David Wong

David G. Wong

• Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 215 lb.

• School Willamette University
• High School Damien Memorial High School

• Born ~1959

BR minors page

Biographical Information

David Wong pitched as high as AA; his son Joey Wong followed him to the pros.

David was All-Conference as a college pitcher and was NAIA All-American as a football defensive end. The Kansas City Royals took him in the 19th round of the 1980 amateur draft. He was 2-2 with 5 saves and a 1.90 ERA in 24 games for the 1980 GCL Royals Blue, allowing only 30 hits but 28 walks in 52 IP. He was third in the Gulf Coast League in games pitched (behind Mike Penate and Mark Huismann), 9th in ERA (between Kenneth Elsee and Tom Mullen) and tied for third in saves.

In 1981, the right-hander was 9-6 with 8 saves and a 2.52 ERA in 52 games for the Charleston Royals. He tied Bill Johnson and Dave Shipanoff for second in the South Atlantic League in pitching appearances, one shy of Terry Clark, and tied Shipanoff for 7th in saves. Among Royals farmhands, only Jeff Schattinger pitched more games. The next year, David went 4-8 with 15 saves and a 1.79 ERA for the Fort Myers Royals, despite walking 49 in 85 1/3 IP. He tied Ernesto Borbon for third in the Florida State League with 49 games pitched, led with 13 hit batsmen (his son would later lead a league in hit-by-pitch) and was third in saves behind Mike Smith and Clark. He led Royals minor leaguers in both saves and hit batsmen while placing 4th in games pitched, between Huismann and Tim Ballard.

Wong was 5-3 with 7 saves and a 3.38 ERA in 50 games for the 1983 Jacksonville Suns. Only Huismann (54) pitched more games in the Royals chain while Wong was third in the Southern League behind John Mitcheltree and Shipanoff. He ended his career by going 2-0 with 2 saves and a 3.52 ERA for Fort Myers in 1984. His cumulative minor league record was 22-19 with 37 saves and a 2.53 ERA in 190 games. He allowed 250 hits and 154 walks in 327 1/3 IP while fanning 244.

Wong was assistant coach at his alma mater in 1985-1986 and at the University of Portland in 1987-1988. He was MVP of the 1988 National Baseball Congress. He was group life coordinator at MacLaren School for two years. From 1991-2003, he was back at Willamette University as head coach, going 287-221-3 and setting the school win record. From 2006-2008, he was pitching coach of Oregon State University; his son Joey was an infielder there in 2007-2008. Oregon State won the 2006 College World Series and 2007 College World Series. Among Wong's pitchers were Kevin Gunderson, Jonah Nickerson and Jorge Reyes, two of whom were named the top player in a College World Series.

Sources include OSU bio, 1981 Baseball Guide