Stop Thief

August 11, 1962 - The Dodgers lodged a protest against the Giants for over-watering the infield at Candlestick. The reason? Reputedly, to slow down speedster Maury Wills, who that year was on route to a record-setting 104 stolen bases, breaking the previous record of 96 set by Ty Cobb in 1915.

Wills was tearing up the majors, and while at it, re-inventing the stolen base as an offensive tool. In the 30 years prior to Wills' outburst, the most steals in a single season was 61 by the Senators' George Case in 1943. In the A.L., Wills' contemporary Luis Aparicio was a noted theft, but averaging at best 50 a year. The century mark was uncharted territory, and would remain so until the great Lou Brock broke Wills' record by stealing 118 in 1974. The only other men to steal a hundred in a season in the modern era are Vince Coleman, who did it three consecutive years (1985-87) and, of course, Rickey, who also did it three times, and set the current singe season record with an astonishing 130 stolen bases in 1982.