Don Mincher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Don Mincher |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| First baseman | |||
| Born: June 24, 1938 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
| Died: March 4, 2012 (aged 73) Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 18, 1960, for the Washington Senators | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1972, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .249 | ||
| Home runs | 200 | ||
| Runs batted in | 643 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Donald "Don" Ray Mincher (born June 24, 1938 – died March 4, 2012) was an American professional baseball player. He was a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Don Mincher also worked as a leader in minor league baseball for many years.
He played in the major leagues from 1960 to 1972. His teams included the Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Seattle Pilots, Oakland Athletics, and Texas Rangers. He was known for his powerful left-handed batting.
Contents
Don Mincher's Baseball Career
Don Mincher started his professional baseball journey after high school. He signed with the Chicago White Sox in 1956. He played in their minor league system for four years.
Becoming a Major League Player
Just before the 1960 season, Don was traded to the Washington Senators. He became a regular player for the Minnesota Twins in 1964. In 1965, he played in 128 games for the Twins. This team won the league championship that year.
- He hit 22 home runs and had 65 runs batted in (RBI).
- Don also played in all seven games of the 1965 World Series.
- In Game 1 of the World Series, he hit a home run. This was the Twins' first run of the series.
- The Twins won that game, but the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series.
Don Mincher hit more than 20 home runs five times in his career. Overall, in 13 MLB seasons, he had a batting average of .249. He collected 1,003 hits, including 200 home runs and 643 RBI.
All-Star Appearances
Don Mincher was chosen for the American League All-Star team twice. This happened in 1967 and 1969. In 1969, he was one of only two players from the Seattle Pilots to be selected. The Pilots only existed for one season. This makes him the only player to ever play in an All-Star Game as a Pilot.
World Series Champion
In 1970, Don hit a career-high 27 home runs for the Oakland Athletics. His playing career ended after the 1972 season. Even though he didn't play much that year, he made a big play in the 1972 World Series.
- In Game 4, he hit a single that tied the game in the ninth inning.
- The Athletics went on to win that game and eventually the World Series.
- This win earned Don Mincher a World Series championship ring!
Life After Playing Baseball
After his playing days, Don Mincher became a leader in minor league baseball.
Leading the Huntsville Stars
He was the first president and general manager of the Huntsville Stars. This was a minor league team in his hometown. He held this job from 1985 to 2001. In 1994, Don and other local investors bought the team. They wanted to make sure baseball stayed in Huntsville.
President of the Southern League
In 2000, Don Mincher became the temporary president of the Southern League. This is the league where the Huntsville Stars played. He later became the full-time president in 2001. He served as league president until he retired in 2011. After he retired, the league named him President-Emeritus. This means he was honored for his long service.
Achievements and Legacy
Don Mincher received many honors for his contributions to baseball.
- In 2008, he was chosen for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
- The Huntsville Stars retired his jersey number 5. This was a special honor, even though he never played for the team.
- In 2010, he received the King of Baseball award. This award is given by Minor League Baseball.
Don Mincher passed away on March 4, 2012, after a long illness.
Major League Records
Don Mincher was part of a special record on June 9, 1966. In one inning, five Minnesota Twins players hit home runs. This is still a Major League record for the most home runs in a single inning.
He also hit a home run completely out of Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Only 21 players ever did this during the stadium's final years. He achieved this amazing feat on August 23, 1964.
Images for kids
-
Don Mincher in his Minnesota Twins uniform.
