Don Lund

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don Lund

Topps baseball card - 1954 Series, #167
Outfielder

Born: May 18, 1923 (1923-05-18) (age 85)
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 3, 1945 for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Final game
July 29, 1954 for the Detroit Tigers
Career statistics
AVG.	.240
HR	15
R	91
Teams
Brooklyn Dodgers (1945, 1947-1948) St. Louis Browns (1948) Detroit Tigers (1949, 1952-1954)
Career highlights and awards

Donald Andrew (Don) Lund (born May 18, 1923) is a former backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1945, 1947, 1948[start]), St. Louis Browns (1948[end]) and Detroit Tigers (1949-1954). He batted and threw right-handed.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Lund was signed out of University of Michigan by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945. Although drafted in the 1st round of the NFL draft in 1945 by the Chicago Bears as a running back, Lund felt baseball would be the better career choice.^{[citation needed]} Used mainly as a reserve, he played part of three seasons with the Dodgers and St. Louis Browns between 1945 and 1948. His most productive season came in 1953 as the regular right fielder for the Detroit Tigers, when he posted career-highs in batting average (.257), home runs (nine), runs batted in (47), hits (108), at-bats (421), doubles (21), triples (four), and games played (131). Lund played his last season in 1954 as a backup for teenager rookie Al Kaline.

In a seven-season career, Lund was a .240 hitter with 15 home runs and 86 RBI in 281 games.^[1]

Following his major league career, Lund served as head coach at the University of Michigan. Under his leadership, the Wolverines won the College World Series championship in 1962.^[2]

Lund was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Honor in 1984 for his significant contributions as a football, baseball, and basketball player and baseball coach as well.^[3]