Shawon Dunston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shawon Dunston |
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Dunston with the Chicago Cubs in 1988
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: March 21, 1963 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1985, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 2002, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .269 | ||
| Home runs | 150 | ||
| Runs batted in | 668 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Shawon Donnell Dunston (born March 21, 1963) is a former American baseball player. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1985 to 2002. Shawon Dunston was chosen for the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame on January 13, 2023.
He was the very first player picked in the 1982 MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs. Dunston played for many teams, including the Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Mets. He was also chosen as an All-Star twice, in 1988 and 1990.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Shawon Dunston was born in East New York, a part of Brooklyn, New York City. This happened on March 21, 1963. He grew up in the Linden Apartments, which are public housing buildings. He lived there with his father, Jack, his mother, Brenda, and his younger sister, Kindra.
His father worked as a cab driver and delivered furniture. His mother worked in a women's clothing store. Shawon went to Thomas Jefferson High School nearby. He played infielder on the school's baseball team. In his last year of high school, Shawon was an amazing player. He had a .790 batting average. He also hit 10 home runs and stole 37 bases. He was never caught stealing in 26 games.
Starting His Professional Career
Shawon Dunston was seen as one of the best young players for the 1982 Major League Baseball draft. The Chicago Cubs picked him first overall from Thomas Jefferson High School. He was the first player from the New York area to be chosen as the top pick. Dunston decided to represent himself in contract talks. He signed a one-year contract with the Cubs for $100,000. He then joined the Cubs' Rookie-level minor league baseball team in the Gulf Coast League.
In 1985, Dunston competed to be the starting shortstop for the Cubs. He won the job over Larry Bowa at first. Shawon made his first major league game appearance on April 9. However, he had a tough start, batting only .194. He also made nine errors in 23 games. Because of this, he was sent back to the minor leagues. Larry Bowa became the starting shortstop again. After playing well for the Iowa Cubs, Dunston was called back up in August. The Cubs then released Bowa.
Becoming an All-Star Player
Shawon Dunston became a key player for the Cubs. In 1988 and 1990, he was chosen as an All-Star. He played alongside Ryne Sandberg to form a strong double play team. Dunston helped the Cubs win the NL East division title in 1989. That year, he batted .278. He also hit 20 doubles, 6 triples, and 9 home runs. He had 60 runs batted in and 19 stolen bases.
After the 1991 season, Dunston was set to become a free agent. Instead, he signed a new four-year contract with the Cubs for $12 million. This kept him with the team. However, he hurt his back that offseason. He needed surgery in May 1992 to fix a herniated disk. The Cubs chose not to protect Dunston in the 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft. But neither the Colorado Rockies nor the Florida Marlins picked him.
Moving Between Teams
After the 1995 season, Dunston became a free agent. The Cubs wanted him to play third base, but he wanted to stay at shortstop. So, he signed with the San Francisco Giants for the 1996 season. He received a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. He then signed with the Cubs again for the 1997 season, for $2 million.
On August 31, 1997, the Cubs traded Dunston to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates needed a shortstop because two of theirs were injured. Shawon hit two home runs in his first game with the Pirates. He hit three home runs in his first three games. After that season, he became a free agent again. He signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians for $400,000.
On July 23, 1998, the Indians traded Dunston to the Giants. He was traded along with José Mesa and Alvin Morman. In return, the Indians received Jacob Cruz and Steve Reed. Dunston was batting .237 when he was traded. With the Giants, he batted .176 in 51 turns at bat. After the season, he became a free agent. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for a one-year contract worth $500,000.
On July 31, 1999, the Cardinals traded Dunston to the New York Mets. He took the place of rookie Melvin Mora on the Mets team. After that season, Dunston became a free agent again. He signed with the Cardinals for the 2000 season. He then signed with the Giants for 2001 and 2002.
World Series and Retirement
In 2002, Shawon Dunston reached the 2002 World Series with the Giants. This was his first time playing in the World Series. In game six, he hit a home run off Kevin Appier of the Anaheim Angels. This gave his team a two-run lead. If they had won that game, the Giants would have won the championship. However, the Angels came back to win the game and the series.
Dunston finished his career with a .269 batting average. He hit 150 home runs and had 668 RBI in 1814 games. He did not walk very often. Towards the end of his career, he often played as a fourth outfielder or came off the bench as a substitute player. He wore jersey number 12 while playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Playing Style and Awards
Shawon Dunston was known for his incredibly strong throwing arm. This was especially true when he played shortstop early in his career. He won the 1996 Willie Mac Award. This award is given to a Giants player for their spirit and leadership.
Life After Baseball
Shawon Dunston became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. To be chosen, a player needs 75% of the votes. To stay on the ballot for future years, a player needs 5% of the votes. Dunston received 0.2% of the votes, so he was removed from the ballot.
During his playing career, Dunston lived in Fremont, California. He has a son named Shawon Jr., who has also played minor league baseball. One of his three daughters, Jasmine Dunston, became the White Sox Director of Minor League Operations in 2022.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
