David Thomas Gallagher (born September 20, 1960) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

journeyman

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...

, who 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) ...

(MLB) for seven teams, during his nine-year big league career (–).

Early life

Gallagher was born in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city, capital city (New Jersey), city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.

, and grew up in the suburban Hamilton Square section of

Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey Hamilton Township is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is the largest suburb of Trenton, the state's capital, which is located to the township's west. The township is within the New York metropolitan area as defined ...

. He played in the Nottingham Little League and — as a centerfielder —led

Steinert High School Steinert High School (also formally known as Hamilton High School East) is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as one of three secondary high schools that are part of the Hamilton Townsh ...

to the Central Jersey title in its group and then to the state title for that group.

Early years

Gallagher played college baseball at Mercer County Community College. Gallagher was originally drafted third overall by 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 t ...

in the January amateur draft, but did not sign. Five months later, 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 ...

selected him eighth overall in the June secondary draft, and he signed. He spent seven seasons in the minors, batting .271 with 39

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run is ...

s and 316

runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...

, when he attended

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...

with the Indians in 1987. He was cut just at the end of Spring, but was immediately re-added to the major league roster when

center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ...

Brett Butler fractured his left middle finger in the home opener. In fourteen games in center field, Gallagher batted .111 with one

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

, one

triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a "treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * In ...

and one RBI. Upon Butler's return, he was optioned back to the triple A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen ...

. Shortly afterwards, he was traded to 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) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...

for

relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather d ...

Mark Huismann Mark Lawrence Huismann (born May 11, 1958) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Early years Huismann was born in Littleton, Colorado, and attended Colorado State University upon graduation from Thomas B. Doherty High Scho ...

. Despite batting .306 with 46 RBIs for the triple A

Calgary Cannons The Calgary Cannons were a minor league baseball team located in Calgary, Alberta, for 18 seasons, from 1985 until 2002. They were a member of the Triple-A (baseball), AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) and played at Foothills Stadium. The Cannons d ...

, Gallagher did not fit into the Mariners' future plans, and asked for his release.

Chicago White Sox

Gallagher joined 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 ...

as a non-roster Spring training invitee in , but again failed to make the major league roster, and was reassigned to triple A. He batted .336 with four home runs in 34 games with the

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium ...

to earn a call up to the majors on May 13. In his first game for the Chisox, Gallagher went two for three with a triple, a

walk Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults ov ...

two RBIs and two runs scored to lead his team to a 7–5 victory over the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

. The following day, he hit a home run off Mark Eichhorn in the thirteenth inning for the walk off victory over Toronto. Gallagher continued his hot hitting, and became the White Sox starting center fielder for the remainder of the season. He batted .303 with five home runs and 31 RBIs as a rookie to be named the

Topps The Topps Company, Inc. is an American company that manufactures chewing gum, candy, and collectibles. Formerly based in New York City, Topps is best known as a leading producer of American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, an ...

Rookie All-Star center fielder in 1988 and finish fifth in

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 ...

Rookie of the Year balloting. He also developed into one of the top fielding outfielders in the American League. He led AL center fielders with a .994

fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...

and started four

double play In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. In Major Leag ...

s in . An injury early in the season sidelined Gallagher. When he came back, he found that he had lost his starting job in center field to speedster Lance Johnson. He remained a

fourth outfielder In baseball, a utility player is a player who typically does not have the offensive abilities to justify a regular starting role on the team but is capable of playing more than one defensive position. These players are able to give the various s ...

for the Sox until the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

acquired him in a waiver deal on August 2.

California Angels

At the 1990

Winter meetings Representatives of all 30 Major League Baseball teams and their 120 Minor League Baseball affiliates convene for four days each December in the Winter Meetings to discuss league business and conduct off-season trades and transactions. Attendees in ...

, he was dealt to the

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 ...

for two minor leaguers. Platooning with Junior Felix in center, Gallagher batted .293 with one home run and thirty RBIs. On May 19, 1991, Gallagher recorded his first and only 5 hit game going 5-5, clubbing five singles, versus his former team the Baltimore Orioles. On December 10, 1991, he joined his fourth team in a little over a year when he was dealt to 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 leagu ...

for

Hubie Brooks Hubert "Hubie" Brooks (born September 24, 1956) is an American former professional baseball right fielder, third baseman, and shortstop. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1980 to 1994 for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, L ...

New York Mets

Gallagher was used primarily as a

pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, American ...

and late inning defensive replacement during his two-season stay in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

. On July 18, , Gallagher hit his only career grand slam against the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

. For the season, he hit a career high six home runs despite logging just 201

at-bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

s. On November 24, 1993, he was traded to the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in B ...

for

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, who attempts to e ...

Pete Smith.

Final years

After just one season in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

, Gallagher signed as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

with the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...

. After batting just .190 as a pinch hitter with the Braves, Gallagher went six for ten with four doubles pinch hitting for the Phillies. He was traded back to the first place California Angels shortly after the non-waiver

trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, ...

for minor leaguer Kevin Flora and a

player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...

. Though the Angels were interested in bringing Gallagher back for the season, the two sides were unable to reach an agreement. He ended up signing a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians with an invitation to Spring training. He was cut on March 22, and retired.

Teaching the game

Gallagher served as hitting instructor for the Eastern League's

Trenton Thunder The Trenton Thunder are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Trenton, New Jersey, and play their home games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. From 1994 to 2020, it was a Minor League Baseball team of the Double ...

in and . He was a

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...

coach at Notre Dame High School in

Mercer County, New Jersey Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its county seat is Trenton, also the state capital, but also directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is included within the Federal Communications Commission ...

in , and Mercer County Community College in . While in the minors, Gallagher invented the "Stride tutor" to help batters regulate their strides. In , Gallagher opened the Dave Gallagher Baseball Academy. He and Mark Gola wrote an instructional book entitled ''The Little League Hitter's Journal (Little League Baseball Guide)'', released in . In 2001, Gallagher opened a baseball camp near his home in

Millstone Township, New Jersey Millstone Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It is located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The township was named for the Millstone River (a major tributar ...

.Morris, Tim
"Ex-Met, Phillie Gallagher opens his own baseball camp "
, ''News Transcript'', December 26, 2001. Accessed September 19, 2014. "Gallagher found his perfect home in Millstone with enough land for him to build his batting cage in the back yard. That enabled him to kill two birds with one stone. He could do his off-season workouts there and also provide personal instruction for youngsters."

Sources

External links

Dave Gallagher
at Ultimate Mets Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Gallagher, Dave 1960 births Atlanta Braves players Baltimore Orioles players California Angels players Chicago White Sox players Cleveland Indians players New York Mets players Philadelphia Phillies players Baseball players from Trenton, New Jersey People from Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey People from Millstone Township, New Jersey Steinert High School alumni Living people Mercer County Community College alumni Batavia Trojans players Waterloo Indians players Maine Guides players Chattanooga Lookouts players Vancouver Canadians players Calgary Cannons players Tidewater Tides players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players