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#429 Don Demeter
Maybe it's the angle of the photograph, but Don Demeter's head looks too small for his body here. The rolled-up undersleeves are probably adding to that illusion.
Fun facts about Don Demeter:
-Oklahoma City native Don Demeter signed with the Dodgers out of high school in 1953.
-He broke out in his fourth minor league season with 41 home runs, 128 RBI, and a .384 on-base percentage at AA Fort Worth. He earned a late-season callup to Brooklyn, and homered for his first major league hit.
-In his first full big league season, he hit .256 with 18 homers and 70 RBI for the 1959 Dodgers. The club moved Duke Snider to right field and had Demeter take his place in center.
-Don twice hit three home runs in one game: on April 21, 1959 he had three two-run shots against the Giants, including an inside-the-parker in the third and the game winner in the eleventh; on September 12, 1961 he touched up the Dodgers thrice, including a two-run shot in the first against Sandy Koufax.
-Following a trade to the Phillies in May 1961, he led his new club with 20 home runs and 68 RBI despite playing in only 106 games for Philadelphia.
-1962 was a career year across the board for Don: a .307 average, 29 home runs, and 107 RBI, as well as 85 runs scored and 24 doubles.
-From September 1962 through July 1965, he played 266 consecutive errorless games in the outfield to set a major league record that stood until Darren Lewis broke it in 1993.
-He had another two 20-homer seasons in 1963 and 1964. Before the latter season he was dealt to the Tigers in the trade that sent Jim Bunning to Philly.
-Don finished his career with the Red Sox and Indians in 1967. He was a career .265 hitter with 163 home runs and 563 RBI in parts of 11 seasons.
-Demeter was known for his deep and abiding faith during his playing days, and was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Currently, he is a pastor at a Southern Baptist church in Oklahoma City.
That's a cool card. Every time I see one of your cards it makes me want to go out and search for some '65 cards of my own. Thanks for posting up all these nice vintage cards.
ReplyDeleteI love the use of the word "clouted" on the cartoon... works great with homeruns
ReplyDeleteJeremy - You're welcome! Glad to give fellow collectors a push. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnon - I always liked clouted too, as well as clubbed.
I have a signed copy of this card. In 1993 I was in the second grade and living in Norman, OK. Don was working across the street from my house on a neighbors swimming pool. He was nice enough to sign this and a few other cards for my father and me.
ReplyDeleteOn April 21st 1959 ,I attended my first major league baseball game at the los Angeles colliseum at the age of 10. The game was played that night between the Dodgers and the Giants. Not until the 11th inning the game was decided on Don Demeter's 3rd home run of the game.It had such huge impact on me that I wore the number 2 on every jersey I had the privilege to wear.
ReplyDelete