Bucky Dent

Dent was the sixth pick in the 1970 major league draft. By the age of 21, he was playing shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. The pressure of taking the position over from the legendary Luis Aparicio proved too much, and in 1977 the White Sox would trade him to the New York Yankees for slugger Oscar Gamble, future Cy Young Award winner La Marr Hoyt and $200,000. Once in New York, Dent was nicknamed Bucky by second baseman Willie Randolph, who thought that Dent's overbite was too pronounced. Dent's defensive skills earned him great respect, and he is regarded as one of the best Yankees shortstops in history (along with Derek Jeter). Dent and his sackmate, Willie Randolph were especially effective in executing the double play.

Dent is most famous for his home run on the final day of the 1978 season during a one-game playoff with the Yankees' hated archrivals, the Boston Red Sox. With a fierce wind blowing out to left Dent connected with a badly hanging breaking ball and hit a pop fly that would just clear the infamous Green Monster at the 310 foot mark, giving the Yankees the game.

Bucky Dent would remain the Yakees' shortstop until 1982, when his spat with Willie Randolph led to a breakup. He would be traded to the Texas Rangers for journeyman outfielder Lee Mazzilli. He would return to the Yankees in 1984 before finishing his playing career later that season with the Kansas City Royals. He would later manage in the New York Yankees minor league system as well as serving as interim manager for the big league club. Though Dent was a failure as a major league manager, compiling a career .404 winning percentage, he continued to coach in the minor league system. In 1992 George Steinbrenner called upon Dent to personally break in the Yankees first round pick, Derek Jeter, also the sixth pick in the draft. The similarities between them did not end there. Dent would personally mentor Jeter during their time together, and if Jeter has a reputation for getting his hands on balls that others couldn't touch, it should be remembered that it was Dent that first taught him the famous reach-around play.

Later in his career, Dent starred in a commercial for Michelob Light-brand beer with fellow player Marvelous Marv Throneberry.

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