Daniel Francis O'Connell (January 21, 1927 — October 2, 1969) was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 infielder

Infielder

An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...

 in Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 ( and ), Milwaukee Braves (-), New York/San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 (-) and
Washington Senators

Texas Rangers (baseball)

The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

 (-). He was born in Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...

.

He scored the first run in the first major league baseball game played on the West Coast.

O'Connell finished third in voting for the 1950 National League

National League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 Rookie of the Year and 16th in voting for the 1953 NL MVP. O'Connell also led the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

 in Sacrifice Hits (15) in 1961.

In 10 seasons he played in 1,143 games and had 4,035 at bats, 527 runs, 1,049 hits, 181 doubles, 35 triples, 39 home runs, 320 RBI, 48 stolen bases, 431 walks, .260 batting average, .333 on-base percentage, .351 slugging percentage, 1,417 total bases and 89 sacrifice hits.

O'Connell, who was residing in Bloomfield, New Jersey, died in Clifton, New Jersey

Clifton, New Jersey

Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...

at the age of 42 in a car accident. He left his wife Vera and four children, Maureen, Danny Jr, Nancy and John.

Sources