Don Hahn (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Donald Antone Hahn, born November 16, 1948 in San Francisco
, California
, is a former Major League baseball
player, an outfielder known primarily for his fielding ability. Hahn played for the Montreal Expos
, New York Mets
, Philadelphia Phillies
, St. Louis Cardinals
, and San Diego Padres
.
Hahn attended Campbell High School in Campbell
, California
. There, along with his studies, he played baseball
, basketball
, and football
. The right-handed throwing and batting Hahn was drafted by the San Francisco Giants
in the 17th round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft
On April 8, 1969, Hahn played in his first major league game; he was the starting center fielder
in the Montreal Expos
' first game ever. He also was the first fielder in Expo franchise history to field a ball; in the bottom of the first inning, the New York Mets
' Tommie Agee
singled to center field, and Hahn retrieved it and threw the ball to the cutoff man. The game was played at Shea Stadium
in Flushing, New York, and the Expos defeated the Mets by a score of 11-10. Hahn's first major league at-bat came in the second inning of the game; he struck out, which pretty much set the tone for his career.
Hahn later became quite accustomed to the Shea Stadium outfield
grass; a few days before the 1971 MLB season began, the Mets traded 1969 World Series
hero Ron Swoboda
, along with minor leaguer
Rich Hacker, to the Expos, in exchange for the young outfielder.
Hahn emerged as the starting center fielder
for the pennant-winning Mets of 1973. Hahn started all 12 games for the Mets during post-season play. Earlier in '73, in July, Hahn was involved in a brutal collision in the outfield with left fielder
George Theodore
, which resulted in a broken hip for Theodore.
After the 1974 MLB season, Hahn was traded to the Phillies, along with relief pitcher
Tug McGraw
and fellow outfielder Dave Schneck
. The Phillies sent catcher
John Stearns
, relief pitcher Mac Scarce, and outfielder Del Unser
to the Mets.
Although he had a rather modest career at the bat, Hahn did have some memorable events. He hit only seven career home runs, but his first homer was one for the books. On September 5, 1971 against the Philadelphia Phillies
, Hahn hit the first inside-the-park home run
at the Phillie's new home, the brand-new Veterans Stadium
in Philadelphia
.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, is a former 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...
player, an outfielder known primarily for his fielding ability. Hahn played for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
, New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, and San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
.
Hahn attended Campbell High School in Campbell
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. There, along with his studies, he played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. The right-handed throwing and batting Hahn was drafted by the 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....
in the 17th round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft
1966 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :A January free agent amateur draft was added for the first time in 1966. Ninety-five prospects were selected in the regular phase and 102 in the secondary phase of the...
On April 8, 1969, Hahn played in his first major league game; he was the starting center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
in the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
' first game ever. He also was the first fielder in Expo franchise history to field a ball; in the bottom of the first inning, the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
' Tommie Agee
Tommie Agee
Tommie Lee Agee was a Major League Baseball center fielder most noted for making two of the greatest catches in World Series history, both of which occurred in game three of the 1969 World Series.-Cleveland Indians:...
singled to center field, and Hahn retrieved it and threw the ball to the cutoff man. The game was played at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
in Flushing, New York, and the Expos defeated the Mets by a score of 11-10. Hahn's first major league at-bat came in the second inning of the game; he struck out, which pretty much set the tone for his career.
Hahn later became quite accustomed to the Shea Stadium outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
grass; a few days before the 1971 MLB season began, the Mets traded 1969 World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
hero Ron Swoboda
Ron Swoboda
Ronald Alan Swoboda is a former Major League Baseball outfielder best remembered as a member of the Amazin' Mets.-MLB debut:...
, along with minor leaguer
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Rich Hacker, to the Expos, in exchange for the young outfielder.
Hahn emerged as the starting center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the pennant-winning Mets of 1973. Hahn started all 12 games for the Mets during post-season play. Earlier in '73, in July, Hahn was involved in a brutal collision in the outfield with left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
George Theodore
George Theodore
George Basil Theodore is a retired Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Stork," Theodore played outfield for the New York Mets in 1973 and 1974...
, which resulted in a broken hip for Theodore.
After the 1974 MLB season, Hahn was traded to the Phillies, along with relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Tug McGraw
Tug McGraw
Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer Tim McGraw and actor/TV personality Mark McGraw and Cari McGraw...
and fellow outfielder Dave Schneck
Dave Schneck
David Lee Schneck is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of three seasons, from until , with the New York Mets....
. The Phillies sent catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
John Stearns
John Stearns
John Hardin Stearns is a former major league catcher who played for the New York Mets from to , and played a single game for the Philadelphia Phillies in ....
, relief pitcher Mac Scarce, and outfielder Del Unser
Del Unser
Delbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
to the Mets.
Although he had a rather modest career at the bat, Hahn did have some memorable events. He hit only seven career home runs, but his first homer was one for the books. On September 5, 1971 against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Hahn hit the first inside-the-park home run
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
at the Phillie's new home, the brand-new Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.