Darren Daulton

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Darren Daulton

|image=2012 08 10 023 Phillies Darren Daulton.JPG

|caption=Daulton in 2012

|position=Catcher

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1962|1|3}}

|birth_place=Arkansas City, Kansas, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2017|8|6|1962|1|3}}

|death_place=Clearwater, Florida, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 25

|debutyear=1983

|debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 28

|finalyear=1997

|finalteam=Florida Marlins

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.245

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=137

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=588

|teams=

Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1983}}, {{mlby|1985}}–{{mlby|1997}})
Florida Marlins ({{mlby|1997}})

|highlights=

}}

Darren Arthur Daulton (January 3, 1962 – August 6, 2017), nicknamed "Dutch",{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/daultda01.shtml|date=2019|title=Darren Daulton Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 27, 2019}} was an American professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies ({{baseball year|1983}}, {{baseball year|1985}}–{{baseball year|1997}}) and Florida Marlins (1997). While with the Phillies, Daulton was a three-time MLB All-Star and won the {{baseball year|1992}} Silver Slugger Award. He won the 1997 World Series with the Marlins.

Professional career

=Philadelphia Phillies=

File:PHI1988H10DAULTON.jpg #10 Darren Daulton home jersey]]

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Daulton in the 25th round of the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/phillies/index.ssf/2017/08/phillies_great_darren_daulton_loses_4-year_battle.html |title=Phillies great Darren Daulton loses 4-year battle with brain cancer |work=The Star-Ledger |date=July 1, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} On September 25, 1983, he made his major league debut for the Phillies. Daulton had three at bats for the Phillies in 1983.{{cite web|author=Jayson Stark |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/archives-darren-daulton-jayson-stark-oct-14-1993-sweet-win-20170807.html |title=From the archives: A win sweet for all, sweetest for Daulton |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=October 14, 1993 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} Through {{baseball year|1988}}, he played sparingly, due chiefly to the presence of all-star catchers Ozzie Virgil Jr. and Lance Parrish. Daulton became the Phillies' full-time catcher in {{baseball year|1989}}.{{cite web|last=Snyder |first=Matt |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/phillies-darren-daulton-dies-of-brain-cancer-at-age-55/ |title=Phillies great Darren Daulton dies at age 55 after four-year battle with brain cancer |date=August 7, 2017 |publisher=CBSSports.com |access-date=August 7, 2017}} Throughout his early career, his primary value to the team was as a defensive catcher — his cumulative batting average of .206, through the 1988 season, was barely above the Mendoza Line — and he never appeared in as many as 60 games, in any single season. Daulton's breakout season was {{baseball year|1990}}, his first as his team's primary backstop; that year, he batted .268, with 57 runs batted in (RBI) — which, when coupled with his skills behind the plate, earned him a three-year contract worth $6.75 million.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19901103&id=Q7FKAAAAIBAJ&pg=6994,546162|title=Free agents start cashing in|first=Seth|last=Livingstone|work=The Telegraph|page=18|date=November 3, 1990|access-date=August 7, 2017}} Daulton caught Terry Mulholland's no-hitter, on August 15, 1990.{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1990/B08150PHI1990.htm |title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Philadelphia Phillies 6, San Francisco Giants 0|publisher=Retrosheet|work=retrosheet.org|date=August 15, 1990|access-date=August 7, 2017}}

Following a slump in {{baseball year|1991}} that saw his batting average fall below .200, Daulton led the National League (NL) in RBIs for 1992 with 109.{{cite web|author=ET |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20269993/darren-daulton-former-philadelphia-phillies-catcher-dies-55 |title=Darren Daulton, former Philadelphia Phillies catcher, dies at 55 |date=August 7, 2017 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=August 7, 2017}} He also finished in the top 10 in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, home runs, walks, runs created, and extra base hits.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1992-batting-leaders.shtml |title=1992 National League Batting Leaders |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} Daulton earned his first All-star appearance, the NL Silver Slugger Award,{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/silver_slugger_nl.shtml#1992 |title=MLB Silver Slugger Award Winners - National League |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} and sixth place in NL MVP voting.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1992.shtml#all_NL_MVP_voting |title=1992 Awards Voting |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=August 7, 2017}}

