1976 Topps #575 - Dwight Evans

• Dwight Evans enjoyed a long career as the right fielder for the Boston Red Sox. Evans was drafted by the Red Sox in 1969. Evans worked his way up the ladder in Boston's system and later said that Darrell Johnson (his AAA manager in 1972) gave him the confidence he needed to succeed. Evans was the International League MVP in 1972 and was brought up to Boston at the end of the season. Dwight batted .263 in 57 at bats for Boston in 1972.
• Evans played in right field for much of the 1973 season, but his offense still needed work. Dwight batted .223 with 10 HR in 119 games. In 1974 Evans improved to .281 with 10 HR in 133 games.
• Dwight batted .274 with 13 HR in 128 games in 1975. He didn't do much in the ALCS (1 for 10), buh he had a solid World Series (.292 in 24 AB).
• Evans won his first Gold Glove in 1976 (he would also win it in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985) and batted .242 with 17 HR in 146 games. Dwight Evans: Another Winner for the Red Sox - March 1976 Baseball Digest.
• Dwight missed a lot of the 1977 season with a knee injury. It as the only season in which he missed a significant amout of playing time. Evans played in 73 games and batted .287 with 14 HR in 1977.
• Evans batted .287 with 22 HR in 147 games in 1978. Dwight made his first AL All Star team and struck out in his only at bat in the All Star Game. He struggled in the last month of the season after he suffered a beaning on August 28. Dwight had two more similar seasons in 1979 (.274, 21 HR) and in 1980 (.266 with 18 HR).
• Evans really improved his offense in the 1980s. Dwight led the AL with 22 HR and 85 walks and batted .296 during the strike-shortened 1981 season. Evans finished third in AL MVP voting and went 1 for 2 with a walk in the 1981 All Star Game.
• In 1982 Evans batted .292 with 32 HR and 98 RBI and led the AL with a .402 on base percentage. Evans didn't do as well in 1983, batting .238 with 22 HR.
• Dwight bounced back in 1984 and led the AL with 121 runs. He batted .295 with 32 HR and 104 RBI in '84. Evans led the AL with 114 walks in 1985 and batted .263 with 29 HR and 78 RBI.
• Evans batted .259 with 26 HR and 97 RBI in 1986. Dwight went 6 for 28 (.214) in the ALCS and 8 for 26 (.308) with 2 HR in the World Series.
• Dwight made his last AL All Star team in 1987 and went 2 for 2 with a walk in the All Star Game. Evans batted .305 with 34 HR, 123 RBI, and a league-leading 106 walks. Dwight finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 1987.
• Evans batted .293 with 21 HR and 111 RBI in 1988 and went 2 for 12 (.167) in the ALCS. In 1989 Evans had his last really productive year -- he batted .285 with 20 HR and 100 RBI. Dwight Evans Earns Spot among Red Sox Idols - September 1989 Baseball Digest
• Dwight's last year with the Red Sox was in 1990 and he batted .249 with 13 HR in 123 games. The Red Sox declined to offer Evans a contract after the season so he signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Evans batted .270 in 101 games in 1991 and retired after the season.
• After his playing career Dwight worked in the Chicago White Sox minor league system for a couple of years and then became the hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies in 1994. Dwight went back to the Boston organization as a roving minor league instructor in 2001 and then became the Red Sox hitting coach in 2002. Evans now works for the Red Sox organization as a player development consultant.
• Here is Dwight's SABR biography.
• Liked to face: Bryan Clark (.571 in 21 AB); Jerry Koosman (.500 in 28 AB); Bill Travers (.481 in 27 AB)
• Hated to face: Luis Sanchez (.000 in 15 AB); Jim Abbott (.091 in 22 AB); Catfish Hunter (.094 in 32 AB) 

.