Darren Daulton, a 25th round selection in the 1980 June draft who developed into a three-time National League All-Star catcher, will be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Friday, August 6, prior to the 7:05 p.m. game against the New York Mets.
The Phillies selected Daulton as the 629th player in the 1980 First-Year Player Draft. He wound up playing 14 seasons (1983; 1985-97) with the Phillies, one of only nine to wear the team’s uniform that long. In 1,109 games for the Phillies, Daulton compiled a .245 average with 134 homers and 567 RBI.
Daulton’s All-Star selections came in 1992, 1993 (starter) and 1995. He and Bob Boone share the most All-Star selections for a Phillies catcher.
In 1992, he became only the fourth catcher in major league history to lead the league in RBI (109). The following season, he drove in 105 runs for the 1993 National League Champion Phillies. He’s the only catcher in Phillies history with two 100-RBI seasons.
If you look at his numbers over his career they are about as average as it gets. However, he was an integral part of the ’93 team that came out of nowhere to win the NL Pennant. His popularity in Philadelphia has fluctuated over time, yet he still holds a special place in many hearts because of that leadership role with the 1993 Phillies.
Looking at his resume as a whole, do you think Daulton deserves to be part of the great Phillies Wall of Fame with the likes of Richie Ashburn, Mike Schmidt, and Steve Carlton?
