From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1981 Toronto Blue Jays season involved the Blue Jays finishing 7th in the American League East with a record of 37 wins and 69 losses. The season was suspended for 50 days due to the infamous 1981 players strike and the league chose as its playoff teams, the division winners from the first and second halves of the season, respectively.
[edit] Regular season
The Blue Jays were one of the worst teams in the majors in the first half of the split season, as the Blue Jays had a record of 16 wins and 42 losses, a percentage of .276. [1] Although the Blue Jays had future stars Jesse Barfield, George Bell, and Lloyd Moseby in the lineup, the team continued to struggle.
The result was one of the more controversial times in franchise history. The President of the Blue Jays, Peter Bavasi, went to see the team in Anaheim against the California Angels. Bavasi's father, Buzzie Bavasi was the president of the Angels, and his team had gotten off to a lacklustre start. Buzzie wanted to fire Angels manager Jim Fregosi, and Peter Bavasi had the idea to fire his manager, Bobby Mattick. Both thought it would be big news if father and son fired their manager on the same night. [2] One of the Blue Jays executives advised the Jays Vice-Chairman of the Board, Peter Hardy. After a brief conversation, Hardy made it clear to Peter Bavasi that Mattick would not be fired in this way.
After the strike was resolved, the Blue Jays started the second half of the season with a close to .500 winning percentage. Peter Bavasi was heard to muse aloud the requirement to print World Series tickets. [3] The Jays would finish the second half with 21 wins and 27 losses, seven and a half games out of first place. Despite the attempted Bavasi firing, Mattick would resign as manager at the end of the season. On November 22, 1981, Hardy forced Bavasi to resign from the Blue Jays. [4]
[edit] Opening Day Roster
[edit] Notable Transactions
- June 8, 1981: Mike Sharperson was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (11th pick) of the 1981 amateur draft (Secondary Phase). [5]
[edit] Roster
1981 Toronto Blue Jays roster
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| Roster |
| Pitchers |
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Catchers
Infielders
|
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Outfielders
|
|
Manager
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[edit] Season standings
[edit] First Season
[edit] Second Season
[edit] Composite Standings
[edit] Game log
| 1981 Game Log |
April
| # |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Win |
Loss |
Save |
Attendance |
Record |
| 1 |
