Hal Dues

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Hal Dues

|position=Pitcher

|image=

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1954|9|22}}

|birth_place=La Marque, Texas, U.S.

|death_date={{Death date and age|2020|10|20|1954|9|22}}

|death_place=Dickinson, Texas, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 9

|debutyear=1977

|debutteam=Montreal Expos

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 5

|finalyear=1980

|finalteam=Montreal Expos

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=6–8

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.08

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=47

|teams=

Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1978}}, {{mlby|1980}})

}}

Hal Joseph Dues (September 22, 1954 - October 20, 2020) was an American professional baseball player and former Major League pitcher. The {{convert|6|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}, {{convert|180|lb|abbr=on}} right-hander played for the Montreal Expos in {{mlby|1977}} and {{mlby|1978}}, and again in {{mlby|1980}}.

Career

Signed as an undrafted free agent by Montreal on May 20, 1974, after attending the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, Texas, Dues appeared in 37 games in the Majors, 17 as a starting pitcher. He spent the entire {{mlby|1978}} campaign with the Expos, working in 25 games (including 12 starts) and 99 innings pitched, and compiling a low 2.36 earned run average. He threw his only MLB complete game on July 8 against the Philadelphia Phillies, a six-hit, 8–1 victory at Veterans Stadium; Dues helped himself as a batsman that day, with two hits in four at bats with a run batted in and a run scored.{{cite web|title=Montreal Expos 8, Philadelphia Phillies 1 (2)|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1978/B07082PHI1978.htm|website=retrosheet.org|accessdate=December 29, 2014|date=July 8, 1978}}{{cite web|title=Jul 8, 1978, Expos at Phillies Box Score and Play by Play|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI197807082.shtml|website=baseball-reference.com|publisher=sports-reference.com|accessdate=December 29, 2014|date=July 8, 1978}}

All told as a Major Leaguer, he allowed 128 hits and 55 bases on balls in 134{{frac|1|3}} innings pitched, with 47 career strikeouts. On June 17, 1978, in Dodgers Stadium, Dues pitched the final 4 innings of a 6-3 Expos victory, registering his only career major league save. {{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN197806170.shtml|title=Montreal Expos at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score, June 17, 1978}}

Dues died October 20, 2020.[https://www.crowderfuneralhome.com/obituaries/hal-joseph-dues/?fbclid=IwAR2OafhsLWRde956qKcrhvQu1O8l_PJNsybygBmN22nbIoBNVFm-lHfDuGU Hal Joseph Dues Obituary]