Dan Driessen

Daniel Driessen

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 190 lb.
• High School Hardeeville High School
• Debut June 9, 1973
• Final Game October 3, 1987
• Born July 29, 1951 in Hilton Head Island, SC USA

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Biographical Information

Dan Driessen had a 15-year career in the major leagues, and is best known as one of the younger members of the Big Red Machine that dominated the National League in the 1970s. Driessen was with Cincinnati from 1973 to 1984. In 1980, he led the league in walks and hit-by-pitch.

He was the first designated hitter in the history of the National League: he batted .357 with a home run as the designated hitter in the 1976 World Series sweep of the New York Yankees, the first time the DH was used in a World Series.

In 1989, Driessen played for the Fort Myers Sun Sox of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He hit .333 with 49 RBI in 69 games for the team. In 1990, Driessen again played for the team and batted .314 with 2 home runs and 16 RBI in 24 games when the league folded.

The similarity scores method shows the most similar player through 2006 as Von Hayes.

Dan was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2012. He is a cousin of Gerald Perry.

Notable Achievements

• 1973 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
• NL Bases on Balls Leader (1980)
• Won two World Series with the Cincinnati Reds (1975 & 1976)

Related Sites

• Dan Driessen at the SABR Bio Project