Posted on 10/03/2005 1:27:21 PM PDT by Borges
BALTIMORE -- Former All-Star outfielder Pat Kelly, who played for five different teams during a 15-year major league career, has died. He was 61.
Kelly died Sunday from a heart attack.
He was selected to play in the 1973 All-Star game during a season in which he hit .280 in a career-high 144 games with the Chicago White Sox. Kelly played in the World Series as a member of the 1979 Baltimore Orioles.
Kelly was a reverend for Lifeline Ministries in Maryland after his retirement.
Born in Philadelphia as Harold Patrick Kelly, the fleet-footed outfielder was 23 when he played his first game with the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 6, 1967. He participated in 20 games over two seasons with Minnesota before spending two years with the Kansas City Royals.
Kelly played for the White Sox from 1971-76 and the Orioles from 1977-80 before closing out his career with 48 games for Cleveland in 1981. He hit .264 with 76 homers, 418 RBIs and 250 stolen bases in 1,385 games.
Kelly was known as much for his religious conviction as his left-handed swing. During his stint in Baltimore, this exchange between Kelly and fiery manager Earl Weaver supposedly occurred:
"Skip, don't you want me to walk with the Lord?" Kelly asked.
To which Weaver replied, "I'd rather you walk with the bases loaded."
To which Weaver replied, "I'd rather you walk with the bases loaded."
Earl Weaver - priceless.
Always good for a dozen or so homers a year.
Rest In Peace, Pat.
BTW, he was also the brother of Cleveland Browns great Leroy Kelly.
Was a member of the White Sox before the Orioles. May you rest in peace PK.
Can't someone dbeate something without claiming it's the e4nd of the world? Why bother having Free Republic?
Can't someone dbeate something without claiming it's the e4nd of the world? Why bother having Free Republic?
Thanks for the ping, Charles. Living in SE PA, I used to make the run down to Baltimore many times to see the Orioles, so that's mainly where I saw Pat, playing in the OF on a team that had the likes of Eddie Murray, Rich Dauer, Mark Belanger, Doug DeCinces, Rick Dempsey, Al Bumbry, Ken Singleton, Terry Crowley, and his fellow born-again Ellie Hendricks. He was indeed a fine gentleman, always upbeat. And he could sting that ball a little, too. RIP to a good man. (And thanks for reminding me that he was Leroy's brother -- talk about a forgotten great running back!!)
Earl Weaver may have been the only major league manager to get ejected from a game during the lineup card exchange....He and Umpire Ron Luciano just couldn't leave it alone.
OK, I'll bite...Please explain your comment...
Weavers' tirades are legendary as well.
Sorry, there was some glitch and this got posted to thr wrong thread.
No problem...
Yeah, now I remember! Bobby Glitch. Second baseman. Teammate of Kelly's.
I have the distinct feeling that I'm going to be seeing this word again. And again. And again...
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