Apart from Diamond DeShields’ exceptional performance in the WNBA, another thing that follows this talented 29-year-old hooper is her surname, DeShields. If that sounds a little familiar, the reason is that she is the daughter of a baseball star Delino DeShields. Let us see what his story is.

Born on January 15, 1969, Diamond DeShields’ father was raised by his mother and grandmother. The young Hall of Famer played both baseball and basketball. In fact, in Seaford High School, Delaware, he earned the All-American honor in both sports. For his immaculate skills with which he led the team to state titles and a Senior Little League World Series championship, he swept the Delaware Athlete of the Decade in 1989. While he had a keen interest in basketball, fate had something else for him.

Delino DeShields’ magical run in the diamond

DeShields signed the letter of intent to pursue basketball for the Villanova Wildcats with a full scholarship. However, he found his name as the 12th pick in the first round of the 1987 MLB drafts. Consequently, he retracted his name. Instead, DeShields went for baseball. He signed a $130,000 deal with the Montreal Expos. Making his Major League debut after three years on the 1990 Opening Day, he not only stole the show but also a record.

Collecting three singles, a double, topping with two scored runs, an RBI, and a stolen base, he lodged his name in the history books. Delino became the second player in the league to record four hits in a debut. Mack Jones held the first record from 1961. After his brilliant outing, the Expos made him a regular second baseman. He became the runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year. While his next season was not as huge, he found his feet again in the following two seasons, giving the best performances. In those two seasons, he was hitting .294 and averaged 45 stolen bases.

The MLB star also became part of the worst Dodgers trade in history in 1994 when he was exchanged with the incoming talent Pedro Martinez. In the three years that DeShields was in LA, he batted .241. On the other hand, Martinez became one of the greatest pitchers of all time and swept the Cy Young Awards three times.

DeShields went on to play six more seasons switching between the St. Louis Cardinals, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Chicago Cubs. Diamond DeShields’ father closed his account in the MLB while hitting .268 and 80 home runs. He also logged 561 runs with 463 stolen bases.

After setting his hands firmly on the field, he had some greater work after his retirement in 2002.

Delino DeShields’ accomplishments off the field

The 9x top-10 finisher among NL base stealers co-founded the Urban Baseball League. Along with his former Expos teammate Dennis Ray Boyd, he promotes baseball in African American communities. He has also actively stayed connected to the league over the following years. In 2011, he became the manager of the Dayton Dragons for the next two seasons. This was followed by his stint with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Louisville Bats.

In 2022, he became the first base and baserunning coach for the Cincinnati Reds. However, the team performed subpar that season, resulting in DeShields being fired. Later, he became the manager of the Washington Nationals’ AA team called the Harrisburg Senators where he is still practicing. Apart from his accomplishments, his first son and Diamond DeShields’ brother Delino Jr. also played for the MLB. He was the outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds.

Delino DeShields has had an illustrious career as a player and now that his daughter has not only made it to the pro league but is also the 2021 WNBA champion, we can only assume the pride he takes in that fact.

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