April 9 |
@ Tigers |
6 - 2 |
Morris (1-0) |
McLaughlin (0-1) |
|
51,452 |
0-1 |
| 2 |
April 11 |
@ Tigers |
6 - 2 |
Wilcox (1-0) |
Stieb (0-1) |
|
13,617 |
0-2 |
| 3 |
April 12 |
@ Tigers |
6 - 2 |
Leal (1-0) |
Bailey (0-1) |
|
9,950 |
1-2 |
| 4 |
April 13 |
Yankees |
5 - 1 |
Clancy (1-0) |
John (1-1) |
Jackson (1) |
25,112 |
2-2 |
| 5 |
April 15 |
Yankees |
6 - 3 |
May (2-0) |
Todd (0-1) |
Gossage (1) |
16,280 |
2-3 |
| 6 |
April 16 |
Tigers |
2 - 0 |
Wilcox (2-0) |
Stieb (0-2) |
Lopez (1) |
11,058 |
2-4 |
| 7 |
April 17 |
Tigers |
8 - 5 |
Bailey (1-1) |
Leal (1-1) |
Saucier (1) |
15,196 |
2-5 |
| 8 |
April 18 |
Tigers |
4 - 3 |
Schatzeder (1-0) |
Clancy (1-1) |
Lopez (2) |
16,294 |
2-6 |
| 9 |
April 19 |
Tigers |
9 - 1 |
Bomback (1-0) |
Morris (1-1) |
|
12,274 |
3-6 |
| 10 |
April 20 |
Brewers |
5 - 4 (12) |
Lerch (1-0) |
Willis (0-1) |
|
12,298 |
3-7 |
| 11 |
April 21 |
Brewers |
6 - 2 |
Haas (1-0) |
Stieb (0-3) |
|
11,083 |
3-8 |
| 12 |
April 22 |
Brewers |
8 - 1 |
Caldwell (2-1) |
Leal (1-2) |
|
11,792 |
3-9 |
| 13 |
April 24 |
@ Yankees |
4 - 2 |
John (2-1) |
Bomback (1-1) |
Gossage (4) |
20,863 |
3-10 |
| 14 |
April 25 |
@ Yankees |
7 - 2 |
Todd (1-1) |
May (3-1) |
|
17,319 |
4-10 |
| 15 |
April 26 |
@ Yankees |
2 - 1 |
Stieb (1-3) |
Underwood (0-2) |
|
37,306 |
5-10 |
| 16 |
April 27 |
@ Brewers |
4 - 3 (12) |
Cleveland (1-0) |
Garvin (0-1) |
|
6,692 |
5-11 |
| 17 |
April 28 |
@ Brewers |
6 - 2 |
Bomback (2-1) |
Caldwell (2-2) |
|
6,433 |
6-11 |
| 18 |
April 29 |
@ Brewers |
5 - 0 (14) |
Leal (2-2) |
Easterly (0-1) |
|
7,320 |
7-11 |
| 19 |
April 30 |
@ Orioles |
4 - 0 |
Flanagan (2-2) |
Todd (1-2) |
|
7,726 |
7-12 |
|
May
| # |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Win |
Loss |
Save |
Attendance |
Record |
| 20 |
May 2 |
@ Orioles |
4 - 3 |
Palmer (1-0) |
Willis (0-2) |
|
|
7-13 |
| 21 |
May 2 |
@ Orioles |
8 - 3 |
McGregor (2-1) |
Leal (2-3) |
|
16,402 |
7-14 |
| 22 |
May 3 |
@ Orioles |
4 - 2 |
Bomback (3-1) |
Stone (1-3) |
McLaughlin (1) |
23,898 |
8-14 |
| 23 |
May 6 |
Indians |
4 - 1 |
Blyleven (3-1) |
Todd (1-3) |
|
11,469 |
8-15 |
| 24 |
May 7 |
Indians |
6 - 2 |
Stieb (2-3) |
Waits (3-1) |
|
11,328 |
9-15 |
| 25 |
May 8 |
Red Sox |
4 - 2 |
Torrez (2-2) |
Bomback (3-2) |
Burgmeier (3) |
15,106 |
9-16 |
| 26 |
May 9 |
Red Sox |
10 - 3 |
Stanley (3-1) |
Clancy (1-2) |
|
16,040 |
9-17 |
| 27 |
May 10 |
Red Sox |
9 - 5 (10) |
Burgmeier (2-0) |
Jackson (0-1) |
|
17,411 |
9-18 |
| 28 |
May 11 |
Red Sox |
7 - 6 |
Clear (2-0) |
Willis (0-3) |
|
11,315 |
9-19 |
| 29 |
May 12 |
Orioles |
5 - 2 |
Stieb (3-3) |
Palmer (1-1) |
|
11,354 |
10-19 |
| 30 |
May 13 |
Orioles |
4 - 0 |
McGregor (3-1) |
Bomback (3-3) |
|
12,568 |
