Today's Happy Baseball Birthday is former big league outfielder Don Lund.
Donald Andrew Lund was born on May 18, 1923, in Detroit. Michigan.
Lund attended Southeastern High School in Detroit, and went to the University of Michigan, where he lettered in baseball, football, and basketball.
Lund was scouted by former Baseball Hall of Famer George Sisler, who played baseball for the Wolverines under manager Branch Rickey, who also played baseball at Michigan.
Lund was drafted on the first round of the 1945 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, but chose instead to sign a minor league baseball contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
On April 12, 1947, in an exhibition game between the Dogers and their Montreal Royals farm club, Don Lund hit a tremendous HR into the left field bleachers at Ebbets Field.
Lund rounded third and headed for home, stepped on home plate, and was greeted with a handshake from the man who scored just ahead of him...Jackie Robinson.
Lund played big league baseball for 7 years, with the Dodgers, St. Louis Brown's, and the Detroit Tigers.
Lund's best season in the big leagues came in 1953 with the Tigers.
In 131 games Lund collected 108 hits, with 21 doubles, 9 HR, 47 RBI, and a .257 batting average, in 421 at bats.
Don Lund played his final game of his career at the age of 31 on July 29, 1954, with the Tigers.
Lund returned to his Alma Mater as the head baseball coach for the Wolverines, in 1959.
Michigan won the Big Ten Baseball Championship in 1961, and in 1962 Lund led the Wolverines to the College World Series and a National Championship.
Lund then worked for the Tigers organization, from 1963-1970, then returned to Michigan as an assistant athletic director until his retirement in 1992.
Don Lund passed away this past December, at the age of 90.
Today we celebrate the life of one of Detroit's, and the State of Michigan's finest athletes and family man... a true Michigan Man.
Happy Birthday Don! Go Blue!
PLAY BALL!
No comments:
Post a Comment