Fats Dantonio

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#083c6b
bgcolor2=#083c6b
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Fats Dantonio
position=Catcher
birthdate= December 31, 1918
deathdate=death date and age|1993|5|28|1918|12|31
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=September 18
debutyear=1944
debutteam=Brooklyn Dodgers
finaldate=September 20
finalyear=1945
finalteam=Brooklyn Dodgers
stat1label=AVG.
stat1value=.244
stat2label=HR
stat2value=0
stat3label=R
stat3value=12
teams=
*Brooklyn Dodgers (1944-1945)
highlights=

John James "Fats" Dantonio (December 31, 1918 - May 28, 1993) was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944 and 1945. "Fats" was 5'8" tall and weighed only 165 pounds.

Dantonio is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He made his major league debut on September 18, 1944 in a road game against the Boston Braves at Braves Field.

He played in just 3 games in '44, then batted .250 in 47 games the next season. His career totals for 50 games include a .244 batting average (33-for-135), 12 runs batted in, 12 runs scored, a .301 on base percentage, and a .304 slugging percentage. As a receiver he was well below average, making 14 errors in 182 total chances for a low fielding percentage of .923.

Dantonio died in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana at the age of 74.

Trivia

*Dantonio shares the exact same birthday (December 31, 1918) with former MLB catcher Al Lakeman.

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/dantofa01.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.baseballcatchers.com/ Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers]
* [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Pdantf101.htm Retrosheet]