Daulton was one of the catalysts of the NL pennant-winning 1993 Phillies. Although the Phillies lost the World Series, Daulton was again named an All-Star, drove in more than 100 runs for the second consecutive season, and finished seventh in NL MVP voting.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1993.shtml#all_NL_MVP_voting |title=1993 Awards Voting |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} He once again finished in the league's top 10 in on-base percentage, RBIs, walks, and extra base hits. Daulton also finished in the top 10 in times on base and intentional walks.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1993-batting-leaders.shtml |title=1993 National League Batting Leaders |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=August 7, 2017}}

Knee injuries soon caught up with Daulton. In {{baseball year|1994}}, he was hitting .300, with 15 home runs, and 56 RBIs, through 67 games, when he was injured.{{cite web|last=Cwik|first=Chris|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/former-phillies-catcher-darren-daulton-dies-battle-cancer-031952288.html |title=Former Phillies catcher Darren Daulton dies after battle with cancer |date=August 7, 2017 |publisher=Yahoo! |access-date=August 7, 2017}} In {{baseball year|1995}}, Daulton was named to his third all-star team;{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS199507110.shtml|title=1995 All-Star Game Box Score, July 11|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 7, 2017}} however, he played in only 98 games, and finished the year with just nine home runs.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1995.shtml|title=1995 Philadelphia Phillies Statistics|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=August 7, 2017}} Daulton never caught another big league game after August 25, 1995.{{cite web|url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/B08250PHI1995.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 17, Los Angeles Dodgers 4|date=August 25, 1995|publisher=Retrosheet|work=retrosheet.org|access-date=April 27, 2019}}

Daulton missed nearly the entire {{baseball year|1996}} season due to injury; he played in only five games, all as an outfielder.{{cite web|agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-08-sp-56221-story.html |title=Daulton Goes Down, Maybe Out |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 8, 1996 |access-date=August 7, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-06-26-sp-18755-story.html |title=Daulton's Return on Hold |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 26, 1996 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} In {{baseball year|1997}}, he returned to the outfield in an attempt to keep his still-productive bat in the line-up, despite his chronic injuries. Daulton also played 42 games as a first baseman.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19970511&id=8kgoAAAAIBAJ&pg=2383,3143361|title=Baseball Notebook|first=Ben|last=Walker|agency=Associated Press|work=Herald-Journal|page=D4|date=May 11, 1997|access-date=August 7, 2017}}

=Florida Marlins=

On July 21, 1997, after 17 years with the Phillies organization, the club traded Daulton to the Florida Marlins for Billy McMillon.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-22-sp-14983-story.html|title=Phillies Send Daulton to Marlins - latimes |work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 22, 1997|access-date=August 7, 2017}} By that time, Daulton's knee injuries had escalated even further, limiting his usage to playing first base and pinch hitting. He ended the 1997 campaign with a .263 batting average, 14 home runs, 63 RBI, and 68 runs scored, in 395 at bats. Daulton batted 7-for-18 (.389) in the 1997 World Series, as the Marlins defeated the Cleveland Indians.{{cite web|url=http://www.ctnewsonline.com/news/article_084cfd16-7b1f-11e7-8310-23afa1051161.html |title=Former All-Star catcher from Ark City dies at 55 |publisher=ctnewsonline.com |date=July 1, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2017}} Daulton announced his retirement after the series.

=Career statistics=

In 14 MLB seasons, Daulton hit .245, with 137 home runs, 588 RBIs, and 511 runs scored, in 1,161 games played. Bill James ranked Daulton as the 25th-greatest major league catcher of all time, in the 2001 edition of his Historical Baseball Abstract.{{cite web|last=Fitzpatrick |first=Frank |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/philadelphia-phillies-darren-daulton-dies-55-brain-cancer-catcher-1993-20170807.html |title=Former Phillies catcher Darren 'Dutch' Daulton dies at 55 |date=August 6, 2017 |publisher=Philly.com |access-date=August 7, 2017}}

On August 6, 2010, Daulton was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame.{{cite web|author=Mario Aguirre |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20100807_For_Daulton__butterflies_as_he_s_enshrined_on_Wall.html |title=For Daulton, butterflies as he's enshrined on Wall |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=August 7, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2017}}

Post-playing career

=Arrests=

Daulton was arrested several times on vehicle-related charges. He was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in Pinellas County, Florida, in 1988, and his driver's license was suspended for a year after he refused to take a breathalyzer test. His license was again suspended in the late 1990s due to unpaid speeding tickets; he received at least five speeding tickets during that time period, including one for driving in excess of {{convert|100|mph}} in a {{convert|65|mph|adj=on}} zone.

