Del Paddock

Delmar Harold Paddock

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.

• Debut April 14, 1912
• Final Game October 1, 1912
• Born June 8, 1887 in Volga, Dakota Territory USA
• Died February 6, 1952 in Remer, MN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Del Paddock played one season in the major leagues, hitting a good .288. His professional baseball career lasted over a decade.

He started in semi-pro ball in Seattle, WA, and then pitched in 1908 and 1909 for the Vancouver Beavers of the Northwest League, pitching two no-hitters.

In 1911 he played for the Dubuque Hustlers. The Chicago White Sox purchased him, tried him for one game in 1912, and then returned him to Dubuque (called the Dubuque Dubs in 1912) which sold him the same year to the New York Highlanders. Paddock showed that he could use the bat, hitting .288 and also adding 23 walks for a .393 on-base percentage. That would have been good enough for seventh in the league in on-base percentage, if he had had enough plate appearances. His .378 slugging percentage was also 44 points above the team average.

However, in the field at third base, he made 14 errors in 41 games. Roy Hartzell was the regular third baseman, a decent hitter who made 20 errors in 56 games at the position while also playing quite a bit at other positions (Hartzell played more outfield in his career than third base).

Paddock went to the Rochester Hustlers in 1913, the Buffalo Bisons in 1914, the St. Paul Saints later in 1914, and then the Chattanooga Lookouts in 1917. He served in World War I. He was in the Dakota League with the Mitchell Kernels in 1921 and played with the Sioux City Packers in 1921.

He had heart problems for years and died at his cabin on Rice Lake in Remer, MN in 1952.

One helpful source: South-Dakota-born Players in the Major Leagues

Related Sites

• Del Paddock at the SABR Bio Project
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Del Paddock