In strike-shortened 1981, Los Angeles won the World Series. Cey shared the Series MVP Award with Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager. He also took home the Babe Ruth Award given each year to Major League Baseball’s most outstanding postseason performer.
Nicknamed “Penguin” for his running gate, Cey still ranks in the Dodger franchise top-10 for offensive and defensive WAR. After a dozen years in Los Angeles, he was traded to the Cubs.
In each of his first two seasons in Chicago, he finished with at least 24 homers and 90 runs batted in. With Cey at the hot corner in ’84, the Cubs earned their first postseason berth since 1945.
In January of ’87 the Chicago traded Cey to Oakland where he played the final 45 games of his career.
In the collection is a ticket to historic Game 5 of the 1981 World Series signed by the Dodger third-baseman. After World Series defeats to the A’s in ’74 and the Yankees in ’77 and ’78, they had yet to win it all.
The ’81 Fall Classic opened in New York with two Yankee victories. In Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4, Cey went 4-for-7 with a homer and 5 runs batted in to help the Dodgers even the Series.
Los Angeles led 2-1 in pivotal Game 5 when Cey come to the plate in the bottom of the 8th. Yankees fireballer Goose Gossage uncorked an 0-1 fastball that hit Cey in the helmet. The Dodger Stadium crowd of 56,115 went silent as their man collapsed in the batter’s box.
“‘I heard it hit the helmet,” Gossage told the New York Times after the game. ”If he doesn’t have a helmet on, he might be dead.”
Cey was helped off the field in favor of pinch runner Kenny Landreau. His team made the lead stand up as the Dodgers went ahead 3 games to 2 heading to New York.
Though the Dodgers have won it all five times since moving to Los Angeles, they’ve never clinched it in front of the hometown faithful. By attending Game 5 and witnessing the third Dodger win of the Series, the bearer of this ticket came the closest any Dodger fans has to seeing a clinch in LA.
Initially there was doubt if Cey would be able to play in The Big Apple’s Game 6 because of the beaning. Despite being dizzy and lightheaded, likely from a concussion, Cey made his way into the starting lineup.
His 5th-inning single up the middle broke a 2-2 tie and put the Los Angeles ahead to stay. The Dodgers pulled away with four in the sixth and one in the eighth to win 9-2. At last, Cey and the record-setting infield were world champs.
In the four Los Angeles wins, Cey went 6-for-12 with a .600 on-base percentage, three runs scored and six RBI in the MVP performance. In the off-season, General Manager Al Campanis traded second baseman Lopes to Oakland, ending the infield’s time together.
Visiting the hall of fame was a magnificent experience i will never forget!!wish I had more time!!!??
Watching the play offs I can’t help but think back on the Dodgers of my days. Back in the 70’s and 80’s …. Amazing memories! Thanks for all the good times at Dodger Stadium ❤️🤗
We loved going on Sunday’s to Dodger Stadium to see you n the rest of the team play !!! My kids especially loved Fan Day so that they could meet all you players !!! Thank you for the great memories !!!! 💙💙