Dale Long – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dale Long made a name for himself in baseball during his decade-long Major League career, which ran from 1951 to 1963. This 6-foot-4 first baseman out of Springfield, Missouri, bounced around six different teams and pulled off some wild feats that still get baseball fans talking.

Long called it quits in 1963 after wrapping up his last season with the New York Yankees, ending a career that included a World Series championship and a handful of records. He moved all over the majors, starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates, then the St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Washington Senators, and finally circled back to the Yankees to snag his championship ring in 1962.

But what really set Long apart? It wasn’t just his ability to stick around or adjust to new teams, but those standout moments that made him unforgettable. In 1956, he broke a home run streak record and even became the first left-handed catcher in over 50 years. Long’s story is all about versatility and grit. His stats, the way he moved from team to team, and the mark he left on the game show how he squeezed every drop out of his talent during baseball’s golden age.

Dale Long’s Career Overview and 1963 Retirement

Dale Long played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1951 to 1963, hopping between six different teams before hanging it up with the Washington Senators. He was 37 when he finished, after injuries and a dip in performance slowed him down in those last final seasons in the American League.

Timeline of Dale Long’s MLB Seasons

Long broke into the majors on April 21, 1951, at 25, suiting up for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He’d spent 11 years grinding in the minors before finally getting his shot.

His early years were rocky. He played for the Pirates from 1951 to 1957, and 1956 was when he really broke out. That season, he set a major league record by smashing home runs in eight straight games.

Teams and Years:

• Pittsburgh Pirates (1951-1957)
• St. Louis Browns (1955)
• Chicago Cubs (1957-1959)
• San Francisco Giants (1960)
• New York Yankees (1960-1962)
• Washington Senators (1963)

His stint with the Yankees was easily his most successful when it came to team achievements. He played in World Series games in 1960 and 1962. Those were his only real shots at a championship, and he grabbed one.

Retirement in 1963 and Final Team

Long’s last season came in 1963 with the Washington Senators. He played his final game on July 18, 1963, and that was it for his playing days.

By then, Long was 37 and just didn’t have the same pop. His batting average and power numbers had really dropped since his peak in the 1950s.

The Senators were his seventh and last team. He finished with a .267 batting average, 132 home runs, and 467 RBIs in 1,013 games.

After he retired, Long stayed in the baseball world. He worked as a minor league umpire for a while and later took on some administrative jobs in minor league operations.

Legacy in Major League Baseball

Dale Long’s biggest claim to fame is still that eight-game home run streak in 1956. That record stood for decades and made sure people wouldn’t forget his name.

At 6’4″ and 205 pounds, Long was a lefty slugger who could really pull the ball. When he got hold of a pitch, you knew it.

Career Statistics:

• Batting Average: .267
• Home Runs: 132
• RBIs: 467
• Games Played: 1,013

He played through the transition from the 1950s to the early 1960s, right as baseball was changing. Six teams in one career—he wasn’t alone in that back then.

Even though his career numbers weren’t jaw-dropping, that record-setting streak made sure he’d always have a spot in baseball history. The attention he got from that run was huge, and people still talk about it.

Teams Played For and Notable Transfers

Dale Long’s pro baseball career stretched over 13 years and six major league teams, from 1951 to 1963. He made his mark with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he set that famous home run streak, and then went on to the Cubs, Browns, Giants, Senators, and Yankees.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Early and Peak Years

Long’s best years were with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing in 1951 and again from 1955 to 1957. The Pirates picked him up in the 1950 Rule 5 draft from the Yankees’ system.

His 1951 debut didn’t go well. He played just 34 games, hit .238 with 2 home runs, and the Pirates let him go.

But in 1955, the Pirates gave him another shot. This time, he took over at first base and made the most of it. He led the National League with 13 triples that year.

May 1956 was Long’s big moment. Starting on May 19, he homered in eight straight games—a new major league record. Suddenly he was a national name, even making it onto the Ed Sullivan Show.

During that streak, Long went 15-for-30 with 19 RBIs. The Pirates got off to their best start in years, going 19-14 and closing in on the league leaders.

Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Browns

Long moved to the Chicago Cubs in 1957 after a trade from Pittsburgh. That was a transition period for him, getting used to a new organization.

The Cubs mostly used him at first base. He still had power, but he never matched the magic of his 1956 season with the Pirates.

His time with the St. Louis Browns actually came earlier, back in 1951. After Pittsburgh released him, the Browns signed him on June 1, 1951.

