Doe Boyland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Doe Boyland |
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Boyland with the Phoenix Giants c. 1982
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: January 6, 1955 Chicago, Illinois |
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| debut | |||
| September 4, 1978, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1981, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .105 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Dorian "Doe" Boyland (born January 6, 1955) is a former Major League Baseball player. He played as a first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates chose him in the second round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft. After his baseball career, he became a successful businessman and opened several car dealerships.
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Boyland's Baseball Journey
Doe Boyland grew up in Chicago and went to University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh to play college basketball. However, he was also a talented baseball player and earned a spot on the university's baseball team.
He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in parts of three seasons: 1978, 1979, and 1981. Although he only played in 21 games in the major leagues, he was part of a very unusual and memorable moment in baseball history.
A Strikeout from the Bench
Boyland is the only player in MLB history to get a strikeout in his first-ever at-bat without finishing it. This strange event happened on September 4, 1978.
The Pirates were playing two games in one day (a doubleheader) against the New York Mets. In the first game, the score was tied. The Pirates manager, Chuck Tanner, sent Boyland in as a pinch-hitter, which is a substitute batter. It was Boyland's very first time at bat in the major leagues.
The Mets pitcher threw two strikes. Then, the Mets decided to change pitchers. In response, the Pirates manager also made a change. He took Boyland out and put in another pinch-hitter, Rennie Stennett. Stennett then got the third strike and was out.
According to baseball's scoring rules, because Boyland had two strikes against him, the strikeout was officially given to him, even though he was sitting on the bench when it happened!
End of His Playing Career
Boyland's last game with the Pirates was on October 4, 1981. A few months later, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He retired from professional baseball in 1982.
Life After Baseball
After leaving baseball, Boyland started a new career in business. He opened many successful car dealerships in states like Florida, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
In 2019, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh gave him an honorary doctorate degree to recognize his success.
In 2021, a sports writer reported that the New York Mets were looking for a new president of baseball operations. When asked, Boyland said he was not interested in the job and was happy running his car dealerships.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
