Biography

Darrell Wayne Evans, born on May 26, 1947, is a retired professional baseball player who primarily played as a third baseman and first baseman. He had a career in Major League Baseball spanning from 1969 to 1989, playing for the Atlanta Braves (1969–76, 1989), San Francisco Giants (1976–83), and Detroit Tigers (1984–88). Furthermore, Evans has served as the former manager and director of player personnel for the Victoria Seals of the Golden Baseball League. Although he was often overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Schmidt, an esteemed National League third baseman, author Bill James regards Evans as the "most underrated player in baseball history" and considers him at the top of that list. Evans' defensive skills, home run hitting ability, and talent for drawing walks throughout his long career were not fully appreciated due to his low career batting average of .248. Despite hitting over 400 home runs in his career, Evans has yet to be seriously considered for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, making him one of the few players in this category.