Don Richmond

Donald Lester Richmond

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut September 16, 1941
• Final Game May 13, 1951
• Born October 27, 1919 in Gillett, PA USA
• Died May 24, 1981 in Elmira, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Third baseman Don Richmond was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Athletics before the 1940 season. The 6' 1" left-handed swinging infielder spent his first pro season with the Batavia Clippers of the PONY League where he hit for a .330 average and 6 homers in 107 games. He followed that up by hitting .318 with the Williamsport Grays in 1941 and also was in 9 games for the major league Philadelphia Athletics, hitting an even .200. He was then drafted into the United States Army where he spent the next four years (1942-1945) serving with the military in the Pacific theater of action during World War II.

On his return Don had two short stays at Shibe Park in 1946 and 1947, getting into only 35 games with the Athletics. He hit for a two-year average of .240. Other then another short run of 12 games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1951, this was the extent of his major league career, ending with a .211 batting average in 56 games.

Richmond was in pro ball for 14 active seasons (1940-1957) and other then his short time spent in the majors he was with 10 different minor league teams in 7 different leagues. Out of those 14 years Richmond hit over .300 ten times in the minors with his best years coming from 1950 to 1952 with the Rochester Red Wings of the International League when he led the league in 1950 with a .333 average, hits with 191 and runs scored with 126, helping his team to the IL pennant. In 1951, he hit a career-high .350 in 412 at bats and he followed that up in 1952 with a .329 average, also leading the league with 190 base hits and playing third base for the All-Star team.

Don took over as player-manager of the Batavia Indians in 1957 where he hit for a .381 average, but that was not quite enough to league the circuit as Paul Owens of the Olean Oilers hit .407. Don did not play in 1958.

Minor League Managing Career

Year	League	Team	W	L	Pct	Fin	GB	Managers
1957	NYPL	Batavia Indians*	58	59	.496	4	16	Don Richmond
1958	NYPL	Batavia Indians	60	65	.480	6	9.5	Don Richmond

Playoff runners-up in 1957*

Richmond scouted for the Cleveland Indians in 1959 and the Milwaukee Braves in 1960 and 1961. He then became a beer distributor in Elmira, NY, where he died on May 24, 1981, at age 61.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s
Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
Minors Page