1982 Wichita State University Shockers, 73-14, (8-0 Missouri Valley Conference), MVC Champions, College World Series (2nd)
 

Although other Wichita State teams had more success in the CWS, many regard the 1982 squad as the greatest Shocker team of all time. The 1982 Shockers were the winningest team in college baseball history, and they still hold the NCAA record for most wins in a season with 73. They were the greatest offensive machine ever assembled in college baseball to that point, with a unique brand of running and bombardment: a team batting average of .350, more than 100 home runs, and 327 stolen bases. The team was led by first-baseman Phil Stephenson, (.399, 23 HR, 115 RBI, 97 BB, 87 SB) who was a first team All-American in 1981 and 1982 and was named the Baseball News College Player of the Year for the 1982 season. Phil held 13 individual NCAA records at the conclusion of his career at Wichita State and he still holds the NCAA records for hits, runs, total bases, stolen bases, and walks. Anchoring the pitching rotation was senior Don Heinkel (16-5, 2.23 ERA) who still holds the Division I record as the winningest career pitcher. However--difficult to believe in this day of multi-million dollar college coaching salaries--the Shockers in 1982 had a home baseball field that only had 300 bleacher seats and had only recently installed dugouts. Thus, despite being a top-seed for the postseason, they were sent on the road for the NCAA regionals to New Orleans, where their stellar pitching rotation held the opposition to one run in three games, and Wichita State was headed to the College World Series for the first time in school history.

However, the Shockers succumbed to the underdog Miami Hurricanes in the championship game, ending up on the short end of what has proved to be perhaps the most famous play in the history of college baseball: the "Grand Illusion" play devised by the Miami coaching staff to combat the aggressiveness of the Shocker baserunners, who to this day hold the single season NCAA team record for stolen bases. Protecting a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning, with all-time NCAA steals leader Phil Stephenson on first base, Miami associate coach Skip Bertman--who figures prominently elsewhere in this collection of teams--gives the signal for the play (sticking his finger in his ear), a maneuver which pitcher Mike Kasprzak repeated to clue his teammates in. Several leisurely tosses back to first base got the desired result: Stephenson diving back safely to first. Finally, after throwing a strike for an 0-1 count, Kasprzak stepped off the rubber and appeared to make a wild pick-off throw to first base. First baseman Steve Lusby jumped over the diving Stephenson, cursed his displeasure and took off for the right field bullpen in pursuit of the ball. Second baseman Mitch Seoane and right fielder Mickey Williams did likewise, converging on the bullpen where reliever Dan Smith, catcher Bob Walker, and even the Hurricanes batgirls leaped up as if to avoid being hit by a ball. Shortstop Bill Wrona forlornly covered second base, looking in the distance at the bullpen commotion. Kasprzak shrugged his shoulders, and half the Miami dugout was stirring and pointing to the bullpen area. First base umpire Dale Williams started down the line; the entire right field bleachers rose as one to see the commotion going on in front of it; obviously, the ball was loose. In short, it was one heck of a fake. When Stephenson took off for second, Kasprzak took the ball from his glove and threw it to the shortstop who was covering second, and Stephenson was out easily. The Wichita State rally was over, the 4-3 lead held up, and Miami won the game and eventually the championship.

WSU’s Phil Stephenson dives back to first base after what he thought was a pick-off attempt; he then takes off for second, but Kasprzak actually held on to the ball; Kasprzak throws it to shortstop Bill Wrona who is covering second to tag the trapped Stephenson for the easy out