In 1978, Bucky Dent was a prototypical “good field, no hit” shortstop. The tiny, somewhat bow-legged Dent had good range in the field and a strong throwing arm, but he’d never hit more than eight homers in a season, and never even sniffed the .300 mark. The previous season, the 25-year old Dent had won a World Series title in his first season with the New York Yankees. But in ‘78, his team got off to a sluggish start, and by July they trailed the Boston Red Sox by as many as 14 1/2 games. The prospects for another championship run were bleak.