Dick Van Zant

Richard Van Zant
(Foghorn Dick)

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 10", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut October 4, 1888
• Final Game October 15, 1888
• Born November, 1864 in Indiana USA
• Died August 6, 1912 in Wayne Co., IN USA

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Biographical Information

"Van Zant has been making a fine record for himself at third, and had ten assists, without an error, in to-day's game." - from Sporting Life, October 4, 1890

Forhorn Dick Van Zant played 10 games at third base between October 4 and October 15, 1888 for the 1888 Cleveland Blues.

Gus Alberts was the regular third baseman for the Blues that year, hitting only .206, which may explain why Van Zant was given the job for 10 games at the end of the season. Alberts did not return to the majors until 1891.

Van Zant hit .258 but his fielding average was .784 (Alberts' was .876). In 1889 the Cleveland team went with Patsy Tebeau at third base.

Van Zant spent part of 1888 at Wheeling, where the 20-year-old Ed Delahanty also played. Jake Stenzel was on that team, too, as well as on the 1891 Spokane Bunchgrassers, a team on which Van Zant played for part of the season.

The Great Encyclopedia of Nineteenth Century Major League Baseball has a photo of Van Zant with the 1888 Cleveland Blues and states that Van Zant was not much of a hitter, batting .149 in part of a season with Tacoma in 1891. He was once charged with inciting a riot when he fired balls at spectators after a game in Iowa in 1889.