10-20 |
| 31 |
May 14 |
Orioles |
10 - 0 |
Flanagan (4-3) |
Clancy (1-3) |
|
11,509 |
10-21 |
| 32 |
May 15 |
@ Indians |
3 - 0 |
Barker (3-1) |
Leal (2-4) |
|
7,290 |
10-22 |
| 33 |
May 16 |
@ Indians |
4 - 1 |
Todd (2-3) |
Garland (2-3) |
|
24,964 |
11-22 |
| 34 |
May 17 |
@ Indians |
1 - 0 |
Waits (4-2) |
Stieb (3-4) |
Monge (1) |
|
11-23 |
| 35 |
May 17 |
@ Indians |
2 - 1 (10) |
Blyleven (5-1) |
Jackson (0-2) |
|
46,168 |
11-24 |
| 36 |
May 18 |
White Sox |
7 - 2 |
Trout (3-1) |
Bomback (3-4) |
|
18,652 |
11-25 |
| 37 |
May 19 |
White Sox |
9 - 5 |
Clancy (2-3) |
Hoyt (3-1) |
Leal (1) |
11,604 |
12-25 |
| 38 |
May 20 |
White Sox |
6 - 5 |
Farmer (1-2) |
McLaughlin (0-2) |
Hoyt (5) |
12,536 |
12-26 |
| 39 |
May 22 |
@ Athletics |
6 - 2 |
Langford (5-4) |
Stieb (3-5) |
|
13,426 |
12-27 |
| 40 |
May 23 |
@ Athletics |
3 - 2 (15) |
Jones (3-1) |
Leal (2-5) |
|
27,147 |
12-28 |
| 41 |
May 24 |
@ Athletics |
6 - 5 (12) |
Owchinko (2-1) |
McLaughlin (0-3) |
|
|
12-29 |
| 42 |
May 24 |
@ Athletics |
5 - 0 |
Norris (7-2) |
Garvin (0-2) |
|
32,985 |
12-30 |
| 43 |
May 25 |
@ Angels |
2 - 1 |
Witt (3-4) |
Todd (2-4) |
Hassler (3) |
22,171 |
12-31 |
| 44 |
May 26 |
@ Angels |
8 - 4 |
Jackson (1-2) |
Rau (1-2) |
McLaughlin (2) |
21,222 |
13-31 |
| 45 |
May 27 |
@ Angels |
3 - 1 |
Stieb (4-5) |
Forsch (6-3) |
|
21,167 |
14-31 |
| 46 |
May 29 |
Athletics |
6 - 3 |
Clancy (3-3) |
Keough (6-2) |
Jackson (2) |
16,509 |
15-31 |
| 47 |
May 30 |
Athletics |
6 - 5 |
Leal (3-5) |
Norris (7-3) |
McLaughlin (3) |
21,046 |
16-31 |
| 48 |
May 31 |
Athletics |
6 - 5 |
Owchinko (3-1) |
McLaughlin (0-4) |
|
24,079 |
16-32 |
|
June
| # |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Win |
Loss |
Save |
Attendance |
Record |
| 49 |
June 1 |
Angels |
3 - 0 |
Forsch (7-3) |
Stieb (4-6) |
|
12,268 |
16-33 |
| 50 |
June 2 |
Angels |
3 - 0 |
Frost (1-0) |
Leal (3-6) |
Hassler (4) |
12,617 |
16-34 |
| 51 |
June 3 |
Angels |
17 - 6 |
Zahn (6-6) |
Clancy (3-4) |
|
12,401 |
16-35 |
| 52 |
June 5 |
@ Rangers |
5 - 4 (12) |
Comer (4-1) |
Leal (3-7) |
|
11,495 |
16-36 |
| 53 |
June 6 |
@ Rangers |
4 - 1 |
Jenkins (4-4) |
Stieb (4-7) |
|
24,312 |
16-37 |
| 54 |
June 7 |
@ Rangers |
9 - 0 |
Darwin (7-4) |
Todd (2-5) |
|
14,857 |
16-38 |
| 55 |
June 8 |
@ White Sox |
6 - 2 |
Lamp (2-1) |
Clancy (3-5) |
Hickey (1) |
8,301 |
16-39 |
| 56 |
June 9 |
@ White Sox |
3 - 0 |
Dotson (7-3) |
Leal (3-8) |
|
8,534 |
16-40 |
| 57 |
June 10 |
Royals |
7 - 4 |
Leonard (6-7) |
Bomback (3-5) |
|
19,098 |
16-41 |
| 58 |
June 11 |
Royals |
10 - 5 |
Martin (2-3) |
Willis (0-4) |
Quisenberry (9) |
16,498 |
16-42 |
|
August
| # |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Win |
Loss |
Save |
