Danny Gans
Daniel Davies Gans
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1" , Weight 190 lb.
- Schools Cal Poly and Mount San Antonio College
- High School Torrance High School
- Born October 25, 1956 in Los Angeles, CA USA
- Died May 1, 2009 in Henderson, NV USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Danny Gans was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 35th round of the 1974 Amateur Draft (663rd overall) at the end of his senior year of high school. He decided to go on to Mount San Antonio College where he was again drafted after his freshman year. This time, he was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 6th round of the 1975 Amateur Draft.
Gans played one season as a third baseman for the Class A Victoria Mussels of the Northwest League in 1978. In 35 games, he hit .234/.273/.297 over 124 at-bats. He hit four doubles and five home runs. At one point in the season, Gans got a start as a pitcher. On the mound, he lasted four innings and gave up three earned runs. He made 7 errors in 15 games at third base, giving him a .833 fielding percentage, second-worst among NWL players with 10+ games there.
Following an injury to his achilles tendon, Gans left baseball for a career in show business. He found success as a musical comedian and impressionist. In 1995, he had an acclaimed one-man Broadway show. In 1996, he moved to Las Vegas, NV where he became a popular entertainer at several resort hotels. At The Mirage, the Danny Gans Theatre was built for him. In 2009, Gans moved to the Encore where his show was advertised on a sign said to be the largest freestanding marquee in the world.
Besides theater work, Gans was also a recording artist whose discs were cross-marketed to both Christian and mainstream music markets. Early in his entertainment career, he tried to establish a film career. He acted in Bull Durham, but his role was later cut.
On May 1, 2009, Danny died at his home in Las Vegas. Gans complained of shortness of breath around 3:30 in the morning. By the time that paramedics arrived, he was already dead. He left a wife and three children. His son Andrew was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 39th round of the 2008 Amateur Draft out of high school as an outfielder (1163rd overall).
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