Don Pepper

Donald Hoyte Pepper

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4½", Weight 215 lb.

• Debut September 10, 1966
• Final Game October 2, 1966
• Born October 8, 1943 in Saratoga Springs, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Don Pepper came to the majors at the end of the 1966 season with the Detroit Tigers at age 22. He was in four games, mostly as a pinch-hitter.

Don was born in Saratoga Springs, NY and was signed at age 18 in 1962 as an amateur free agent. His entire minor league career of seven seasons was in the Tigers organization. Most years, his batting average was around .250, although in 1966, the year he came to the majors, he hit .302 for the AA Montgomery Rebels and the next year he hit .277 for the Toledo Mud Hens. His peak in home runs was 19, also achieved with Montgomery in 1966. He played primarily first base in the minors, with some third base.

He was purchased by the Montreal Expos before their inaugural 1969 season, but never played in their minor league organization. His last pro ball year was at age 24.

Don was still considered a top prospect at age 24, and was touted by Sports Illustrated that year as such, but he quit baseball when his father died in order to run the family's turkey farm in Saratoga Springs. The farm went under a few years later. He has had a variety of jobs since then, including in management at Ryan's Family Steak Houses. Source: Sports Illustrated article.