Rich Dauer (1952 – 2025)

Biography and cause of death of Rich Dauer

Richard Fremont Dauer (July 27, 1952 – February 3, 2025) Rich Dauer was an American professional baseball infielder and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent his entire 10-year MLB playing career with the Baltimore Orioles, winning the 1983 World Series. He was primarily a second baseman and also played third base.

Following his career as a player, he spent 19 seasons as an MLB coach for numerous teams, winning the World Series in 2017 as the first base coach for the Houston Astros. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012.

Rich Dauer Early years

Born on July 27, 1952, in San Bernardino, California, Dauer graduated from Colton High School in Colton, California, in 1970. He played college baseball for the Indians of San Bernardino Valley College and transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), where he was an All-American at third base. He helped the USC Trojans win the College World Series in 1973 and 1974, USC’s fifth consecutive title and sixth in seven years.

Rich Dauer Pro playing career

Selected in the first round of the 1974 MLB draft in early June, Dauer was the 24th overall pick and began his pro career in the Single-A South Atlantic League with the Asheville Tourists. He moved up to the Rochester Red Wings of the Triple-A International League (IL) late in the 1975 season. The following season with the Red Wings, he won the league batting title with a .336 average, was named Rookie of the Year and shared Most Valuable Player honors with Mickey Klutts and Joe Lis. He was called up by the Orioles that year and struggled, getting only four hits in 39 at bats.

Dauer’s struggles continued at the start of 1977, as he had just one hit in his first 41 at bats. He began the year as the Orioles’ starting second baseman but lost the role to Billy Smith. He credited Brooks Robinson and Lee May with helping him out, saying, “You can’t make it in the Majors by yourself.” By the end of the year, he had regained the second base job from Smith. He batted .243 with 74 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs, and 25 RBIs in 96 games while compiling a .982 fielding percentage at second base.

Dauer played in the 1979 postseason. The Orioles defeated the California Angels in four games in the best-of-five 1979 American League Championship Series to secure the pennant, Baltimore’s first since 1971. In the 1979 World Series, the Orioles built a 3–1 lead, then lost the last three games to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dauer’s home run in Game 7 provided the O’s only run of the game.

Dauer was given the nickname “Wacko” by Jim Palmer because of his sense of humor. During the Orioles’ pursuit of the Milwaukee Brewers for the 1982 American League East title, he inspired his teammates with the rallying cry “Let’s win one for the Duck” which was based on “Win one for the Gipper” and Earl Weaver’s lame duck status as manager because of his impending retirement following the season.

He also played in the 1983 World Series, won by the Orioles over the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. He, along with Todd Cruz and Rick Dempsey, were regularly in the bottom third of the batting order and were affectionately known as “The Three Stooges”, a moniker coined by Ken Singleton. Dauer was “Larry”, Cruz was “Curly” and Dempsey was “Moe”.

Dauer’s best postseason performance was in the 5–4 Game 4 win when he went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI, including the one which accounted for the margin of victory.

Rich Dauer holds two American League single-season fielding records for a second baseman, including 86 consecutive errorless games and 425 straight errorless chances, both set in 1978.

Dauer is one of the few players to have won a College World Series (twice) and an MLB World Series.

In 2012, Dauer was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, becoming the 12th member of the 1983 championship team to be inducted.

Rich Dauer Coaching career

Dauer as first base coach for the Houston Astros in 2016

Rich Dauer worked as a minor league coach for five organizations and managed the Seattle Mariners Class A San Bernardino Spirit affiliate in 1987. At the major league level, he coached for the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies.

On December 19, 2012, he was named manager of the Padres’ Class AA affiliate, the San Antonio Missions, where he led the Missions to the 2013 Texas League Championship.

Former teammate Lenn Sakata credited Dauer with helping him at shortstop in 1981 and 1982. “While I was at short, Rich gave me all the help and encouragement I needed. He was one of the best.”

Rich Dauer  served as the first base coach for the Astros in 2017, where they won the World Series for the first time ever that year.

Rich Dauer Personal life and death

Rich Dauer acted in the 1988 motion picture Stealing Home. He portrayed the coach of the San Bernardino Spirit.

At the 2017 World Series parade Dauer suffered a subdural hematoma as a result of a head injury that required emergency brain surgery. After recovering, he retired from coaching.

Rich Dauer died on February 3, 2025, at the age of 72.

Source: Wikipedia