With St. Louis, Long played 34 games, hit .238, and knocked in 2 home runs and 11 RBIs. The Browns sent him down to the San Francisco Seals in July, cutting short his first taste of the majors.

San Francisco Giants and Washington Senators

The San Francisco Giants picked up Long as he bounced between teams. He kept playing first base and still showed flashes of power.

With the Washington Senators, Long was already a seasoned veteran. He could still help out both at the plate and in the field.

Both teams liked having Long’s experience and left-handed bat in the lineup. He was a steady choice at first base, even though his defense wasn’t always perfect.

He struggled on defense at times. Long actually led the National League in errors at first base three times, including in 1956 when he was hitting all those home runs.

New York Yankees: Final Stint

Long finished out his playing days with the New York Yankees in 1963. That was the last stop in a career that saw him wear a lot of uniforms.

With the Yankees, he was more of a veteran presence and occasional fill-in. At 37, he wasn’t the same power hitter he’d been with the Pirates.

After stepping away as a player in 1963, Long stayed in the Yankees organization and worked as a coach. He moved right from the field to the dugout.

He ended up with a .267 batting average, 132 home runs, and 467 RBIs in 1,013 games. That eight-game home run streak stayed his signature, later matched by Don Mattingly in 1987 and Ken Griffey Jr. in 1993.

Career Achievements and Records

Dale Long’s career was really all about that historic eight-game home run streak in 1956 and his steady power over 13 seasons. That eight-day stretch made him a permanent part of baseball history.

Home Runs and Notable Hitting Streaks

Long’s biggest moment came in May 1956, when he homered in eight straight games. He broke the old record of six games, which Ken Williams, George Kelly, and Willie Mays had shared.

The streak started on May 19, 1956, against the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field. Long kept it going against the Braves and Phillies. He broke the record with his seventh home run off Ben Flowers at Connie Mack Stadium.

The streak peaked on May 28, when Long crushed a curveball from Carl Erskine over the right-field wall at Forbes Field. More than 32,000 fans saw him make history and stretch the record to eight games.

During those eight games, Long went 15-for-30 with 19 RBIs. He was doing so well that he even got invited onto the Ed Sullivan Show.

Long ended the 1956 season with a career-high 27 home runs and 91 RBIs. That eight-game streak stood alone until Don Mattingly tied it in 1987, and Ken Griffey Jr. matched it in 1993.

Batting Average and Offensive Impact

Long put together a .267 career batting average over 1,013 games from 1951 to 1963. His best offensive year was 1956, when he hit .263 and slugged those 27 home runs.

He totaled 132 home runs and 467 RBIs during his 10-season big league career. For a guy who played on mostly losing teams, those numbers looked pretty good.

In 1955, Long led the National League with 13 triples, tying with Willie Mays. He also posted a team-best .513 slugging percentage that year.

His power gave the struggling Pirates some much-needed respectability. He was the team’s most feared slugger in the mid-1950s.

Accolades and Honors

Long’s eight-game home run streak is still one of the coolest records in baseball. He got national attention and a permanent spot in the record books for it.

He won Pacific Coast League MVP honors in 1953 with the Hollywood Stars, leading the league with 35 home runs and 116 RBIs.

Pennsylvania Senator James H. Duff even honored him on the Senate floor after his 1956 streak. That moment made Long a household name for a while.

Despite his hot streak, Long didn’t make the 1955 All-Star Game, which was a bit controversial. Pittsburgh sports writers pointed out the snub, considering how well he’d played.

Long’s legacy lives on through that record, which stood alone for more than 30 years before two Hall of Famers finally matched it.

Playing Style and Position

Dale Long established himself as a solid first baseman with a left-handed bat and arm. He stood 6’4″ and weighed 205 pounds. His steady play at first base made him a useful pickup for several teams.

Role as a First Baseman

Long mostly played first base during his 10 years in the majors from 1951 to 1963. He batted and threw left-handed, which gave him some natural advantages.

His height gave him a big reach for snagging throws from infielders. That made him great at stretching for wild throws or digging low balls out of the dirt.

Long showed some flexibility, too, playing for six different teams and adjusting to what each one needed. He kept his defense steady, no matter where he landed.

He even tried catching for a bit. In 1958, he became the first left-handed throwing catcher in the majors since 1902, though that was just a short experiment.

Defensive Skills and Contributions

Long posted a .988 fielding percentage at first base for his career. That’s a solid number and shows he could be counted on in the field.

He didn’t just make the routine plays. Long handled all kinds of throws from different infielders and was a reliable target at first base.

