Rich Dauer, Member of 1973 and 74 CWS Title Teams, Dies
February 03, 2025 | Baseball
LOS ANGELES – USC baseball great Rich Dauer, who helped lead the Trojans to a pair of College World Series titles in 1973 and 1974, passed away this week at the age of 72.
Dauer, who starred at third base for USC before going on to a distinguished MLB career, also won an MLB World Series as a player with the Baltimore Orioles (1973) and won another title as a coach with the Houston Astros (2017). He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012 and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Dauer came to USC after two years at San Bernardino Valley College, where he earned Junior College Player of the Year honors in 1972. He would lead the Trojans to National Titles in both '73 and '74, capping off a run of five straight championships for the program.
In 1974, Dauer led the nation in hits (108), total bases (181) and RBI (92) (all totals that set single-season NCAA records at the time), garnering All-America first team recognition that season. He was an All-Conference honoree each of his two years at USC and he led the Trojans in batting average (.361/.387), home runs (11/15), hits (73/108) and RBI (43/92) during both of the championship seasons.
Dauer was selected 24th overall in the first round of the 1974 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He would make his MLB debut with the team in 1976 and played 10 seasons in the league, winning a World Series title with the Orioles in 1983.
Dauer had an extensive coaching career in professional baseball, spanning from 1990-2017 and including five different MLB organizations (Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros).
Dauer suffered a subdural hematoma at the Astros' World Series parade, requiring emergency brain surgery. The procedure was successful, and Dauer returned to Minute Maid Park to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game versus the Orioles in 2018.
Dauer, who starred at third base for USC before going on to a distinguished MLB career, also won an MLB World Series as a player with the Baltimore Orioles (1973) and won another title as a coach with the Houston Astros (2017). He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012 and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Dauer came to USC after two years at San Bernardino Valley College, where he earned Junior College Player of the Year honors in 1972. He would lead the Trojans to National Titles in both '73 and '74, capping off a run of five straight championships for the program.
In 1974, Dauer led the nation in hits (108), total bases (181) and RBI (92) (all totals that set single-season NCAA records at the time), garnering All-America first team recognition that season. He was an All-Conference honoree each of his two years at USC and he led the Trojans in batting average (.361/.387), home runs (11/15), hits (73/108) and RBI (43/92) during both of the championship seasons.
Dauer was selected 24th overall in the first round of the 1974 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He would make his MLB debut with the team in 1976 and played 10 seasons in the league, winning a World Series title with the Orioles in 1983.
Dauer had an extensive coaching career in professional baseball, spanning from 1990-2017 and including five different MLB organizations (Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros).
Dauer suffered a subdural hematoma at the Astros' World Series parade, requiring emergency brain surgery. The procedure was successful, and Dauer returned to Minute Maid Park to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game versus the Orioles in 2018.
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs OSU, NCAA Regional Round)
Monday, June 02
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs SMC, NCAA Regional Round)
Saturday, May 31
Baseball: Postgame Press Conference (USC vs TCU, NCAA Regional Opener)
Friday, May 30
Baseball - USC 10, Washington 4: Highlights (05/17/25)
Saturday, May 17
