Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn (born December 15, 1967 in Norwalk, Connecticut), nicknamed "Hit Dog", a nickname given to him by his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers at Seton Hall University, 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.

He was noted for "crowding the plate"; his stance was such that his front elbow (protected by plastic armor) often appeared to be hovering in the strike zone, which intimidated pitchers into throwing wide and outside. Because of Vaughn, Barry Bonds, and others like them, Major League Baseball instituted regulations in 2001 that put limits on the size and thickness of body armor that batters would be allowed to wear. At the same time, the office of the Commissioner of Baseball issued directives to the umpires that put emphasis on calling the strike zone as it is defined in the rule book, with particular emphasis on the "high strike".

Early career

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In the summer of 1988, while attending Seton Hall, Vaughn played first base for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. One of his teammates was former MLB second baseman Chuck Knoblauch.

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SI.com - MLB

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