Ex-Pirate Dal Canton dies at 66
CARNEGIE, Pa. — Bruce Dal Canton, a former high school teacher who turned a good showing at a tryout camp into a lengthy career as a major league pitcher and coach, has died. He was 66.
Dal Canton died Tuesday of esophageal cancer. He worked until mid-May as the pitching coach at Class A Myrtle Beach, Atlanta's affiliate in the Carolina League.
Dal Canton went 51-49 with a 3.67 ERA from 1967-77 with Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Atlanta and the Chicago White Sox.
Dal Canton was born and grew up near Pittsburgh and was a star at California (Pa.) University. He did not attract a lot of attention from big league scouts, however, and went to work as a high school teacher and coach.
In the mid-1960s, Dal Canton went to a Pirates tryout camp, hoping for one last chance at a baseball career. The Pirates signed him and he made his major league debut with them in 1967.
