There is, at least from a Baseball Roundtable perspective, a certain satisfaction in coming across MLB events that, although seemingly unrelated at the time they occurred, later create lasting connections (and impressions). This blog post is about a pair of “hit-by-pitches” that occurred fifty seasons apart, but brought the players together both in the record books and (57 years after the first HBP) in Marlins Park.
FRED VAN DUSEN
It all started with a left-handed throwing and hitting outfielder named Fred Van Dusen. As a 16- and 17-year-old, Van Dusen showed promise – a steady and powerful bat, speed on the base paths and in the field, as well as a strong arm. The 6’3”, 180-pound outfielder caught the attention of a number of scouts and, just 20 days after his 18th birthday, signed as a “Bonus Baby” with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Less than a month after signing, Van Dusen got his first MLB plate appearance. It came in the second game of a September 11, 1955 double header versus the Braves (in Milwaukee). Van Dusen came to the plate as a pinch hitter – for pitcher Lynn Lovenguth – in the top of the ninth, with one out, one on and the Phillies trailing 9-1. (For those who like to know those things, the pitcher was Humberto Robinson.). As he stepped up to the dish, Van Dusen became the youngest player to appear in an MLB game in 1955. But, there was more to come.
Van Dusen quickly fell behind 0-2 – remember that count, it will come into play later. On his third pitch, Robinson hit the rookie on the knee with a sweeping curveball. As he was left stranded at first, Van Dusen could hardly have expected that he had just experienced his first – and final – MLB plate appearance; and 2) that 57 years later that lone MLB plate appearance would be the catalyst for an appearance on the MLB Miami Marlins’ mound. More on that in a bit, let’s get back to Van Dusen’s professional career.
His sophomore professional season saw Van Dusen playing for the Wilson Tobs of the Class B Carolina League, where he hit .252, with 11 home runs in 140 games. He went on to play five more minor league seasons, hitting .260, with 86 home runs. His best season was 1957, when he hit .310, with 25 long balls for the High Point – Thomasville Hi-Toms of the Carolina League; and was named the Carolina League’s Player of the Year. Despite that strong season, Van Dusen started the next campaign with the Triple A Miami Marlins (remember that Marlins connection, it too will come into played) and he never appeared in another MLB game.
Until 2005, Van Dusen was the only player who was hit by a pitch in his only plate appearance, in his only MLB game; and who also never appeared in the field (in the majors) defensively. (Just more evidence of BBRT’s contention that “In baseball we track everything.”)
ADAM GREENBERG
Then, in 2005, 24-year-old rookie Adam Greenberg (another promising southpaw outfielder), doubled the size of Van Dusen’s list (one MLB game, one MLB plate appearance, hit by pitch, never played in the field) – and he stayed there until October 2, 2012.
Greenberg made his MLB debut with the Cubs on July 9, 2005. It came in the top of the ninth inning with the Cubs leading the Marlins 4-2. (Remember the Van Dusen minor league Miami Marlins connection? BBRT likes that kind of coincidence.) Greenberg was called on to hit for pitcher Will Ohman with one out and no one on base. The very first MLB pitch Greenberg ever saw came from Marlins’ lefty Valerio De Los Santos. Remember that name, it also comes into play later. It was a 92-mph fastball that got away and hit Greenberg in the back of the head – resulting in a concussion that sent him directly to the hospital (rather than first base) and led to recurring positional vertigo, vision issues and headaches – and contributed to a very short MLB career.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s look at how Greenberg got to that plate appearance.
Greenberg was a star athlete at Guilford (Connecticut) High School – a four-year letterman in baseball, basketball and soccer – and team captain in both baseball and soccer. He then went to the University of North Carolina, where he was named to the ACC All-Conference team in 2002 – after hitting .337, with 17 home runs and 35 stolen bases.
