Donald Clausen - Ambidextrous Pitcher

Donald Clausen - Ambidextrous Pitcher - Congressman

Donald Holst Clausen was born April 27, 1923, on his father’s dairy farm in Ferndale, California. He played semi-professional baseball in his youth — profiles noted he was an ambidextrous pitcher — and attended several colleges in California and Utah before his military service in World War II.

Don Clausen

Multi-sport Athlete

Clausen graduated from elementary and high schools of Ferndale, where he was an honors student and lettered five sports: tennis, track, basketball, football and baseball as well as being the drum major of the school band.

Don Clausen pitched for the Crescent City Merchants in the 1950s.

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Crescent City Nine Wins Over Arcata Chiefs

The Times Standard (Eureka, CA) 24 Jul 1954

An explosive fourth inning barrage that netted the Crescent City Merchants seven runs sent the Arcata back to their teepees ...

Crescent City also employed two twirlers with starter Orv Olaen giving way to another righthander,
Don Clausen, in the seventh.
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Arcata Loses to Crescent City in Tight Game

The Times Standard (Eureka, CA) 3 Aug 1953

Clausen who came on to relieve in the eight, received credit for the win. The Merchants racked up three double killings.

Crescent City's win moved them into title competition and shoved the "Rhubarbs" down a rung from their previous second place tie.

Former North Coast congressman Don Clausen turning 90

By Guy Kovner, The Press Democrat

April 26, 2013

FORTUNA — The broad smile, a trademark of his 20 years of representing the North Coast in Congress, still flashes across Don Clausen's face.

"I had a good run," Clausen said during a 90-minute interview at the Fortuna nursing home where he has lived for the past year.

Taking cues from the photographs on the walls of his room, and with some prompting from son-in-law Jim Baumgartner, Clausen reflected on his youth in Ferndale, his prowess as an ambidextrous baseball pitcher, service as a World War II aviator, two decades in Congress and 63 years of marriage to his late wife, Ollie.

Don Clausen, who served 20 years in Congress, dies at 91

Don H. Clausen Images

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Pitchers Glove Rules - Size and Color

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Switch Pitching 101

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