Darren Daulton, the quirky leader of the 1993 National League Champs and three-time All-Star, is the newest member to the Phillies Wall of Fame, the team announced Tuesday.
Daulton was drafted by the Phightins in 1980 and made his Major League debut with the National League Champion 1983 team. He would go on to play 14 seasons with the Phils.
Daulton took a while to get his swing on track but by 1992 he made himself into an All-Star catcher as he lead the NL with 109 RBI while posting a .270 average, 27 homers and 80 runs.
Dutch missed many games due to injury but still managed to catch 965 games for the Phillies.
“Darren was more than just an outstanding catcher and middle of the order hitter,” said Phillies president David Montgomery. “He was our leader, both on the field and in the clubhouse. His leadership played a huge role in the success of our 1993 team.”
Daulton only played 52 games in any other Major League uniform. The Phillies traded him to the Marlins during the 1997 season. Dutch would go on the help the Fish win the World Series -- batting .389 with a homer in the Fall Classic.
For all of his on-the-field success, Daulton is as much known for his off-the-field antics. He missed part of the 1991 season following a car crash where he was being driven by teammate Lenny Dykstra.
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He also has claimed to have taken drugs in a 2009 radio interview with Mike Missanelli and made claims about the end of the world coming in 2012.
But despite some of his eccentricities he remains beloved in Philadelphia and remembered as a good player on the field.
“His recognition as the 2010 Phillies Wall of Fame inductee is richly deserved,” Montgomery said.
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