Steven John Dunning (born May 15, 1949) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
former
professional
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...
baseball player.
He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
as a right-handed
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
between and for the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
,
Texas Rangers,
California 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 ...
,
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
and the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
. Dunning was the 1st round draft choice by the Cleveland Indians in the
1970 Major League Baseball Draft
First round selections
The following are the first round picks in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.
''*'' Did not sign
Other notable Selections
''*'' Did not sign
References
External links Complete draft list from ''The Basebal ...
.
Baseball career
Dunning was born in
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. He was the second player to go straight to the Major Leagues after being drafted without spending a day in the minors.
On May 11, 1971, Dunning had the distinction of hitting a
grand slam home run
In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with bases loaded, all three bases occupied by baserunners ("bases loaded"), thereby scoring four run (baseball), runs—the most possible in one play. According to ''The Dickson Baseball Dictionary'', t ...
off of
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
pitcher
Diego Seguí
Diego Pablo Seguí González (born August 17, 1937) is a Cuban former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Washington Senators, Seattle Pilots ...
. This remained the last grand slam hit by an
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
pitcher until
Félix Hernández
Félix Abraham Hernández García (born April 8, 1986), nicknamed "King Félix", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners from 2005 through 2019.
On August 15, 2 ...
of the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
accomplished the same feat June 23, 2008 in a game against the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
.
He was traded from the
Indians to the
Rangers for
Dick Bosman
Richard Allen Bosman (born February 17, 1944) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1966–73), Cleveland Indians (1973–75), and Oakland Athl ...
and
Ted Ford
Theodore Henry Ford (born February 7, 1947) is a former right-handed Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers from 1970 to 1973. He is the grandfather of Darren Ford, who debuted with the San Franc ...
on May 10, 1973. He went from the
Rangers to the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
for
Stan Perzanowski on February 25, 1975. He was dealt for a second time within a year, along with
Bill Melton
William Edwin Melton (born July 7, 1945), nicknamed "Beltin' Bill" and "Beltin' Melton", is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball from through , m ...
from the White Sox to the Angels for
Jim Spencer
James Lloyd Spencer (July 30, 1947 – February 10, 2002) was a Major League Baseball first baseman. Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, the left-handed Spencer was recognized for his excellent fielding ability, but also served in later years as a d ...
and
Morris Nettles
Morris Nettles (January 26, 1952 – January 24, 2017) was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played two seasons with the California Angels in the mid-1970s.
Nettles was drafted by the Angels in the second round of the 1970 Major ...
on December 11, 1975. After a campaign in which he went 2–6 with a 4.15
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) in 32 appearances, he was sent along with
Tony Scott
Anthony David Leighton Scott (21 June 1944 – 19 August 2012) was an English film director and producer. He was known for directing highly successful action and thriller films such as ''Top Gun'' (1986), ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987), ''Day ...
and
Pat Scanlon from the
Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
to the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
for
Bill Greif
William Briley Greif (born April 25, 1950) is a retired professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1971 to 1976, for the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Astros
G ...
,
Sam Mejías
Samuel Elías Mejías '' ay-hee'-ahs' (born May 9, 1952) is a former backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the St. Louis Cardinals (1976), Montreal Expos (1977–78), Chicago Cubs (1979) and Cincinnati Reds (1979 ...
and
Ángel Torres on November 8, 1976. All three players coming to St. Louis had spent some of the 1976 season with the
Denver Bears
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the United ...
which were led by recently-hired Cardinals manager
Vern Rapp
Vernon Fred "Vern" Rapp (May 11, 1928 – December 31, 2015) was a Major League Baseball manager and coach. A career minor league catcher and a successful skipper in the minors, Rapp had two brief tours of duty as a big league manager.
Minor Leag ...
.
"6-Player Baseball Trade Completed by Cards, Expos," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Tuesday, November 9, 1976.
Retrieved January 21, 2023.
He became an attorney in 1982. His wife Kim was on Tic Tac Dough in 1983 and won over $10K.
References
External links
1949 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball players from Denver
California Angels players
Cleveland Indians players
Denver Bears players
Hawaii Islanders players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Montreal Expos players
New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players
Oakland Athletics players
Portland Beavers players
Spokane Indians players
Stanford Cardinal baseball players
Texas Rangers players
Anchorage Glacier Pilots players
Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks players
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