Donald Young (baseball)

Donald Wayne Young (born October 18, 1945 in Houston, Texas) is a former professional baseball player. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball in 1965 and 1969, primarily as a center fielder.

Young was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1963. In his first major league at bat, he popped up to become the first out in Sandy Koufax's 1965 perfect game. He played only 11 games in 1965, and then spent three years in the minors before coming up to the Cubs again, playing 101 games in the tumultuous 1969 season.

Young was considered an average center fielder as well as a quiet, introspective man. He found himself in the public eye when he made two crucial misplays in the ninth inning of a game against the New York Mets on July 8, 1969. Teammate Ron Santo, often an emotional sort, loudly criticized Young in the clubhouse for his mistakes, and reporters took Santo's rant to the press. Santo drew considerable criticism for his outburst and apologized to Young the next day.

Young played two more partial seasons in the minor leagues before leaving organized baseball.

Sources

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)