Matthew Daniel Lynch Jr.[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] (February 7, 1926 – June 30, 1978) was an American professional baseball player. He played briefly in Major League Baseball, for the Chicago Cubs in 1948.

Danny Lynch
Second baseman
Born: (1926-02-07)February 7, 1926 Dallas, Texas
Died: June 30, 1978(1978-06-30) (aged 52) Plano, Texas
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 14, 1948, for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1948, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Batting average	.286
Slugging percentage	.714
Home runs	1
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1948)

Biography

A native of Dallas, Texas, Lynch was a paratrooper in the United States Army during World War II.[4] After the war, he attended Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he played both baseball and basketball.[4] The 1947 edition of The Rotunda, SMU's yearbook, includes a baseball team photo with both Lynch and future Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker.[5]

Lynch's father, who shared the same name, had played in the minor leagues for a decade as a middle infielder.[6][7] The younger Lynch was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in June 1948,[8] and played 91 games for the minor league Waco Pirates.[9] However, in September 1948, Lynch was declared a free agent after Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler ruled that the Pirates had hired the elder Lynch as a scout as a way to hide a bonus payment.[10] Lynch was then signed by the Chicago Cubs on September 7,[8] and married on September 8.[11]

A week after being signed, Lynch played in Major League Baseball for the Cubs, appearing in seven games through the end of the 1948 season;[8] one as a second baseman, one as a pinch runner, and five as a pinch hitter.[12] In seven major league at bats, he had two hits, including a home run off of Johnny Sain,[13] for a .286 batting average and a .714 slugging percentage.[8] Lynch did not return to the major leagues, but he played in the minor leagues through 1954, including over 300 games at the Triple-A level.[9]

After retiring from baseball, Lynch became a lawyer in Texas.^{[citation needed]} He died in an automobile accident in June 1978 in Plano, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

Notes

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
• Danny Lynch at Find a Grave