Gus Dundon
Encyclopedia
Augustus Joseph Dundon was a second baseman
in Major League Baseball
. He played for the Chicago White Sox
.
. He began his professional baseball career at the age of 21, in the Virginia League. He played several infield
positions early in his career.
From 1901-1903, Dundon was a third baseman
for the Western League
's Denver Grizzlies. He was considered the best fielding third baseman in the league. In 1902, he hit .303 and also led the league with 44 stolen base
s.
Dundon was acquired by the White Sox in 1904. He continued to play well defensively, leading the league's second basemen in fielding percentage
in 1904 and 1905. However, Dundon failed to hit in the majors. In early 1906, he was batting just .135 when he lost his spot in the starting lineup. Chicago won the American League
pennant that year, but Dundon did not appear in the 1906 World Series
. He played his last major league game on October 7.
The following season, Dundon played for the Minneapolis Millers
of the American Association
. He was the team's manager-captain. He continued his solid defense at second base but hit .191. In 1908, he moved to the New Orleans Pelicans
of the Southern Association
. That year, he led the league's second basemen in fielding percentage but again failed to reach the Mendoza Line
.
Dundon played in various minor leagues over the next few years. He spent 1912-1914 in the Tri-State League
. In 1915 and 1916, he was the manager for the Interstate League
's Olean White Sox.
Dundon died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, at the age of 66.
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
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...
. He played for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Biography
Dundon was born in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. He began his professional baseball career at the age of 21, in the Virginia League. He played several infield
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
positions early in his career.
From 1901-1903, Dundon was a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
for the Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
's Denver Grizzlies. He was considered the best fielding third baseman in the league. In 1902, he hit .303 and also led the league with 44 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
Dundon was acquired by the White Sox in 1904. He continued to play well defensively, leading the league's second basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in 1904 and 1905. However, Dundon failed to hit in the majors. In early 1906, he was batting just .135 when he lost his spot in the starting lineup. Chicago won 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...
pennant that year, but Dundon did not appear in the 1906 World Series
1906 World Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 9, 1906 at West Side Grounds in Chicago, IllinoisCubs hurler Mordecai Brown was sent to continue the dominance against Nick Altrock. Both pitchers pitched a perfect game through three innings. The Cubs had a runner at second, but couldn't score in the fourth...
. He played his last major league game on October 7.
The following season, Dundon played for the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. He was the team's manager-captain. He continued his solid defense at second base but hit .191. In 1908, he moved to the New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans were a Minor league professional baseball team based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Team history:Founded in 1887, the Pelicans became part of the Southern Association in 1901...
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. That year, he led the league's second basemen in fielding percentage but again failed to reach the Mendoza Line
Mendoza Line
The Mendoza Line is an expression in baseball in the United States, deriving from the name of shortstop Mario Mendoza, whose lifetime batting average is taken to define the threshold of incompetent hitting...
.
Dundon played in various minor leagues over the next few years. He spent 1912-1914 in the Tri-State League
Tri-State League
The Tri-State League was the name of five different circuits in American minor league baseball.-History:The first league of that name played for four years and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia....
. In 1915 and 1916, he was the manager for the Interstate League
Interstate League
The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. The longest tenured of these was the last incarnation, which played in the Middle Atlantic States from 1939 through 1952, and was one of the few mid-level minor...
's Olean White Sox.
Dundon died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, at the age of 66.