John Robert Kline (January 27,1929 –October 26,2021) was an American professional baseball player. A shortstop,his 12-year career included one season in Major League Baseball as a member of the 1955 Washington Senators. Kline threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 179 pounds (81 kg).
Kline was born in St. Petersburg,Florida. His career began in 1947 at the Class C level of minor league baseball. By 1950,he was part of the New York Yankees' organization. [1] In 1954 he was the All-Star shortstop of the Double-A Southern Association,and at the end of that season he was selected by Washington in the Rule 5 draft. He was the starting shortstop for the home side in the annual Presidential Opener at Griffith Stadium on April 11,1955;he was hitless in two at-bats against Lou Kretlow of the Baltimore Orioles and left the game for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning. [2] He then started four more games at shortstop for Washington,but by April 20,he was still looking for his first MLB hit,having gone 0-for-13. After a spell on the bench,Kline's playing time increased in May and June,and by June 7,he had raised his batting average to .263,his high-water mark for the year. He fell into another drought at the plate,however,and started only one game for the Senators after July 17. [3]
He finished his one major league season with a .221 batting average in 77 games played and 140 at-bats,with nine career runs batted in;his 31 hits included 5 doubles. He started 44 games at shortstop (second to JoséValdivielso) and 3 at second base. At shortstop,he compiled a fielding percentage of .943 with 15 errors in 265 total chances. In February 1956,the Senators traded him back to the Yankees as part of a six-player transaction. Kline retired from the game in 1958,having played 11 seasons in the minor leagues for 10 teams.
Kline died on October 26,2021,in St. Petersburg. [1]
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