Pop Dillon

Who was Pop Dillon?

Frank Edward Dillon was a Major League Baseball first baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, and Brooklyn Superbas. Born in Normal, Illinois, Dillon played in 312 Major League games with a .258 batting average. Dillon shares with Jim Greengrass the record for the most doubles hit on the opening day of the Major League Baseball season, with four doubles for the Tigers on the 25th of April, 1901.

After his Major League career ended, Dillon was a player and manager for many years with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. Dillon managed the Angels to pennants again in 1905, 1907, and 1908. Dillon was a cousin of Hall of Famer Clark Griffith.

Dillon was the player-manager for the 1903 Los Angeles Angels who went 133–78. Dillon at age 29 hit .364 and led the league in batting.

Starting as a professional player in 1894, he played through 1912 and managed through 1915. He had a batting average of .295 in over 2,000 minor league games.

After his playing and managing days he was an officer of the Association of Professional Ball Players of America.