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{{Short description|American baseball player and coach (1952–2025)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name               = Rich Dauer
| image              = Rich Dauer 2012 (3x4 cropped).jpg
| caption            = Dauer during his induction into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, 2012
| position           = [[Second baseman]], [[third baseman]]
| bats               = Right
| throws             = Right
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1952|7|27}}
| birth_place        = [[San Bernardino, California]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2025|2|3|1952|7|27}}
| death_place        = [[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| debutleague        = MLB
| debutdate          = September 11
| debutyear          = 1976
| debutteam          = Baltimore Orioles
| finalleague        = MLB
| finaldate          = September 29
| finalyear          = 1985
| finalteam          = Baltimore Orioles
| statleague         = MLB
| stat1label         = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat1value         = .257
| stat2label         = [[Home run]]s
| stat2value         = 43
| stat3label         = [[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
| stat3value         = 372
| teams              = ;As player
*[[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1976}}–{{mlby|1985}})
;As coach
*[[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1991}})
*[[Kansas City Royals]] ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|2002}})
*[[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|2003}}–{{mlby|2005}})
*[[Colorado Rockies]] ({{mlby|2009}}–{{mlby|2012}})
*[[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|2015}}–{{mlby|2017}})
| awards             = *2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1983}}, {{wsy|2017}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame]]
}}

'''Richard Fremont Dauer''' (July 27, 1952 – February 3, 2025) was an American professional [[baseball]] [[infielder]] and [[Coach (baseball)|coach]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). He spent his entire 10-year MLB playing career with the [[Baltimore Orioles]], winning the [[1983 World Series]]. He was primarily a [[second baseman]] and also played [[Third baseman|third base]]. Following his career as a player, he spent 19 seasons as an MLB coach for numerous teams, winning the World Series in {{wsy|2017}} as the first base coach for the [[Houston Astros]]. He was inducted into the [[Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame]] in 2012.

==Early years==
Born on July 27, 1952, in [[San Bernardino, California]],<ref name="i196">{{cite web | title=Rich Dauer – Society for American Baseball Research | website=Society for American Baseball Research | date=October 30, 2013 | url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/rich-dauer/ | access-date=February 4, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff And Wire Reports |date=2025-02-03 |title=Rich Dauer, San Bernardino native and Orioles great, dies at 72 |url=https://www.sbsun.com/2025/02/03/rich-dauer-who-won-titles-with-orioles-as-player-and-astros-as-coach-dies-at-72/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=San Bernardino Sun |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Baseball lifer & O's HOFer Rich Dauer, 72, dies |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rich-dauer-dies-age-72 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Dauer graduated from [[Colton High School (California)|Colton High School]] in [[Colton, California]], in 1970. He played [[college baseball]] for the Indians of [[San Bernardino Valley College]] and transferred to the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), where he was an [[All-American]]<ref name=dtgsbad>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o61VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OeADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6172%2C3736087 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |location=Oregon |title=Duck-Trojan game set back a day |last=Newnham |first=Blaine |date=May 14, 1974 |page=1D}}</ref><ref name=hpffg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5cMPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FI0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3288%2C6118190 |newspaper=Boca Taron News |location=Florida |agency=UPI |title=Hurricanes prepare for final game |date=June 16, 1974 |page=13A }}</ref> at third base. He helped the [[USC Trojans baseball|USC Trojans]] win the [[College World Series]] in [[1973 NCAA University Division baseball tournament#College World Series|1973]] and [[1974 NCAA Division I baseball tournament#College World Series|1974]],<ref name=Rockies>{{cite web|title=Rich Dauer #25|url=http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=col&coachorstaffid=113070|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216031834/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=col&coachorstaffid=113070|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2012|work=colorado.rockies.mlb.com|publisher=MLB Advanced Media, L.P.|access-date=August 27, 2012}}</ref> USC's fifth consecutive title and sixth in seven years.<ref name=dptrj674>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3cMPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FI0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3951%2C4552423 |newspaper=Boca Raton News |location=Florida |agency=UPI |title=Dauer paces Trojans |date=June 4, 1974 |page=11A }}</ref><ref name=twmfif>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GeQRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7uwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4908%2C5838934 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Troy wins; Miami foe in finals |date=June 15, 1974 |page=12}}</ref><ref name=scdynin74>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VahYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sPgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4790%2C68727 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=USC dynasty stays intact |date=June 17, 1974 |page=14 }}</ref>

