1993 Phillies World Series Team - Daulton

Darren Daulton (Catcher) - 1993 Topps Black Gold


Daulton was the Phillies 25th round draft pick in 1980, the year the Phillies won their only World Series. He made his major league debut on 9/25/83. He didn't take on the starting catcher's role until 1989, playing behind Bo Diaz, Ozzie Virgil, John Russell, and Lance Parrish until then. He was one of the leaders of the 1993 squad, coming off his best season in 1992 (27 HR, hitting 0.270 with a league leading 109 rbis). 1993 was almost as good a year with 24 HR and hitting 0.257 with 105 rbis. He did not hit particularly well in playoffs. He went 5 for 19 with one HR and 3 rbi in the NLDS and 5 for 23 with 1 HR and 4 rbi in the World Series.

Dalton was a 3-time All Star with the Phillies ('92, '93 and '95). After 1993 his career began to decline due to injuries. He played in only 172 games in the next 3 years (only 5 in 1996). In 1997, the Phillies traded Daulton to the Florida Marlins for Billy McMillon (another Phorgotten Phillie). Playing 1st base, Daulton helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series, batting 0.389 in the Series.While he was with the Phillies, Daulton was married to former Playboy Bunny and Official Hooters Spokesperson, Lynne Austin. I came upon this card quite by accident.
Daulton made close to $26,000,000 playing baseball. According to baseball expert Bill James Daulton is the 25th best catcher of all time. He's divorced from Austin and remarried and divorced again. He's been in and out of jail a few times since he retired in 1997. And, based on a 2006 interview in Sports Illustrated, he sounds a bit like a nut case. According to the Wikipedia article on Daulton, he plans to go back in time and break Mitch Williams' legs after the 4th game of the the 1993 World Series. I think I can speak for many of us that I hope he is successful in that plan. I came on this link on some baseball card blog.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/franz_lidz/02/16/darren/