Robin Yount: Brewers legend’s 3,000th hit lives on 30 years later
MILWAUKEE (BVM) – Thirty years may have passed, but one of Bob Uecker’s most iconic calls still gives Brewers fans chills.
“A base hit into right field, he’s done it, 3,000 for Robin.”
On Sept. 9, 1992, Robin Yount had one of the greatest moments in Brewers franchise history as he earned his 3,000th career hit on a line drive into right field during Milwaukee’s contest against the Cleveland Indians at County Stadium.
30 Years Ago Today: Milwaukee #Brewers legend Robin Yount collects his 3,000th career hit! (September 9, 1992) #MLB #Baseball #History pic.twitter.com/zJQDwRyGU2
— Baseball by BSmile (@BSmile) September 9, 2022
After starting the game 0-for-3, Yount finally broke through with a single off Cleveland reliever Jose Mesa in front of a crowd of over 47,000. Ironically, Yount also got his 1,000th and 2,000th hits against Cleveland as well.
Longtime teammates and Brewers legends Paul Molitor and Jim Gantner were first to greet Yount at first base after the hit, as the rest of the team eventually came out of the dugout and huddled around the shortstop to congratulate him.
While the Brewers would unfortunately lose the game during the thick of a pennant race in a year they went 92-70 yet missed the postseason, 1992 is solely remembered for Yount’s special moment. The shortstop became just the 17th player in MLB history to reach 3,000 hits. He was also the third-youngest player to reach the mark behind only Hank Aaron and Ty Cobb.
Yount, who wore No. 19, reached the milestone in his 19th MLB season, and spent all 20 seasons of his professional career with Milwaukee. He was drafted third overall in 1973, and made his MLB debut in 1974 at just 18 years old. Earning the nickname “The Kid,” Yount quickly became a key piece for the Brewers despite his young age, hitting .250 or better each of his first three seasons. Continuing to increase his average and hit totals throughout the remainder of the 1970s, Yount made his first All-Star appearance in 1980 as he racked up 179 hits and a major league-leading 49 doubles.
One of Yount’s best seasons came in 1982 as the Brewers made their only World Series appearance to date. “Rockin’ Robin” led the majors in hits (210), doubles (46) and total bases (357), batting a career-best .331.
Yount’s final All-Star appearance would come in 1983, but he continued to be a solid hitter throughout the rest of the decade for the Brew Crew, with four seasons in which he batted over .300. While the Brewers never saw the same team success they had in the early ‘80s during the rest of Yount’s career, he still found individual success. Even as his career was winding down in the aforementioned ‘92 season, Yount still batted .264 with 147 hits and 77 RBIs. “The Kid” retired following the 1993 season with 251 home runs, 1,406 RBIs and an incredible 3,142 hits, batting .285 for his career.
Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999, and has served in a coaching role for the Brewers at various points over the past two decades. Arguably the greatest Brewers player of all time, Yount still leads the franchise in nearly every offensive statistical category, and is one of six players to have their number hanging up at American Family Field.
There are now 33 players in the 3,000-hit club, including Yount’s friend and teammate Paul Molitor, who reached the milestone with the Minnesota Twins in 1996. However, it’s Yount’s moment, career and legacy that stand above the rest for the Brewers. The Hall of Famer remains one of the most beloved figures in Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin, and although his infamous hit came 30 years ago, the impact it made remains the same today.