He caught 1⅔ innings as a catcher in 1958, made an assist, and didn’t commit an error. Oddly enough, he wore his first baseman’s mitt instead of a catcher’s glove.

Long’s steady glove helped settle infields for teams like the Pirates, Cubs, and Yankees. That defensive consistency paired nicely with his power at the plate.

Statistical Highlights and Advanced Metrics

Dale Long’s career stats show a player who brought steady offense through his 10 years in the majors from 1951 to 1963. His best years came in the mid-1950s, and he kept driving in runs and putting up RBIs for every team he played on.

WAR and Performance Over the Years

Long racked up 10.2 WAR over his career. He really shined during his years with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.

He hit his peak in 1957, putting up a 2.9 WAR split between Pittsburgh and Chicago.

From 1955 to 1958, Long had his most productive stretch. In 1955, he posted 2.4 WAR, and he followed up with 2.1 WAR in 1956, both with Pittsburgh.

He played 142 games for Chicago in 1958 and managed 1.3 WAR that year.

If you look at his 162-game average, you’ll see a 1.6 WAR. That’s a sign of a player who was usually above average when he stayed healthy.

Long’s career was more about steady, reliable performance than wild, spectacular seasons. Only his rookie year in 1951 dipped below zero WAR.

Runs and RBI Contributions

Long scored 384 runs and drove in 467 RBIs during his time in the majors. He could help his team both by crossing the plate and bringing others home.

His best year for RBIs came in 1956, when he knocked in 91 runs for Pittsburgh.

He really hit his stride from 1955 to 1958. Over those four years, he averaged 61 runs scored and 78 RBIs per season.

In 1958 with Chicago, he scored 68 runs, the highest single-season total of his career.

Long’s OPS of .805 shows he was a solid offensive contributor. He often filled the middle of the lineup, driving in runs for several teams during the 1950s.

ERA Context and League Comparisons

Long played in a time when hitters didn’t put up the same numbers you see today. His .267 career batting average and 132 home runs were nothing to sneeze at for the 1950s and early ’60s.

He finished with an OPS+ of 115, which means he hit 15% better than the league average across his career.

During his best years—1956 and 1957—he posted OPS+ marks of 118 and 134. Even in a pitcher-friendly era, he found ways to stand out.

Personal Life and Legacy

Dale Long’s story goes well beyond that famous eight-game home run streak. He grew up in tough circumstances, and that shaped the perseverance he showed throughout his life.

His achievements left a lasting mark on baseball history, and he influenced a lot of teammates along the way.

Background and Early Life

Dale Long was born on February 6, 1926, in Springfield, Missouri, to Elmer Euphrates and Mary (Lomax) Long. He was the fourth of five kids, and his family struggled during the Great Depression.

The Longs moved around a lot in Dale’s early years. They left Missouri for Wisconsin when Dale was just a baby, living in Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, and Green Bay while his dad looked for work.

After his parents split up, Dale moved with his father to western Massachusetts. He went to schools in Cheshire and then Adams High School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball.

Football was actually his favorite sport back in high school. Curly Lambeau, the Green Bay Packers coach, even offered him a contract, but his mom wouldn’t sign off on it.

Dale left school before his senior year and joined the US Navy in August 1943. He served on the USS PCS 1451 during World War II. He reached seaman 2nd class, but an injury led to his honorable discharge in May 1944.

In 1946, Long married Dorothy Robak, who was from his Massachusetts community. They had two kids together, Dale Jr. and Johnny.

Impact on Teammates and Baseball History

Long smashed home runs in eight straight games in May 1956, setting a record that fans and players still talk about. That streak didn’t just put Long in the spotlight—it also drew national attention to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were trying to rebuild at the time.

His teammates saw his determination and work ethic up close. Pirates manager Bobby Bragan, who’d coached Long back in the minors, once said their relationship was one of the best parts of his own baseball career.

The record streak really boosted the Pirates’ reputation. The team started the 1956 season with a 19-14 record, their best in years, and Long’s hot bat played a huge role in that early success.

Long spent 11 seasons grinding through the minors before he finally became a regular in the majors. That kind of perseverance inspired a lot of other players. His story proved that dedication can get you through setbacks and late starts, even when things look tough.

After he retired in 1963, Long didn’t leave the game behind. He became a minor league umpire, staying close to the sport he loved. Later, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn picked him to oversee minor league operations, which says a lot about the respect Long earned in baseball circles.

Don Mattingly tied his record in 1987, and Ken Griffey Jr. did it again in 1993. Still, Long’s name sticks with one of baseball’s most thrilling individual feats.