Tom Kelly | |
---|---|
First baseman / Manager | |
Born: Graceville, Minnesota, U.S. | August 15, 1950|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
May 11, 1975, for the Minnesota Twins | |
Last MLB appearance | |
July 11, 1975, for the Minnesota Twins | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .181 |
Home runs | 1 |
Runs batted in | 11 |
Managerial record | 1,140–1,244 |
Winning % | .478 |
Teams | |
As player As manager As coach | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Jay Thomas Kelly (born August 15,1950) is an American former professional baseball player,coach and manager. As the manager of the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball over 16 seasons from mid-September 1986 through 2001,he won two World Series championships. Currently,he serves as a special assistant to the general manager for the Twins.
Kelly was born in Graceville,Minnesota,and grew up in Sayreville,New Jersey,attending St. Mary's High School in nearby South Amboy. [1]
A first baseman and outfielder,Kelly threw and batted left-handed and was listed as 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and 188 pounds (85 kg). He was drafted by the Seattle Pilots in the eighth round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft. After three years in the Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers organization,he was given his unconditional release on April 6,1971.
On April 28,1971,Kelly was signed as a minor league free agent by the Twins and sent to the Double-A Charlotte Hornets in the Southern League. From 1972 through 1975,Kelly would spend most of his playing time with the Triple-A Tacoma Twins of the Pacific Coast League,splitting time between first base and the corner outfield positions.
After starting the 1975 season again in Tacoma,Kelly was called up to the parent Twins and made his major league debut on May 11,1975. Kelly would play in 49 games with the Twins over the 1975 season,getting into 43 games at first base and two in the outfield. In 147 plate appearances,he collected 15 bases on balls and 23 hits,with five doubles and one home run (a solo blast off Vern Ruhle at Tiger Stadium on 26 May), [2] hitting a poor .181 with 11 runs batted in. Prior to the start of the 1976 season,Kelly was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles and assigned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings;he would not return to the major leagues as an active player. In 1977,he returned to the Twins organization and Tacoma –spending part of the year as a player-manager. In 1978,Kelly appeared in 119 games for the Twins new Triple-A affiliate,the Toledo Mud Hens. It was his last year as a full-time player.
Following the 1978 season,Kelly was sent down to manage the Twins' Class A affiliate,the Visalia Oaks in the California League,staying there through the 1980 season. He then spent 1981 and 1982 as skipper of the Double-A Orlando Twins,winning the 1981 Southern League championship. [3]
In 1983,Kelly was appointed third-base coach on Minnesota manager Billy Gardner's big-league coaching staff. He retained the post when Ray Miller became skipper,and succeeded Miller as manager on September 12,1986. Kelly was the 11th pilot of the Twins since they moved to Minneapolis–Saint Paul from Washington in 1961,and his 15-plus-year-stint as manager is the longest consecutive-season managerial term in the team's history,which began with the founding of the American League in 1901. [4] During his tenure,the Twins won two World Series crowns in the span of five years (1987 and 1991);however,from 1994 to 1997 a long sequence of retirements and injuries (including superstars Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett) hurt the team badly,and Kelly spent the remainder of his managerial career rebuilding the Twins.
A year after taking over the reins of the Twins from Miller,Kelly took the team that he had helped build through his role as one of the top people in the Twins' minor league organization and led it to a World Series championship. Though the '87 Twins were criticized for being the top team in a weak division (amassing only a .525 record in regular season play,which was the worst winning percentage for an eventual World Champion until surpassed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006),they easily handled the Detroit Tigers in five games,losing only Game 3 of the American League Championship Series to a heartbreaking 8th-inning two-run home run.
The World Series was a well-fought contest between the Twins and the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals,each team winning all of its home games. Games 1,2,4 and 6 were decidedly lopsided contests (10–1 Twins,8–4 Twins,7–2 Cards,11–5 Twins),with Games 3,5 and 7 being much closer contests,each being decided by only two runs (3–1 Cards,4–2 Cards and 4–2 Twins).
After a 63-year drought,Tom Kelly's leadership helped propel the Twins to their second World Championship,and first since their 1961 relocation to Minneapolis.
After finishing the 1990 season in last place with a 74-88 record,the Twins dominated the AL West in 1991,finishing 8 games ahead of the second-place Chicago White Sox with a 95–67 record. During this season,the Twins set the club record of 15 consecutive wins,but this winning streak propelled them into first place. In the AL Championship,the Twins easily beat the Toronto Blue Jays in 5 games,winning the right to face the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. Marked by a series of close contests filled with dramatic plays and extra-innings,the 1991 World Series was later ranked by ESPN as the greatest World Series ever. [5]
Following two closely contested victories at home,the Twins traveled to Atlanta where they suffered three straight defeats. Tom Kelly,prior to the Series' move to Atlanta,infamously said that managing without the designated hitter was "right up there with rocket science". [6] Although he was being facetious,the grueling Game 3 proved Kelly prescient as a series of double switches and substitutions emptied the Twins' bench and both teams' bullpens. Kelly was forced to pinch hit Rick Aguilera in the top of the 12th and was prepared to send outfielder Dan Gladden to the mound if necessary;however,the Braves won in the bottom of the 12th when David Justice narrowly beat a throw to the plate. After a similarly close Game 4 and a dominating 14–5 Braves victory in Game 5,the Twins had to win the final two games at home.
