David Charles "Dauntless Dave" Danforth (March 7, 1890 – September 19, 1970) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for ten seasons (1911–1912, 1916–1919, 1922–1925) with the Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, and St. Louis Browns. For his career, he compiled a 71–66 record in 286 appearances, with a 3.89 earned run average and 484 strikeouts. Danforth played on two World Series championship teams, the 1911 Athletics and the 1917 White Sox. He appeared in one World Series game (in 1917), pitching one inning, giving up two runs and striking out two.
Danforth was an alumnus of Baylor University.[1] He pitched two seasons at Baylor and pitched two no-hitters as a collegiate.[1] In 1911 he led Baylor to the Texas championship with a 10-0 win–loss record.[1] He had agreed to join the Athletics for the 1911 season over the winter of 1910–11, but held off signing his professional contract until graduating from Baylor, joining the Athletics in July.[1] The 1912 Reach Guide described him as a "clever young pitcher" and said that the Athletics were "fortunate" in his "gradual development" in their pursuit of the 1911 league championship.[2]
He was known for adulterating baseballs and throwing "shiners". A 1920 rule change banned this practice and Danforth's career suffered following the rule change. After retiring from baseball, he worked as a dentist.[3]
He was born in Granger, Texas and died in Baltimore, Maryland at the age of 80. He is buried in Loudon Park Cemetery[4] in Baltimore.
