Don Money - Playing Career

Playing Career

Money was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1965. While still in the minors, the Pirates traded him in 1967 to the Philadelphia Phillies (with Harold Clem, Woodie Fryman and Bill Laxton) for Jim Bunning. Called up by the Phillies in 1968, he began his major league career as a shortstop, but was moved to third base when Larry Bowa was called up by the Phillies. After the 1972 season, he was traded to the Brewers to make room for Mike Schmidt.

Money's most productive seasons were those in 1974, 1977, and 1978 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1974, he set career-highs in hits (178), doubles (32), and at bats (629). He also had 19 stolen bases and made his first All-Star team. In 1977, he had career-highs in home runs (25), Runs batted in (83), slugging percentage (.470), and total bases (268). He also had 86 runs scored and made his third All-Star Game. In 1978, he had career-highs in batting average (.293), on-base percentage (.361), and sacrifice hits (14). He also had 7 hit by pitches, and made his fourth and final All-Star team.

With his best years behind him, Money finally made the post-season with the Milwaukee Brewers, losing in his only World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. He had a .185 batting average in the post-season, and a .231 average in the World Series, picking up 2 playoff RBI all-time.

In a 16-season career, Money hit .261 with 176 home runs and 729 RBIs in 1,720 games. He had a lifetime on-base percentage of .328 and a .406 slugging percentage. He also had 80 career stolen bases with 798 runs. He had 1,623 hits in 6,215 at bats.

On April 10, 1971 he hit the first ever home run at Veterans Stadium.

On July 7, 1974, he set the major league record for errorless games at third base, with 78. He would go on to complete an 86-game streak with no errors in 257 chances.

On April 10, 1976, Money hit a grand slam off Dave Pagan of the New York Yankees, only to see it taken back because the first base umpire had called time before the pitch was delivered. According to most accounts, the time out was only granted after the home run, when Yankees umpire Billy Martin appealed to the umpire that he had discretely asked for time out.

After retiring from MLB, he contracted with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in the Japanese Professional League. Money had watched many games of the Yomiuri Giants and noted the large crowds and their beautiful stadium. Kintetsu had a dilapidated stadium, however, and rarely drew much of a crowd. The team put Money up in a cockroach-ridden apartment rather than a house in a tree-lined setting as he felt he had been promised . After one month Money packed up his family and moved back to his farm in Vineland, New Jersey.