Dain Clay
From BR Bullpen
Dain Elmer Clay (Sniffy or Ding-A-Ling)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10½", Weight 160 lb.
- School Kent State University
- Debut June 12, 1943
- Final Game September 29, 1946
- Born July 10, 1919 in Hicksville, OH USA
- Died August 28, 1994 in Chula Vista, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Dain Clay, who played four seasons with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1940s, was the first major leaguer out of Kent State University. He played center field with the Reds during the war years 1943-45 and also after the war in 1946.
He was third in the league in stolen bases in 1945.
His minor league career covered 13 seasons, running from 1938 to 1954. He played parts of six seasons at San Diego. While not a power hitter in the majors (although he was seventh in the league in doubles in 1945), in the minors he hit 105 home runs and posted a .298 batting average.
The book Baseball in San Diego has a photo of Dain and two daughters along with a Chevrolet he won for being the fans' most popular player.
He has been inducted into the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame. In a biography at that website, it says that he starred in three sports at Cuyahoga Falls High School. He played several years with local sandlot teams before signing a pro contract in 1938. An arm injury is said to have shortened his major league career.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL At Bats Leader (1945)
