Frank Dillon

Frank Edward Dillon (October 17, 1873 – September 12, 1931), known in later years as Pop Dillon, was an American baseball player and manager. He played 22 seasons in professional baseball from 1894 to 1915, including five years in Major League Baseball, as a first baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1899–1900), Detroit Tigers (1901–1902), Baltimore Orioles, and Brooklyn Superbas (1904). He appeared in 312 major league games and compiled a .252 batting average. He was later a player and manager for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) from 1903 to 1915. He led the Angels to PCL pennants in 1903, 1905, 1907 and 1908.

Early years Dillon was born in 1873 in Normal, Illinois. His father, Levi Dillon, owned a business breeding and selling Percheron horses. Dillon attended the University of Wisconsin and played for the Wisconsin Badgers baseball team from 1892 to 1894. He compiled a .288 batting average in 281 at bats with the 1901 Tigers.

In March 1902, Dillon failed to report for spring training with the Tigers, and a story circulated that he had been hospitalized with appendicitis. The Detroit Free Press reported on March 12 that the story about the appendicitis was a canard and that Dillon was feeling well at his home in Normal, Illinois. He rejoined the Tigers and appeared in 66 games for the club during the 1902, though his batting average dropped 80 points to .206. He led the California League in 1902 with a .338 batting average in 318 at bats.

In October 1902, Dillon was hired to be player-manager in 1903 for the newly reorganized Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). In 1903, Dillon led the Angels to the PCL pennant with a 133–78 record and ranked third in the league in batting with a .360 batting average.

Brooklyn Superbas After leading Los Angeles to the PCL pennant, Dillon signed in December 1903 to play in 1904 with the Brooklyn Superbas of the National League. In January 1904, Dillon attempted to renege on his Brooklyn contract to remain in Los Angeles. However, an arbitration award in March 1904 awarded him to Brooklyn for the 1904 season. Dillon appeared in 135 game as Brooklyn's first baseman in 1904, compiling a .258 batting average and a .313 on-base percentage. Dillon helped lead the 1905 Los Angeles club to the PCL pennant. He compiled a .271 batting average in a career high 216 games and 778 at bats during the 1905 season. He helped lead the Angels to pennants in 1903, 1905, 1907, and 1908. He was released by the Angels at age 42 in late November 1915.

Later years After his playing and managing days he was the treasurer of the Association of Professional Ball Players of America. He also operated an apple orchard in Yucaipa, California, and a company that sold 12,000 apple pies per year.

Dillon died in Pasadena, California, at age 57 in 1931.

He was later inducted posthumously into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame in 1943, in its inaugural election.