Don Lang (third baseman)

Donald Charles (Don) Lang (March 15, 1915 – September 1, 2010) was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds (1938) and St. Louis Cardinals(1948). Born in Selma, California, he batted and threw right-handed.

Listed at 6' 0", 175 lb., Lang had a 12-season baseball career between 1936 and 1950 which was interrupted by serving to his country during World War II (Pacific, 1943–45), while property of the Boston Red Sox. He played 10 seasons in the minors, including nine of Triple-A ball, and two in major league ten years apart.

Lang entered in the majors in 1938, appearing in 25 games with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1948 he became the everyday third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals due to a career-ending injury to incumbent Whitey Kurowski.

In 138 major league games, Lang posted a .268 batting average (100-for-373) with five home runs and 42 RBI, including 35 runs, 17 doubles, two triples and a .355 on-base percentage.

Lang was recognized as one of the oldest living major league players before his death.

References

• Baseball Reference
• BR Bullpen
• Retrosheet