Darren Daulton, a beloved member of the Philadelphia Phillies for 14 seasons, will undergo surgery Monday after he was diagnosed with two brain tumors.
He thanked his fans today for the outpouring of support he’s received since 97.5, the radio station where he hosts "Talking Baseball with Dutch," broke the news Friday.
“I want to thank everyone for your uplifting support. Special thanks to the Phillies and 97.5 The Fanatic. Right on, fight on! Love ya, Dutch,” Daulton said in statement released by 97.5.
In a statement posted on their website , the station announced that Daulton had not been feeling well for the past two weeks and went to the doctor, who discovered the tumors.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this difficult time," said the station.
The late Harry Kalas, pictured on the right with Daulton, once referred to him as the "all time clubhouse leader of the Philadelphia Phillies."
Daulton, 51, now chairs the Darren Daulton Foundation, which helps in the development of youth sports programs and homelessness organizations.
According to Daulton's website, he's not sure where his nickname of "Dutch" originated, but says some of his teammates also called him "Bubba" because of his leadership skills.
Daulton played his last season of baseball with the Florida Marlins in 1997, ending his career with a World Series title. He was inducted into the Phillies Hall of Fame in 2010.
Phillies President David Montgomery issued a statement this afternoon, “We’re saddened by the news about Darren. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time. We, along with our fans, are praying for a full recovery.”
97.5 offered up Daulton's email address of dutch@975thefanatic.com to anyone who would like to send their well wishes.