Attendance |
Record |
| 59 |
August 10 |
@ Tigers |
4 - 3 |
Saucier (1-0) |
McLaughlin (0-5) |
|
15,187 |
16-43 |
| 60 |
August 11 |
@ Tigers |
6 - 4 |
Berenguer (1-4) |
Schatzeder (3-5) |
Jackson (3) |
10,526 |
17-43 |
| 61 |
August 12 |
@ Tigers |
4 - 3 |
Stieb (5-7) |
Morris (9-4) |
Jackson (4) |
8,775 |
18-43 |
| 62 |
August 14 |
Brewers |
5 - 4 |
Garvin (1-2) |
Easterly (2-2) |
Jackson (5) |
15,114 |
19-43 |
| 63 |
August 15 |
Brewers |
4 - 3 |
Bomback (4-5) |
Cleveland (2-2) |
McLaughlin (4) |
12,467 |
20-43 |
| 64 |
August 16 |
Brewers |
6 - 2 |
Caldwell (8-5) |
Stieb (5-8) |
Fingers (14) |
|
20-44 |
| 65 |
August 16 |
Brewers |
2 - 0 |
Lerch (4-6) |
Todd (2-6) |
Fingers (15) |
24,472 |
20-45 |
| 66 |
August 17 |
@ Royals |
5 - 3 |
Gale (5-5) |
Clancy (3-6) |
Quisenberry (11) |
31,958 |
20-46 |
| 67 |
August 18 |
@ Royals |
5 - 3 |
Leal (4-8) |
Jones (1-1) |
Jackson (6) |
26,952 |
21-46 |
| 68 |
August 19 |
@ Royals |
9 - 4 |
Berenguer (2-4) |
Leonard (7-8) |
|
28,174 |
22-46 |
| 69 |
August 21 |
White Sox |
5 - 4 |
Stieb (6-8) |
Farmer (2-3) |
|
14,161 |
23-46 |
| 70 |
August 22 |
White Sox |
8 - 0 |
Burns (8-2) |
Clancy (3-7) |
|
19,080 |
23-47 |
| 71 |
August 23 |
White Sox |
13 - 2 |
Trout (7-4) |
Leal (4-9) |
|
16,486 |
23-48 |
| 72 |
August 24 |
Rangers |
3 - 0 |
Medich (7-3) |
Berenguer (2-5) |
|
12,735 |
23-49 |
| 73 |
August 25 |
Rangers |
6 - 1 |
Jenkins (5-6) |
Stieb (6-9) |
|
13,729 |
23-50 |
| 74 |
August 27 |
Royals |
11 - 5 |
Martin (3-5) |
Clancy (3-8) |
|
14,704 |
23-51 |
| 75 |
August 28 |
Royals |
4 - 3 |
McLaughlin (1-5) |
Brett (1-1) |
|
13,230 |
24-51 |
| 76 |
August 29 |
Royals |
2 - 0 |
Jones (2-1) |
Berenguer (2-6) |
Quisenberry (13) |
19,055 |
24-52 |
| 77 |
August 31 |
@ Rangers |
3 - 0 |
Stieb (7-9) |
Jenkins (5-7) |
|
8,034 |
25-52 |
|
September
| # |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Win |
Loss |
Save |
Attendance |
Record |
| 78 |
September 1 |
@ Rangers |
9 - 3 |
Clancy (4-8) |
Darwin (8-7) |
|
8,358 |
26-52 |
| 79 |
September 2 |
@ Rangers |
4 - 1 |
Honeycutt (9-3) |
Leal (4-10) |
|
6,851 |
26-53 |
| 80 |
September 3 |
@ White Sox |
4 - 3 |
Hoyt (6-3) |
Berenguer (2-7) |
|
6,669 |
26-54 |
| 81 |
September 4 |
@ White Sox |
6 - 2 |
Stieb (8-9) |
Lamp (5-3) |
|
18,317 |
27-54 |
| 82 |
September 5 |
@ White Sox |
3 - 1 |
Clancy (5-8) |
Baumgarten (5-8) |
McLaughlin (5) |
14,628 |
28-54 |
| 83 |
September 6 |
@ White Sox |
3 - 2 |
Leal (5-10) |
Burns (8-3) |
Jackson (7) |
11,250 |
29-54 |
| 84 |
September 7 |
@ Twins |
4 - 0 |
Jackson (3-2) |
Berenguer (2-8) |
Corbett (9) |
5,024 |
29-55 |
| 85 |
September 8 |
@ Twins |
1 - 0 |
Havens (2-4) |
Stieb (8-10) |
|
2,839 |
29-56 |
| 86 |
September 9 |