The Cubs selected Greenberg in the ninth round of the 2002 MLB Draft and he began his professional career in the Cubs’ system that year. He showed considerable promise. As a 21-year-old he hit a combined .286, with 17 stolen bases in 77 games at Class A (Lansing Lugnuts) and High A (Daytona Cubs). In 2003, he hit .299 with 26 steals at Daytona and, in 2004, he hit a combined .285, with six homers, 17 triples and 19 steals – while moving from High A (Daytona) to Double A (Western Tennessee Diamond Jaxx) to Triple A (Iowa Cubs). When he got the 2005 call up to the Cubs he was having a solid season at Western Tennessee. Then, of course, came the beaning – and the aftermath.
Greenberg was released by the Cubs in in June of 2006 – after disappointing performance at Iowa and Western Tennessee He then bounced around the minors in Dodgers’, Royals and Angels’ systems, as well as with the (Independent) Atlantic League Bridgeport Bluefish – continuing to chase his maj league dream.
Another Coincidence/Connection
Valerio De Los Santos – who hit Adam Greenberg with that fateful 2005 pitch – enjoyed a nine-season MLB career. His last MLB appearance was with Colorado in 2008. In 2011, De Los Santos (then 38-years-old) was playing his last professional season – with the Long Island Ducks of the (Independent) Atlantic League. Greenberg was playing for the Bridgeport Bluefish in the same league and found himself facing De Los Santos once again.
In an interview with the Shoreline Times, Greenberg said this of his second professional at bat versus De Los Santos,”It was a big deal. As much as I try to pretend it wasn’t. It’s been 5 ½ years and to face him again in a game that meant something … It brings things full circle. You have the what-if stuff – What if he threw that first pitch for a strike 5 ½ years ago? That’s the fun stuff. The fact is, it happened. And that we’re both still playing is awesome.”
2012 – AND THINGS REALLY GOT INTERESTING
In October of 2012 – perhaps responding to a national social media campaign aimed at getting Greenberg a major league at bat (rather than just a plate appearance) – the Miami Marlins signed Greenberg to a one-day major league contract. Keep in mind the Van Dusen connection. At this point in time, Van Dusen and Greenberg were the only two players in MLB history to be hit by a pitch in their only MLB plate appearance, in their only MLB game, without appearing in a defensive position on the field.
Knowing that Greenberg’s appearance in a Marlins’ game would once again make Van Dusen the sole holder of the “one game, one plate appearance, hit-by-pitch and never appearing in the field” record, the Marlins called on the then 75-yedar-old Van Dusen to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the contest. So, two events – somewhat similar, but 50 years apart – eventually brought Greenberg and Van Dusen together on the same day on the same major league diamond. BBRT likes that symmetry.
One Game, One Plate Appearance, One Hit by Pitch
There are three other players who qualify for the one game, one plate appearance, one hit by pitch club – but those three all played a defensive position in their single game. They are: The Giants’ Ham Wade (September 9, 1907); Indians’ Harvey Grubb (September 27, 1912); and Phillies’ Cy Malis (August 17, 1934).
Pitcher Charles “Victory” Faust of the 1911 Giants came close – with just one career plate appearance – hit-by-pitch, two stolen bases and one run scored. Faust, however, appeared in two games. His story, as the good luck charm of the 1911 Giants, is unique in the lore of baseball superstitions – and will get its own post here in the near future.
Now to Greeberg’s 2012 at bat. He came up as a pinch hitter (for LF Bryan Petersen), leading off the bottom of the sixth, with the Marlins up 2-0. Greenberg was facing 20-game winner, and eventual 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.
Greenberg’s Walk up music was, appropriately, Aerosmith’s “Dream On.” He came to the plate accompanied by a standing ovation – and struck out on three pitches. (Remember, Van Dusen was hit by an 0-2 pitch? So, in the totality of Van Dusen’s and Greenberg’s MLB careers, every major league pitch they ever saw that didn’t hit one of them was a strike.).
Even after getting that elusive MLB at bat, Greenberg was not done. His heart was in the game and, in December of 2012, he signed with the Orioles as a minor-league free agent. He was, however, released by Baltimore in March of 2013. He still, however, felt the urge to be on the field and played 30 games back with the Bridgeport Bluefish in 2013. It was his final professional baseball season.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com, Society for American Baseball Research.
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