Ā
Al Dark
Positions:Ā Shortstop and Third Baseman
Bats:Ā Right Ā ā¢Ā Ā Throws:Ā Right
5-11,Ā 185lbĀ (180cm,Ā 83kg)
Born:Ā January 7,Ā 1922Ā in Comanche,Ā OK
Died:Ā November 13,Ā 2014 Ā inĀ Easley,Ā SC
Buried:Ā Robinson Memorial Gardens, Easley, SC
High School:Ā Lake Charles HS (Lake Charles, LA)
Schools:Ā University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Lafayette, LA),Ā Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA)
Debut:Ā July 14, 1946Ā (10,165th in major league history)
vs. PITĀ 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game:Ā October 2, 1960
vs. PITĀ 5 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name:Ā Alvin Ralph Dark
Nicknames:Ā Blackie or The Swamp Fox
View Player InfoĀ from theĀ B-R Bullpen
View Player BioĀ from theĀ SABR BioProject
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1946
Yogi Berra
Ralph Kiner
Alvin Dark
Carl Furillo
Bobby Thomson
Joe Garagiola
Ellis Kinder
Vic Raschi
Sherm Lollar
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All-Time Teammate Team
Coming Soon
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Notable Events and Chronology
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Biography
In 1969 fans chose Alvin Dark as the top shortstop in Giantsā history. He won the 1948 Rookie of the Year award, hit .300 four times, led the NL in doubles once, led league shortstops three times each in putouts and double plays, and hit 20 or more home runs and scored over 100 runs twice each. Darkās single in the ninth inning of the third 1951 NL playoff game started the rally that culminated in Bobby Thomsonās famous pennant-winning homer. As a manager, Dark won the 1962 NL pennant for San Francisco and the 1974 World Championship with Oakland. While leading San Francisco, he once tore off a finger at the joint throwing a metal chair after a loss. After finding religion, his calmer personality enabled him to work two tours for Aās owner Charlie Finley.@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@
Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts
Played For
Boston Braves (1946-1949)
New York Giants (1950-1956)
St. Louis Cardinals (1956-1958)
Chicago Cubs (1958-1959)
Philadelphia Phillies (1960)
Milwaukee Braves (1960)
Managed
San Francisco Giants (1961-1964)
Kansas City Athletics (1966-1967)
Cleveland Indians (1968-1971)
Oakland Athletics (1974-1975)
San Diego Padres (1977)
Awards and Honors
1948 ML Rookie of the Year
Post-Season Appearances
1948 World Series
1951 World Series
1954 World Series
Hitting Streaks
23 games (1948)
22 games (1952)
Quotes About Dark
āAlvin Dark, the Giant manager, took batting practice with his players, slapping the ball about the park just as he had done for ten years as an active player. Dark was a āscientificā hitter who always studied a pitched ball carefully, measuring its plateward movement with delicate optical precision, and striking at it with calculated force. At least 70 percent of the time all this concentrated coordination netted him a big, fat A.B. and a trip back to the dugout. The frustration tore at his soul, and Alvin, who eschews profanity, often released his pent-up self-torment by slinging his batting helmet around the dugout.ā ā fromĀ Jim BrosnanāsĀ The Pennant Race, his diary of the 1961 season.
All-Star Selections
1951 NL
1952 NL
1954 NL
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Other Resources & Links
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