@ Twins |
3 - 1 |
Arroyo (6-7) |
Clancy (5-9) |
Corbett (10) |
3,381 |
29-57 |
| 87 |
September 10 |
Mariners |
2 - 0 |
Leal (6-10) |
Clay (0-6) |
McLaughlin (6) |
11,685 |
30-57 |
| 88 |
September 11 |
Mariners |
8 - 1 |
Abbott (3-6) |
Berenguer (2-9) |
|
12,023 |
30-58 |
| 89 |
September 12 |
Mariners |
3 - 0 |
Stieb (9-10) |
Beattie (2-2) |
|
14,048 |
31-58 |
| 90 |
September 14 |
Twins |
6 - 3 |
Havens (3-4) |
Clancy (5-10) |
Corbett (13) |
11,402 |
31-59 |
| 91 |
September 15 |
Twins |
4 - 2 |
Leal (7-10) |
Arroyo (6-8) |
McLaughlin (7) |
12,037 |
32-59 |
| 92 |
September 16 |
Twins |
5 - 2 |
Williams (5-8) |
Berenguer (2-10) |
|
11,733 |
32-60 |
| 93 |
September 18 |
Angels |
5 - 1 |
Murray (1-0) |
Witt (5-9) |
|
13,478 |
33-60 |
| 94 |
September 19 |
Angels |
6 - 4 |
Clancy (6-10) |
Frost (1-7) |
|
16,418 |
34-60 |
| 95 |
September 20 |
Angels |
6 - 3 |
Bomback (5-5) |
Zahn (9-11) |
McLaughlin (8) |
20,575 |
35-60 |
| 96 |
September 22 |
Athletics |
3 - 2 (13) |
Beard (1-1) |
Leal (7-11) |
|
|
35-61 |
| 97 |
September 22 |
Athletics |
4 - 2 |
McCatty (13-6) |
Berenguer (2-11) |
|
15,542 |
35-62 |
| 98 |
September 23 |
Athletics |
6 - 0 |
Langford (11-9) |
Clancy (6-11) |
|
14,114 |
35-63 |
| 99 |
September 25 |
@ Angels |
11 - 5 |
Zahn (10-11) |
Leal (7-12) |
|
19,890 |
35-64 |
| 100 |
September 26 |
@ Angels |
6 - 3 |
Renko (8-4) |
Berenguer (2-12) |
Hassler (5) |
18,886 |
35-65 |
| 101 |
September 27 |
@ Angels |
4 - 3 |
Stieb (10-10) |
Moreno (1-2) |
McLaughlin (9) |
24,903 |
36-65 |
| 102 |
September 29 |
@ Athletics |
5 - 1 |
Underwood (4-6) |
Clancy (6-12) |
|
10,998 |
36-66 |
| 103 |
September 30 |
@ Athletics |
3 - 0 |
Norris (12-9) |
Leal (7-13) |
|
11,144 |
36-67 |
|
- A MLB Players strike forced the cancellation of all regular season games between June 12 and August 9. A split-season format was adopted.
|
[edit] Player stats
[edit] Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
[edit] Other batters
| Player |
G |
AB |
H |
Avg. |
HR |
RBI |
[edit] Starting pitchers
[edit] Other pitchers
[edit] Relief pitchers
[edit] Award Winners
All-Star Game
[edit] References
- ^ Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.136, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-023978-2
- ^ Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.137, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-023978-2
- ^ Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.138, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-023978-2
- ^ Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.157, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-023978-2
- ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sharpmi01.shtml
