Dan Neville

Daniel Anthony Neville

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 202 lbs.
• School University of Kentucky
• High School Covington Catholic High School

• Born April 6, 1941

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Dan Neville pitched eight professional seasons from 1960 through 1967, mostly in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He grew up right across the river from Cincinnati in Covington, Kentucky.

He dropped out of college after one semester to sign with the Redlegs. He split 1960 between the Palatka Redlegs (4-3, 3.11 in 20 G) and Geneva Redlegs (2-5, 5.23 in 15 G), walking 85 in 106 2/3 IP. He was excellent for the 1961 Tampa Tarpons (15-4, 1.94, 140 K, 99 H in 153 IP). He tied Claude Osteen for third in the Reds chain in wins; among pitchers with 100+ IP, only Sammy Ellis had a better ERA. In the Florida State League, he was 5th in wins, third in whiffs (behind James Farland and Arsenio Sotolongo) and led in ERA (.18 ahead of Pete Cianflone).

He missed most of 1962 with a shoulder injury, though, but excelled when healthy (3-0, 1.44 for Tampa, albeit with 30 BB in 50 IP). He had a 13-9, 2.70 record for the 1963 Macon Peaches. He tied Ken Larsen, Al Neiger and Jose Lizondro for 5th in the South Atlantic League in wins and made the top 10 in ERA. That winter, he went 4-5 with a 3.50 ERA for the Industriales de Valencia of the Venezuelan League.

He spent 1964 through 1966 in Triple-A. He went 14-11 with a 3.81 ERA for the San Diego Padres. He tied Ray Rippelmeyer for 7th in the 1964 Pacific Coast League in wins (the 6 pitchers with more, plus Rippelmeyer, all played in the majors), was second in wild pitches (18, 6 behind Jake Jaeckel) and tied for 4th with 25 homers allowed. He tied for second in the Reds system in wins. In September 1964, Cincinnati called up Neville from San Diego, along with Tony Perez, Tommy Helms, and Ted Davidson. According to The Sporting News (October 3, 1964), they joined the Reds on September 22. That was one day after Chico Ruiz stole home at Connie Mack Stadium to start the infamous collapse of the Philadelphia Phillies.

There were 12 games remaining in the 1964 season -- the homestretch of the three-way pennant race with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Phillies, but Neville did not get into any of them, and he never returned to the majors. He was 5-3 with two saves and a 3.65 ERA that winter for Valencia. He tied for 4th in the league in wins. He was 4-3 with a 3.65 ERA for the 1965 Padres but walked 57 in 74 innings. He spit 1966 between the Indianapolis Indians (8-10, 3.59) and Buffalo Bisons (0-1, 6 R in 7 IP). In 1967, he was 4-8 with a 5.47 ERA for the AA Knoxville Smokies. He finished his career 67-54 with a 3.35 ERA in 227 minor league contests.

Sources include 2014 article on Neville, Purapelota