Mo Vaughn

Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn (born December 15, 1967 in Norwalk, Connecticut), nicknamed "Hit Dog", was a Major League Baseball first baseman from 1991 to 2003. Vaughn won the American League MVP award in 1995 and was a key factor in the Boston Red Sox's 1995 and 1998 playoff teams.

Anaheim and Beyond

While he hit well for Anaheim when he played -- he hit 30-plus homers and knocked in over 100 runs in both 1999 and 2000 -- Vaughn was plagued by injuries in 1999 and didn't play a single game in the 2001 season. He started his Anaheim career by falling down the visitor's dugout steps on his first play of his first game, badly spraining his ankle. Vaughn was nevertheless seen as a viable middle of the line-up producer prior to the 2002 season and was traded to the New York Mets on December 27, 2001 for Kevin Appier.

Related Topics:
1999 - 2000 - 2002 - New York Mets - December 27 - 2001 - Kevin Appier

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Vaughn was unable, however, to resurrect his glory days of Boston or kick the injuries which had been nagging him. In 2003, after a poor 2002 season, Vaughn played only 27 games because of a left knee injury. He was advised by several doctors that attempting to play baseball again might lead to disability. The diagnoses successfully put a close to Vaughn's career, a somber way to go for a man who had once garnered so much fear in the batter's box.

Related Topics:
Knee - Disability

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