While under his second license suspension, he was involved in a single-vehicle accident on January 3, 2001, causing $20,000 worth of damage to his BMW sedan. He again refused to be tested, and was again charged with DUI and also with driving with a suspended license and failing to appear in court.{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/News/010501/Sports/Bosman__DeMerritt_hel.shtml |title=Bosman, DeMerritt help fill out Rays staff |work=St Petersburg Times |date=January 5, 2001 |access-date=August 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010221022314/http://www.sptimes.com/News/010501/Sports/Bosman__DeMerritt_hel.shtml |archive-date=February 21, 2001 }}

Two years later, Daulton was arrested a third time for driving with a suspended license and DUI, after again refusing to be tested for alcohol.{{cite web|url=http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0104/1487259.html|title=Former catcher Daulton arrested on DUI charges|publisher=ESPN|date=July 18, 2003|access-date=August 6, 2009}}

He was arrested a fourth time for battery against his wife. He served two and a half months in jail and spent another two and a half months in drug rehabilitation.{{cite web|url=http://www.phillymag.com/articles/department-is-darren-daulton-crazy/ |title=Department: Is Darren Daulton Crazy? - Philadelphia Magazine |publisher=Phillymag.com |date=December 23, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2017}}

=Daulton Foundation=

In the years following his arrests and jail time, Daulton began to turn his life around, acknowledging his shortcomings and doing work within the local community and charity.{{Cite news |last=Kashatus |first=William C. |title=Darren Daulton learned from life's lessons, but Pete Rose flunked |language=en-US |work=www.inquirer.com |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/opinion/commentary/daulton-learned-from-lifes-lessons-rose-flunked-20170806.html |access-date=2022-04-11}} In 2013, Daulton founded The Darren Daulton Foundation with his wife Amanda. The foundation, which went on to issue grants to over 100 people totaling over $250,000, provided financial assistance to those who suffer from primary brain tumors. The foundation is still active to this day.{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} Darren Daulton Foundation |url=https://www.darrendaultonfoundation.org/about |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=Darren Daulton Found |language=en}}

=Author=

Daulton authored a book on occultism and numerology, If They Only Knew, published in 2007. In the book, he writes about numerous aspects of occultism, referencing experts in the field, and addressing his own personal experience with the paranormal.

=Radio show=

From 2010 to 2016, during the Philadelphia Phillies season, Daulton hosted the radio show "Talking Baseball with Dutch" from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on sports radio station WPEN in Philadelphia.

Illness and death

On July 1, 2013, Daulton underwent surgery for resection of two brain tumors related to glioblastoma{{cite web |title=Darren Daulton Passes Along Good News |url= http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25074436/darren-daulton-passes-along-good-news-in-battle-against-brain-cancer |work=CBS News |access-date=January 26, 2016}} at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/philadelphia-phillies/darren-daulton-has-surgery-remove-brain-tumors|title=Darren Daulton has surgery to remove brain tumors|date=July 1, 2013|publisher=NBC Sports Philadelphia|work=nbcsports.com|access-date=April 27, 2019}} On February 23, 2015, Daulton announced that he was cancer-free. The cancer returned in early 2017, and Daulton died from brain cancer on August 6, 2017, aged 55.{{cite web|last1=Kelly|first1=Matt|title=Phillies legend Daulton passes away at 55: Wall of Fame catcher 'Dutch' battled brain cancer for 4 years|url=http://m.phillies.mlb.com/news/article/246955016/phillies-legend-darren-daulton-dies-at-55/|publisher=Major League Baseball|access-date=August 6, 2017|date=August 6, 2017|archive-date=August 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807081258/http://m.phillies.mlb.com/news/article/246955016/phillies-legend-darren-daulton-dies-at-55/|url-status=dead}} He is buried in Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Arkansas City.

Publications

{{Cite book | author = Darren Daulton | title = If They Only Knew | isbn = 978-1878398932 | date = 2007 | publisher = Blue Note Books}}
William C. Kashatus (2017) Macho Row: The 1993 Phillies and Baseball's Unwritten Code. University of Nebraska Press. {{ISBN|9780803290860}}