On opening day of the AL's first season (4/25/01), Dillon led the Tigers to their
first victory by becoming the first AL batter to hit four doubles in one game. Early
in the 1902 season, he was sent to Los Angeles of the Pacific Coast League, where
he became a hitting star. The adept hit-and-run man was captain of the Brooklyn Dodgers
in 1904, then returned to Los Angeles to become player-manager for 11 seasons.
In 2,175 minor league games, he averaged .295.
(TG)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 25, 1901: In its AL debut before 10,023, Detroit scores the greatest Opening Day rally with 10 runs in the bottom of the 9th for a 14-13 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Detroit spots the Brewers a 13-3 lead-7-0 after three innings-by making seven errors, including three by SS Kid Elberfeld. Tiger 1B Pop Dillon hits four doubles, including a pair in the record 9th inning, the last is the game-winner off reliever Bert Husting. Dillon's four doubles is an opening day record that will be matched by Jim Greengrass in 1954.
»September 15, 1901:
It could've been worse. The Detroit Tigers rolls over Cleveland behind Ed Siever with the most lopsided score in AL history: 21-0 (equaled on August 13, 1939). Cleveland pounds out 24 hits off rookie Jack Bracken as Pop Dillon leads the way with four hits. The game is mercifully called after seven 1/2 innings to allow Cleveland to catch a train. Bracken's ERA is not helped by this outing and he will end this season, his only one in the majors, with a 6.21 mark, the highest in the deadball era.
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