After leading the International League with a .336 BA, Dauer replaced Bobby Grich
at second base for the Orioles. He never hit up to expectations - .284 in 1980 was
his best - but he seldom struck out and was a reliable fielder. His homer in the
seventh game of the 1979 WS gave the Orioles a brief lead. He set ML records in 1978
by playing 86 straight errorless games at second and handling 425 chances without
an error.
(MC)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»June 5, 1974:
The June draft produces just 725 picks, the fewest in history, and only 300 of these are from the college ranks, with the low number blamed on the introduction of aluminum bats this past season. The Padres, with their 3rd number-one free-agent pick in five years, select Brown University SS Bill Almon, the TSN College Player of the Year. They had selected him three years earlier out of high school, but he attended college instead. The Rangers take P Tommy Boggs with the 2nd pick and the Phils follow with prep OF Lonnie Smith. With the 5th pick, the Braves select Dale Murphy; the Angels, picking 10th take the ill-fated Mike Miley, who quarterbacked LSU to a win in the Orange Bowl. the Tigers take Lance Parrish with the 16th pick, the Royals pick prep football star Willie Wilson with the 18th, and the Red Sox, picking 20th, take SS Eddie Ford, son of Whitey Ford. Picking next, the Dodgers get Rick Sutcliffe. The Orioles, with the 24th pick in round one pick Rich Dauer, the top player for USC's championship team; four of their other picks will end up in the NFL (QB's Andy Johnson, Steve Bartkowski, and John Sciarra, and Anthony Davis). The Cards use a pick on the NFL Giants Brad Van Pelt, the 5th time he's been selected. The Twins pick up prep C Butch Wynegar, who will make the American League All-star team at age 20.
»July 28, 1978: The Orioles Rich Dauer has his 10th straight game with at least two hits in each. In his streak, which began on July 18, Dauer hit .583 (28-for-48). Dauer's mark is a club record.
»September 30, 1978: Baltimore 2B Rich Dauer makes his only error of the season in the final game, a 5–4 loss to Detroit. Dauer's 86 games and 425 chances without miscue are American League records.
»April 6, 1979:
At Baltimore, manager Earl Weaver wins his 1,000th game as a skipper, as the O's open with a 5–3 win over the White Sox. Jim Palmer allows three hits to win. Rich Dauer, who ended the 1978 season by driving in a run in 10 straight games, adds another game to the streak with an infield out.
»October 15, 1983: Rich Dauer has three hits and three RBI to lead Baltimore to a 5–4 Series win.
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