Mixed plot with histogram and superimposed line plot in same figure - r

Question

I know there are strong opinions about mixing plot types in the same figures, especially if there are two y axes involved. However, this is a situation in which I have no alternative - I need to create a figure using R that follows a standard format - a histogram on one axis (case counts), and a superimposed line graph showing an unrelated rate on an independent axis.
The best I have been able to do is stacked ggplot2 facets, but this is not as easy to interpret for the purposes of this analysis as the combined figure. The people reviewing this output will need it in the format they are used to.
I'm attaching an example below.
Any ideas?
For etiquette purposes, sample data below:
y1<-sample(0:1000,20,rep=TRUE)
y2<-sample(0:100,20,rep=TRUE)
x<-1981:2000

Answer 1

I feel your pain - have had to recreate plots before. even did it in SAS once
if it's a once off, I'm be tempted to go old-school. something like this:
# Generate some data
someData <- data.frame(Year = 1987:2009,
mCases = rpois(23, 3),
pVac = sample(55:80, 23, T))
par(mar = c(5, 5, 5, 5))
with(someData, {
# Generate the barplot
BP <- barplot(mCases, ylim = c(0, 18), names = Year,
yaxt = "n", xlab = "", ylab = "Measles cases in Thousands")
axis(side = 2, at = 2*1:9, las = 1)
box()
# Add the % Vaccinated
par(new = T)
plot(BP, pVac, type = "l", ylim = c(0, 100), axes = F, ylab = "", xlab = "")
axis(side = 4, las = 1)
nudge <- ifelse(pVac > median(pVac), 2, -2)
text(BP, pVac + nudge, pVac)
mtext(side = 4, "% Vaccinated", line = 3)
par(new = F)
})

Answer 2

Try library(plotrix)
library(plotrix)
## Create sample data
y2<-sample(0:80,20,rep=TRUE)
x2<-sort(sample(1980:2010,20,rep=F))
y1<-sample(0:18,20,rep=TRUE)
x1<-sort(sample(1980:2010,20,rep=F))
x<-1980:2010
twoord.plot(x1,y1,x2,y2,
lylim=c(0,18),rylim=c(0,100),type=c("bar","l"),
ylab="Measles Cases in thousands",rylab="% Vaccinated",
lytickpos=seq(0,18,by=2),rytickpos=seq(0,100,by=10),ylab.at=9,rylab.at=50,
lcol=3,rcol=4)