Fifty-one years ago, the University of Minnesota’s senior 2-sport phenom, Dave Winfield, nearly led the Golden Gophers to their fourth Men’s College World Series title.
A pitcher and a outfielder for the Gophers, Winfield got the start in the opener against the University of Oklahoma and blanked the Sooners, 1-0, thanks to his 14-strikeout effort. Minnesota then lost to Arizona State, 3-0, before beating Georgia Southern, 6-2, to earn a date with 3-time defending champion, USC.
Winfield was again on the bump for the Gophers and he was again dominant. Through eight innings he had a 1-hit shutout going with 15 strikeouts and a 7-0 Minnesota lead. However, a questionable safe call at first on a would-be doubeplay in the ninth gave USC new life and it took advantage thanks to a couple more singles and a critical error by the Minnesota firstbaseman. Winfield was chased, two more relievers followed (as did two more Gopher errors), and USC wound up scoring eight runs for the win. USC then beat Arizona State, 4-3, to secure its fourth straight title and, a year later, won its fifth straight by defeating Miami (FL), 7-3.
Though Minnesota didn’t even make the championship game, let alone win it, Winfield was named the Series’ Most Outstanding Player, throwing 17 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits, one earned run, and striking out 29. He also hit .467 over the four games Minnesota played.
Just days before the MCWS began, Winfield was drafted fourth overall by the San Diego Padres. A week to the day following his final game as a Gopher, Winfield was in Padres’ Manager Don Zimmer‘s lineup against the Houston Astros, batting seventh, and playing leftfield. He went 1-for-4 (boxscore here).
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