==Pro playing career==
Dauer was the 24th overall pick in the [[1974 Major League Baseball draft|1974 MLB draft]] in early June and began his pro career in with the [[Asheville Tourists]] in [[Double-A (baseball)|Double A]], batting .328 with 11 HRs in 53 games.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Gazdziak |first=~ Sam |date=2025-02-09 |title=Obituary: Rich Dauer (1952-2024) |url=https://ripbaseball.com/2025/02/09/obituary-rich-dauer-1952-2024/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=RIP Baseball |language=en}}</ref> He began the 1975 season with the Triple A [[Rochester Red Wings]], but struggled and moved back down to Asheville. The following season he flourished with the Red Wings, winning the league [[batting title]] with a .336 average and the [[International League]] [[International League Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]], and sharing [[International League Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] honors with [[Mickey Klutts]] and [[Joe Lis]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1976/10/06/archives/people-in-sports-lions-name-hudspeth-to-replace-forzano.html McGowen, Deane. "People in Sports," ''The New York Times'', Wednesday, October 6, 1976.] Retrieved November 23, 2020</ref> He was called up by the Orioles [[1976 Baltimore Orioles season|in September]] but struggled, getting only four [[Hit (baseball)|hits]] in 39 [[at bats]].<ref name="page 58">Rosenfeld, p. 58</ref>

Dauer's struggles continued at the start of [[1977 Baltimore Orioles season|1977]], as he had just one hit in his first 41 at bats. He began the year as the Orioles' starting second baseman but lost the role to [[Billy Smith (second baseman)|Billy Smith]].<ref name="smith">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=smithbi05&t=b&year=1977|title=Billy Smith 1977 Batting Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference, LLC |access-date=December 20, 2013}}</ref> He credited [[Brooks Robinson]] and [[Lee May]] with helping him out, saying, "You can't make it in the Majors by yourself."<ref name="page 58"/> By the end of the year, he had regained the second base job from Smith.<ref name="smith"/> He batted .243 with 74 hits, 15 doubles, five home runs, and 25 RBIs in 96 games while compiling a .982 fielding percentage at second base.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dauerri01.shtml|title=Rich Dauer Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference, LLC |access-date=December 20, 2013}}</ref>

Dauer settled in as the Orioles everyday second baseman in 1978, while also starting several games at third, a role he would hold down through the 1984 season. Dauer struggled at the plate in 1985 and saw his playing time reduced. Following the season, the Orioles did not offer him a new contract and with no contract offers from other clubs, he retired.<ref name=":0" /> In 10 MLB seasons, Dauer  

Dauer was given the [[nickname]] "Wacko" by [[Jim Palmer]] because of his sense of humor.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/195052/2017/12/26/with-the-astros-victory-celebration-in-full-swing-a-heart-stopping-drama-was-playing-out-behind-the-scenes-the-race-to-save-a-beloved-coachs-life/ Rosenthal, Ken. "With the Astros' victory celebration in full swing, a heart-stopping drama was playing out behind the scenes: the race to save a beloved coach's life," ''The Athletic'', Tuesday, December 26, 2017.] Retrieved February 4, 2025.</ref> During the [[1982 Baltimore Orioles season|Orioles]]' pursuit of the [[1982 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]] for the 1982 [[American League East]] title, he inspired his teammates with the rallying cry "Let's win one for the Duck," which was based on "[[George Gipp|Win one for the Gipper]]" and [[Earl Weaver]]'s [[Lame duck (politics)|lame duck]] status as manager because of his impending retirement following the season.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/07/sports/sports-of-the-times-win-one-for-the-duck.html Anderson, Dave. "Sports of The Times: Winning One for the Lame Duck," ''The New York Times'', Tuesday, September 7, 1982.] Retrieved February 4, 2025.</ref>

Career highlights include trips to the [[World Series]] in [[1979 Baltimore Orioles season|1979]], where the Orioles lost 4 games to 3 to the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], and 1983, where the [[1983 Baltimore Orioles season|Orioles]] beat the [[1983 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]] in five games. That season, Dauer, infielder [[Todd Cruz]], and catcher [[Rick Dempsey]] were regularly in the bottom third of the batting order and were affectionately known as "[[The Three Stooges]]", a moniker coined by [[Ken Singleton]]. Dauer was "Larry", Cruz was "Curly", and Dempsey was "Moe".<ref>[https://vault.si.com/vault/1983/10/24/the-orioles-all-pitched-in Wulf, Steve. "The Orioles All Pitched In," ''Sports Illustrated'', October 24, 1983.] Retrieved February 4, 2025.</ref> Dauer's best postseason performance was in the 5&ndash;4 Game 4 win when he went 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI, including the one which accounted for the margin of victory.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/16/sports/orioles-beat-phillies-5-4-to-take-3-1-lead-in-series.html Durso, Joseph. "Orioles Beat Phillies, 5&ndash;4, to Take 3&ndash;1 Lead in Series," ''The New York Times'', Sunday, October 16, 1983.] Retrieved February 4, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198310150.shtml 1983 World Series Game 4, Orioles at Phillies, October 15 &ndash; Baseball Reference.] Retrieved February 4, 2025.</ref>

