bases once and three times in walks. He was the right side of the one of the strongest outfields in the AL as the Red Sox added All-Star outfielders Fred Lynn and Hall of Famer Jim Rice just three years after he arrived in Beantown. With Evans in the lineup, the Red Sox made two unsuccessful bids to capture the World Series – 1975 against the Cincinnati Reds and 1986 against the New York Mets. The three time All-Star led the AL in assists three times and finished his career with a .986 fielding percentage, 5,450 putouts, 228 assists, 153 double plays and 78 errors in 5,756 chances. At the plate, Dwight Evans collected 2,446 hits including 483 doubles and 385 home runs, 1,470 runs and 1,384 RBI while batting .272 over 20 seasons. He also played the second most games in a Red Sox uniform behind Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski.