Vance Dinges

Who was Vance Dinges?

Vance George Dinges was an American professional baseball player. He appeared in 159 Major League games as a first baseman and outfielder for the 1945–1946 Philadelphia Phillies. The native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, threw and batted left-handed; he stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 175 pounds.

Dinges' professional career lasted eleven seasons, 1938 through 1948. He was acquired by the Phillies from the Boston Red Sox in the 1944 Rule 5 draft; Phils' general manager Herb Pennock had previously been the head of the Red Sox' farm system. He made his MLB debut on April 17, 1945, and singled in his first at bat off Curt Davis of the Brooklyn Dodgers. He served as a backup outfielder and first baseman that seasons, appearing in 109 games, and batting .287. He also hit his first MLB home run that April 24, a solo blast off the New York Giants' Andy Hansen.

Dinges then split 1946 between the Phils and their Utica Blue Sox Eastern League affiliate. He backed up right-handed-hitting first baseman Frank McCormick in 26 games and batted .308, slugging his second big-league homer as a pinch hitter off Ed Bahr of the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 12.