Dick Lane

Richard Harrison Lane

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 178 lb.
• School University of Detroit Mercy
• Debut June 20, 1949
• Final Game July 8, 1949
• Born June 28, 1927 in Highland Park, MI USA
• Died September 5, 2018 in Lancaster, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Michigan native Dick Lane spent four active seasons in professional baseball from 1945 to 1949.

The outfielder was eighteen years old when he played in his first season with the Greensboro Patriots of the class C Carolina League in 1945. He appeared in 26 games with 101 at-bats and hit .267.

Dick was out of baseball in 1946 but returned the following season with the Greenville Bucks of the class C Cotton States League and appeared in 125 games and hit .320 with 5 home runs.

He had probably his best season in baseball in 1948 with the Muskegon Clippers of the class A Central League, when he led the league with 121 runs scored and hit .333 with 12 home runs in 138 games. 5 of his homers came in one game; as of 2013, it was the last time a player in the minors had that many dingers in a contest. This performance earned him an invitation to the big leagues.

Lane spent eighteen days in the major leagues with the Chicago White Sox from June 20, to July 8, 1949. He appeared in 12 games, with 42 at-bats and 5 hits, giving him a .119 batting average. This was it for Dick in The Show.

He spent the rest of the 1949 season in the high minors with three different clubs, the AA Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association and the AAA Syracuse Chiefs and Newark Bears of the International League. Dan hit a resounding .191 in 88 games and this was his last year in the pro game. He ended his minor league career after appearing in 377 games with at least 18 home runs and a .294 batting average.

As of 2011, Richard Harrison Lane was living in Highland Park, MI. He passed away in California in 2018.

Related Sites

• BR Minors page