- published: 07 Mar 2012
- views: 759
Donald Ray Mincher (June 24, 1938 – March 4, 2012) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played from 1960–1972 for the original Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Seattle Pilots, Oakland Athletics, the new Washington Senators, Texas Rangers and again the Oakland Athletics, all of the American League.
During a 13-year baseball career, Mincher hit .249, 200 home runs, and 643 runs batted in. He was elected to the American League All-Star team twice (1967 and 1969). As the lone representative for the Seattle Pilots in 1969 (their only season in existence before they became the Milwaukee Brewers), he also holds the distinction of being the only player to ever represent them in an All-Star Game.
Mincher served as the first president and general manager of the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland A's (1985–1998) and, later, the Milwaukee Brewers (1999–present). He served in this role from 1985 until 2001. In 1994, Mincher and a group of local investors purchased the team from Larry Schmittou to keep baseball in Huntsville.