Dave Skaugstad

David Wendell Skaugstad

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 179 lb.
• High School Compton High School
• Debut September 25, 1957
• Final Game September 29, 1957
• Born January 10, 1940 in Algona, IA USA
• Died July 16, 2023 in Desert Hot Springs, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Seventeen-year-old Dave Skaugstad showed some early promise in two appearances out of the Cincinnati Redlegs' bullpen after signing a bonus contract with the Redlegs in 1957, allowing just 1 run in 6 innings. Dave was the first of just four players (along with Tim McCarver, Rod Miller and Bob Saverine) who were born in the 1940s and appeared in a big league game during the decade of the 1950s, but he never returned to the majors.

"I was told that I was the second youngest to ever pitch in the National League after Joe Nuxhall, who was still with the Redlegs in 1957. Jim Derrington, who was the youngest to ever pitch in the American League, and I pitched against each other in summer ball in Southern California. Bobby Henrich and I were teammates in high school and then with the Redlegs in 1957," recalled Skaugstad.

After his appearance in the major leagues, Dave spent five seasons in the minors and never had a winning season. Dave pitched for three seasons (1958-1960) with five different teams and showed a 14-34 record before being called up for duty in the United States military where he served the next three years (1961-1963). On his return from military service, Dave tried two more years on the mound, in 1964 with the Macon Peaches and in 1965 he finished out his pro baseball career with the Knoxville Smokies, with an overall five-year record of 23-50 and a 5.06 ERA while pitching 612 innings.

After baseball, Skaugstad entered the law enforcement field and was a detective for the police department in Buena Park, CA.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s

Related Sites

• Dave Skaugstad at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page