Dale Long
Born: 2/6/1926 in Springfield, MO, USA
Died: 1/27/1991 in Palm Coast, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1951-04-21 | Final Game: 1963-07-18
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: Richard Dale Long
Biography
Dale Long was a professional baseball player born in 1926, who made significant contributions to the sport during his career from 1951 to 1963. As a position player, Long appeared in 1,013 games across various teams, showcasing his versatility and skill at the plate. He accumulated a total of 805 hits, 132 home runs, and 467 runs batted in, finishing his career with a respectable batting average of .267. Long also demonstrated speed on the bases with 10 stolen bases, adding another dimension to his offensive game.
Long's most notable achievement came in 1956 when he was selected as an All-Star, highlighting his status as one of the prominent players of his era. He played during a period of transition in Major League Baseball, navigating the changing dynamics of the game in the post-war era, which saw the emergence of power hitters and a shift in playing styles. Long's ability to produce consistent offensive numbers and his contributions to his teams left a lasting impact, solidifying his legacy in the history of the sport. He retired on July 18, 1963, leaving behind a career marked by determination and achievement.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1013 | 3020 | 384 | 805 | 135 | 33 | 132 | 467 | 10 | 353 | 460 | 0.267 | 0.341 | 0.464 | 0.805 | 6322.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | PIT | NL | 10 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | SLA | AL | 34 | 105 | 11 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 0.238 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | PIT | NL | 131 | 419 | 59 | 122 | 19 | 13 | 16 | 79 | 0 | 48 | 72 | 0.291 | 1600.4 |
| 1956 | PIT | NL | 148 | 517 | 64 | 136 | 20 | 7 | 27 | 91 | 1 | 54 | 85 | 0.263 | 976.6 |
| 1957 | CHC | NL | 123 | 397 | 55 | 121 | 19 | 0 | 21 | 62 | 1 | 52 | 63 | 0.305 | 2028.7 |
| 1957 | PIT | NL | 7 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0.182 | 2028.7 |
| 1958 | CHC | NL | 142 | 480 | 68 | 130 | 26 | 4 | 20 | 75 | 2 | 66 | 64 | 0.271 | 1456.4 |
| 1959 | CHC | NL | 110 | 296 | 34 | 70 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 37 | 0 | 31 | 53 | 0.236 | 107.7 |
| 1960 | NYY | AL | 26 | 41 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0.366 | 0.0 |
| 1960 | SFG | NL | 37 | 54 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1961 | WS2 | AL | 123 | 377 | 52 | 94 | 20 | 4 | 17 | 49 | 0 | 39 | 41 | 0.249 | 355.9 |
| 1962 | NYY | AL | 41 | 94 | 12 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 0.298 | 393.2 |
| 1962 | WS2 | AL | 67 | 191 | 17 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 5 | 18 | 22 | 0.241 | 393.2 |
| 1963 | NYY | AL | 14 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | WS | NYA | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.200 |
| 1960 | WS | NYA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 819 | 747 | 6960 | 550 | 88 | 672 |
| C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | PIT | 1B | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951 | SLA | 1B | 28 | 0 | 227 | 19 | 3 | 23 |
| 1951 | SLA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | PIT | 1B | 119 | 116 | 968 | 97 | 13 | 114 |
| 1956 | PIT | 1B | 138 | 136 | 1201 | 99 | 24 | 92 |
| 1957 | CHN | 1B | 104 | 103 | 908 | 72 | 5 | 81 |
| 1957 | PIT | 1B | 7 | 6 | 54 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| 1958 | CHN | C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | CHN | 1B | 137 | 135 | 1173 | 84 | 10 | 130 |
| 1959 | CHN | 1B | 85 | 72 | 731 | 49 | 12 | 63 |
| 1960 | NYA | 1B | 11 | 6 | 78 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 1960 | SFN | 1B | 10 | 8 | 73 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| 1961 | WS2 | 1B | 95 | 94 | 827 | 62 | 15 | 87 |
| 1962 | NYA | 1B | 31 | 23 | 242 | 21 | 2 | 21 |
| 1962 | WS2 | 1B | 51 | 47 | 459 | 32 | 2 | 46 |
| 1963 | NYA | 1B | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 2 |
| First Base | 820 |
| Left Field | 1 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 26th | 4.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1955 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 19th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |