Daniel Miers Ardell (born May 27, 1941) is a retired

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. A

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

, he was one of the first

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players signed by the

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Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...

in the Angels' maiden season, . Ardell spent most of that year in the lower minors, but was recalled for a seven-

game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...

Major League trial in September. After appearing in three games as a

pinch runner In baseball, a pinch runner is a player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing another player on base. The pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been sub ...

, Ardell singled in his first big-league

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

as a

pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...

on September 20 against

Ron Kline Ronald Lee Kline (March 9, 1932 – June 22, 2002) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher over parts of seventeen seasons (1952, 1955–1970) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Lou ...

of the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

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br>box score: 1961-09-20
/ref> Ardell threw and batted left-handed and was listed at tall and . He was signed by the Angels on July 15, 1961, after his

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career at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

. He was one of two players signed off the campus of 1961 NCAA Tournament champion USC that season;

Tom Satriano Thomas Victor Nicholas Satriano (born August 28, 1940) is an American former professional baseball player. Although he began his professional career as a third baseman, he converted to catcher and played 321 games as a backstop during a ten-year, ...

, who joined the Angels a week after Ardell, would fashion a ten-year Major League career. Ardell was loaned to the Class D

Artesia Dodgers The Artesia Dodgers was the final nickname of the minor league baseball team based in Artesia, New Mexico. Artesia teams played from 1951-1955 and 1958-1961 as an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. History The Artesia ...

for the 1961 season (where he batted .240 in 33 games) before his September recall. After his pinch single against the Tigers, he appeared in three more games (starting one at first base) and was hitless in three at bats. Ardell did not return to the Majors after 1961. He played from 1962 to 1964 in the Angel

farm system In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

before leaving pro baseball. Ardell married writer Jean Hastings Ardell in 1981. They live in Laguna Beach, California.

References

External links

1941 births Living people Artesia Dodgers players Baseball players from Seattle Los Angeles Angels players Major League Baseball first basemen Nashville Vols players San Jose Bees players Tri-City Angels players USC Trojans baseball players University High School (Los Angeles) alumni Baseball players from Los Angeles {{US-baseball-first-baseman-stub