(Story & Photo by Marco Stoovelaar)
IN MEMORIAM
...Darren Daulton...
(1962 - 2017) |
 Former Major League Player Darren Daulton passed away
Nederlands
 CLEARWATER, Florida (USA) -
Former Major League catcher Darren Daulton has passed away on Sunday (August 6) at the age of 55 after a four-year battle with brain cancer.
Darren Arthur Daulton was a beloved and popular player of the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighties and nineties.
Daulton was drafted by the Phillies in 1980 and made his Major League-debut in September 1983, getting four plate appearances in two games.
He then played for the Phillies from 1985 through 1997.
With his fourteen seasons, Daulton has the longest tenure as catcher with the Phillies.
He also is the lone catcher in the Phillies-history to have two seasons with at least 100 runs batted in.
Daulton became a legendary player in the organization and was inducted to the Phillies' Wall of Fame in 2010.
In July 1997, Daulton was traded to the Florida Marlins, where he concluded his career and retired after the season.
In these years, the Phillies had a roster of colorful players, many of them wearing long hair, including players such as John Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, Mitch Williams, Dave Hollins, Pete Incaviglia and Curt Schilling.
On August 15, 1990, Daulton was the catcher when Terry Mulholland threw a No-Hitter.
The lefthanded hitting Daulton played in three All Star Games (1992, 1993, 1995) and was the best hitter of the National League in 1992, winning the Silver Slugger Award.
Besides being the best hitter in 1992, Daulton also led the National League with 109 runs batted in and finished sixth in the voting for Most Valuable Player.
...Darren Daulton (10, at right) waits his turn to take batting practice...
...before an exhibition game of the Philadelphia Phillies against the...
...Baltimore Orioles in April 1994 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore...
...Looking on from behind the batting cage are Bench Coach...
...John Vukovich (18), Manager Jim Fregosi and Hitting Coach...
...Denis Menke (14) with members of the media...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In 1993, he won the title with the Phillies in the National League West Division and went on to play in the World Series.
The Phillies lost the Series to the Toronto Blue Jays.
After being traded to the Marlins, Daulton again played in the World Series and this time, he won the title against Cleveland Indians.
Daulton, who was nicknamed 'Dutch', was praised for his leadership in the clubhouse, the dug-out and on the field.
He also was well-respected throughout Major League Baseball.
Despite several (knee) injuries since 1994, he continued playing, showing his fighting spirit.
Because of his injuries, Daulton had become the leftfielder for the Phillies in 1997.
When he was with the Marlins, he was used a first baseman and pinch-hitter.
In his career, Daulton played in 1,161 games, hitting 891 basehits, including 137 homeruns.
He batted in 588 runs and scored 511 runs.
In July 2013, Darren Daulton underwent surgery for the removal of two tumors related to glioblastoma, a highly malignant form of brain cancer.
During his career, Daulton also was closely involved with several local charities, especially those who cared for the homeless.
He also had his own Darren Daulton Foundation, which hosted golf tournaments and other charitable events.
(August 7)
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