Donn Clendenon

Position: First Baseman Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right 6-4, 209lb (193cm, 94kg)
Born: July 15, 1935 in Neosho, MO
Died: September 17, 2005 ( in Sioux Falls, SD
Buried: Cremated
High School: Booker T. Washington HS (Atlanta, GA)
Schools: Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA), Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA)
Debut: September 22, 1961 (11,916th in major league history) vs. PHI 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: August 5, 1972 vs. PHI 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: Donn Alvin Clendenon
Pronunciation: \clen-DEN-un\ View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject Relatives: Stepson of Nish Williams

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1962

Willie Stargell
Bob Bailey
Ed Kranepool
Cookie Rojas
Tony Oliva
Gaylord Perry
Bob Veale
Dick Radatz
Tommy Harper

All-Time Teammate Team

Coming Soon

Subscribe to our Podcast Network

on Apples Podcast | Spotify  | Google | Stitcher

And connect with us wherever else you listen to Podcast.

Notable Events and Chronology 

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

July 7, 1963

Pirates win 10th Straight loss for the Mets Full Radio Broadcast

August 20, 1963

In his first major league start, Grover Powell blanks the Phillies in the Mets’ 4-0 victory at Connie Mack Stadium. The shutout will be the only big league win for the 21 year-old right-hander, who after pitching four more scoreless innings in his next appearance will appear to lose his effectiveness when he is struck in the face by a line drive hit by Pittsburgh first baseman Donn Clendenon.

August 24, 1965

“The Greatest Throw Ever Made At Forbes Field!” And Roberto Clemente didn’t make it!

May 4, 1967

Roberto’s Revenge: Old Testament Style – Donn Clendenon and Roberto Clemente combine to give Don Drysdale a taste of his own medicine (perhaps taking Orlando Cepeda’s adage – “the trick with Drysdale is to hit him before he hits you” – a tad literally). Dodger beat writer Frank Finch reports: “Before Drysdale retired, he took a physical pounding from the Pirates. Clemente’s third hit almost tore Don’s right hand off, and later in the same inning Donn Clendenon’s drive drilled Drysdale on the shins so hard that it bounced to first base, where Wes Parker made an easy put-out.”

April 13, 1968

Looking back on his career some 30 years later, Willie Mays will recall being gunned down going from first to third exactly once by Roberto Clemente 

January 22, 1969

Houston Astros trade Rusty Staub to the Montreal Expos for Donn Clendenon and Jesus Alou

March 8, 1969

After Donn Clendenon “retires” and refuses to report to spring training, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn rules that Montreal can keep both Rusty Staub and Clendenon, insisting that Houston will have to settle for further compensation rather than voiding the trade. 

April 3, 1969

Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and reports to the Montreal Expos

June 15, 1969

New York Mets acquire first baseman Donn Clendenon

September 3, 1969

Willie Davis hits a walkoff double in the 9th inning to stretch his hitting streak to 31 games

September 24, 1969

New York Mets clinch their first post-season berth

October 11, 1969

Don Buford hits Tom Seaver’s second pitch for a homerun leading Orioles past Mets

October 16, 1969

The New York Mets win their fourth straight game from the Baltimore Orioles to take the World Series in five games

April 7, 1970

Mets win their first opener at Forbes Field’s final Opening Day

July 24, 1970

Agee steals victory for the Mets

Biography

Football’s Cleveland Browns, basketball’s Harlem Globetrotters, and baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates all offered contracts to the 6’4″ Donn Clendenon. He chose the Pirates, and batted .302 for them in 80 games his rookie season (1962). In 1966 he hit 28 homers and drove in 98 runs, both career highs, while hitting .299. Clendenon twice topped NL batters in strikeouts. He led NL first basemen in errors three times, but he also paced them in double plays five times, and three times each in putouts and assists.

The Expos took Clendenon in the October 1968 NL expansion draft, but dealt him to the Mets in June of 1969. Platooned with Ed Kranepool, Clendenon provided power that was critical to the team’s surprising surge to the pennant. His home runs in Games Two, Four and Five of the 1969 World Series meant the difference in each contest, and earned Clendenon the Series MVP award. He might never have played for the Mets had he not vetoed his trade from Montreal to Houston the previous January.

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts

Coming soon

View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

If you would like to add a link or add information for player pages, please contact us here.