It took teams close to 100 years to make the drastic defensive shifts we see now. And it's evident every day the effect they're having on offensive performance.
Back in the 1970s and '80s, defenses shifted on a handful of players, but only a bit. Against Willie Stargell and a few other lefty power hitters, the shortstop would move right of second base, and the second baseman played slightly on the outfield grass.
Nothing close to the current alignments.
Modest shifts, not much more than normal pull defenses, were standard against guys like Johnny Bench, George Foster, Andre Dawson and myself.