Dauer holds two American League single-season fielding records for a second baseman, including 86 consecutive errorless games and 425 straight errorless chances, both set in 1978.<ref name="Sun"/>

Dauer is one of the few players to have won a [[College World Series]] (twice) and an MLB [[World Series]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2024-10-31/which-players-have-won-both-college-world-series-and-mlb-world-series|title=Here are the players that have won a CWS and an MLB World Series &#124; NCAA.com|website=ncaa.com}}</ref>

In 2012, Dauer was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, becoming the 12th member of the [[1983 Baltimore Orioles season|1983 championship team]] to be inducted.<ref name=Sun>{{cite web|last=Encina|first=Eduardo A.|title=Rich Dauer becomes 12th member of 1983 title team to become an Orioles Hall of Famer|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2012/08/24/rich-dauer-becomes-12th-member-of-1983-title-team-to-become-an-orioles-hall-of-famer/|work=baltimoresun.com|date=August 24, 2012 |access-date=August 27, 2012}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
[[File:Rich Dauer on August 18, 2016.jpg|250px|thumb|Dauer as first base coach for the [[2016 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros in 2016]]]]
Dauer managed the independent minor league [[San Bernardino Spirit]] affiliate in 1988 and then spent the next three decades managing and coaching in the minors and majors for the [[Cleveland Indians]], Orioles, [[San Diego Padres]], [[Kansas City Royals]], [[Milwaukee Brewers]] and [[Colorado Rockies]].<ref name=":0" />

He ended his coaching career as the first base coach for the [[Houston Astros]], winning a second World Series in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-beat-dodgers-to-win-first-world-series-c260380704 |title=Houston Astros win 2017 World Series |last1=McTaggart |first1=Brian |last2=Gurnick |first2=Ken |date=November 1, 2017 |publisher=MLB |access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Dauer acted in the 1988 motion picture ''[[Stealing Home]],'' playing the coach of the San Bernardino Spirit.<ref name=obit/>

At the 2017 World Series parade Dauer suffered a subdural hematoma as a result of a head injury that required emergency brain surgery.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/miracle-recovery-astros-coach-nearly-died-world-series-parade-153253281.html |title=Miracle recovery: Astros coach nearly died at World Series parade |first=Jay |last=Busbee |date=December 27, 2017 |website=sports.yahoo.com |access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref> After recovering, he retired from coaching.

Dauer died on February 3, 2025, at the age of 72.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=R. J. |title=Rich Dauer, Orioles Hall of Famer and former Astros coach, dies at 72 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/rich-dauer-orioles-hall-of-famer-and-former-astros-coach-dies-at-72/ |access-date=February 3, 2025 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=February 3, 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book|last=Rosenfeld|first=Harvey|title=Iron Man: The Cal Ripken, Jr., Story|publisher=St. Martin's Press|location=New York|year=1995|isbn=0-312-13524-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ironmancalripken00rose}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats |mlb=113070 |espn= |br=d/dauerri01 |fangraphs=1003006 |brm=dauer-001ric |retro=D/Pdauer001}}, or [https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Rich-Dauer/ SABR Biography Project]
*{{IMDb name| 0202281}}

{{1973 USC Trojans baseball}}
{{1974 USC Trojans baseball}}
{{1974 College Baseball All-Americans}}
{{1974 MLB Draft}}
{{Baltimore Orioles first-round draft picks}}
{{1983 Baltimore Orioles}}
{{2017 Houston Astros}}
{{Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame}}
{{IL MVPs}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dauer, Rich}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:Asheville Orioles players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians coaches]]
[[Category:Colorado Rockies (baseball) coaches]]
[[Category:Houston Astros coaches]]
[[Category:Kansas City Royals coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball bench coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball second basemen]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball third base coaches]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers coaches]]
[[Category:Rochester Red Wings players]]
[[Category:San Antonio Missions managers]]
[[Category:San Bernardino Pride players]]
[[Category:USC Trojans baseball players]]
[[Category:Tiburones de La Guaira players]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela]]
[[Category:International League MVP award winners]]
[[Category:Baseball players from San Bernardino, California]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Colton, California]]
[[Category:All-American college baseball players]]
[[Category:San Bernardino Valley College alumni]]
[[Category:Colton High School (California) alumni]]
[[Category:Humboldt Crabs players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]