Dave Hilton

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John David Hilton

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[edit] Biographical Information

After a fairly unimpressive debut season out of college, Dave Hilton was one of the top players in the Texas League in 1972, batting .315 with 15 homers and 73 RBI. He was fifth in the TL in RBI, tied for 8th in homers and in the top 10 in average. Despite less than two years in the minors, he was promoted to the San Diego Padres, where he struggled in a September call-up. After splitting time between three levels in 1973, Hilton hit .328 with the Hawaii Islanders at age 23 the next year and again spent half the season struggling as a Padres infielder. In 1975, he was back in the TL for much of the year before a rebound season in 1976. Still just 25, Hilton did well for the Islanders, batting .288 with 16 homers and 77 RBI, but didn't get another look from San Diego, his major-league career already over.

After a mediocre 1977 with the Toledo Mud Hens, Hilton signed with the Yakult Swallows. Hilton promptly had arguably the best season of his career, batting .317/.381/.509 and making the Best Nine team at second base in the Central League. He set a Nippon Pro Baseball record with 8 homers leading off the game, set another record by doubling in six straight contests and made the All-Star team. As if that weren't enough, he then hit a 2-out 2-run come-from-behind game-winning homer in game 4 of the Japan Series to tie the Series at two games apiece. In the off-season, he gained 20 pounds of muscle using a weight-training program. Manager Tatsuro Hiroka claimed Hilton was overweight and increased his training workload. Hilton promptly got a sore throwing arm. He later added a heel injury. That season Hilton declined in every area except homers and hit .258/.302/.451. Given his questionable defense, he was let go by Yakult. Hilton attributed the decline to injuries; Hiroka said he was "taking Japanese baseball lightly."

In 1979 Hilton was signed by the Hanshin Tigers at the request of Hanshin manager Don Blasingame. Hanshin fans said Blasingame was picking up a reject from another team, then became angry when Hilton started ahead of prized rookie Akinobu Okada. Hilton's defensive lapses and offensive struggles (he hit .197/.240/.239 in 18 games that season) led fans to harshly criticize Hilton and Blasingame and call for the usage of Okada. At one point, Tigers fans attacked a car in which Hilton, his wife and Blasingame were riding. Shortly after that, the taxi Hilton and Blasingame were in was overturned. Shojiro Ozu, the Hanshin owner, released Hilton and replaced his "gaijin slot" with Bruce Boisclair against the objections of Blasingame, who was later fired as well, in large part due to the Okada-Hilton controversy.

Hilton returned to the US and played two seasons with the Portland Beavers and then a year with the Mexico City Red Devils.

He coached with the Milwaukee Brewers for the 1987 and 1988 seasons. Hilton also has managed in the minor leagues, scouted for the Minnesota Twins and worked as a coach in Taiwan.

In 1989, Hilton played for the St. Lucie Legends of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He hit .304 in 53 games with the club. In 1990, Hilton played for the Sun City Rays of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He played in 7 games and was hitless in 16 at-bats when the league folded.

[edit] Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs
1984 Visalia Oaks California League 66-74 5th (t) Minnesota Twins
1992 Idaho Falls Braves Pioneer League 27-49 6th Atlanta Braves
1996 Tyler WildCatters Texas-Louisiana League 36-63 Independent Leagues
1997 Frederick Keys Carolina League 60-71 4th Baltimore Orioles Lost in 1st round

[edit] Sources

"You Gotta Have Wa" by Robert Whiting, Japan Baseball Daily, Minor League History by Pat Doyle

[edit] Related Sites

Retrieved from "http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Dave_Hilton"
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