Game 6 featured two climactic plays by Kirby Puckett who,in the top of the 3rd,made a sensational leaping catch against the center field acrylic glass to prevent a Braves' run. The Twins won 4–3 in the bottom of the 11th when Puckett blasted a home run off Charlie Leibrandt. Game 7 proved to be one of the greatest games in baseball history,as the game was scoreless for 9 innings and included a number of decisive and memorable plays. Kelly planned to take Twins starter Jack Morris out after the ninth inning ended. Morris argued repeatedly with Kelly to allow him to stay in the game. Kelly finally gave in. "What the hell," Kelly said. "It's only a ballgame." [7] Morris ended up pitching 10 scoreless innings as the Twins won 1–0 in the bottom of the 10th,giving Minnesota its second World Series victory in five years.
In 1998,management cleared all players earning over $1 million (except for pitcher Brad Radke) and rebuilt from the ground up;the team went 70–92 and in fourth place in the AL Central,19 games behind the Cleveland Indians and five games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. On May 7,2000,he won his 1,000th game as manager (having managed 2,092 games),doing so with a 4-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers at the Metrodome to become the 46th manager of the 1,000 wins club. [8]
A run of eight straight losing seasons ended in 2001,when the Twins led the division for much of the year before fading,finishing at 85–77,second to Cleveland. He then resigned at age 51,citing burnout,and the threat of contraction. Kelly was succeeded as manager of the Twins by Ron Gardenhire,and his rebuilding efforts paid off the year after he retired from the Twins,with a repeat of divisional championships in 2002,2003,and 2004.
The Twins retired Kelly's jersey number,#10,on September 8,2012. [9]
A bronze statue of Kelly was unveiled outside Target Field on July 21,2017. [10]
Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
MIN | 1986 | 23 | 12 | 11 | .522 | 6th in AL West | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1987 | 162 | 85 | 77 | .525 | 1st in AL West | 8 | 4 | .667 | Won World Series (STL) |
MIN | 1988 | 162 | 91 | 71 | .562 | 2nd in AL West | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1989 | 162 | 80 | 82 | .494 | 5th in AL West | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1990 | 162 | 74 | 88 | .457 | 7th in AL West | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1991 | 162 | 95 | 67 | .586 | 1st in AL West | 8 | 4 | .667 | Won World Series (ATL) |
MIN | 1992 | 162 | 90 | 72 | .556 | 2nd in AL West | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1993 | 162 | 71 | 91 | .438 | 6th in AL West | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1994 | 113 | 53 | 60 | .469 | 4th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1995 | 144 | 78 | 84 | .389 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1996 | 162 | 78 | 84 | .481 | 4th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1997 | 162 | 68 | 94 | .420 | 4th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1998 | 162 | 70 | 92 | .432 | 4th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 1999 | 161 | 63 | 97 | .394 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 2000 | 162 | 69 | 93 | .426 | 5th in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN | 2001 | 162 | 85 | 73 | .525 | 2nd in AL Central | – | – | – | |
MIN total [11] | 2,385 [lower-alpha 1] | 1,140 | 1,244 | .478 | 16 | 8 | .667 |
Kirby Puckett was an American professional baseball player. He played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the Minnesota Twins (1984–1995). Puckett was instrumental in helping the Twins to win World Series championships in 1987 and 1991. Puckett generally played center field,although he was shifted to right field later in his career.
Kent Alan Hrbek,nicknamed "Herbie",is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 14-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins (1981–1994). Hrbek batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He hit the first home run in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on April 3,1982,in an exhibition game against the Phillies. Fans knew Hrbek as an outstanding defensive player,perennial slugger,and charismatic hometown favorite. Former Twins pitcher Jim Kaat considered Hrbek to be the best defensive first baseman he had ever seen,despite him never winning a Gold Glove at the position.
The 1987 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1987 season. The 84th edition of the World Series,it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Minnesota Twins and the National League (NL) champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Twins defeated the Cardinals four games to three to win the Series,their first in Minnesota and the first since last winning as the Washington Senators in 1924. Twins pitcher Frank Viola was named as the 1987 World Series MVP.
The 1991 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1991 season. The 88th edition of the World Series,it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Minnesota Twins (95–67) and the National League (NL) champion Atlanta Braves (94–68). The Twins defeated the Braves four games to three to win the championship,their second in Minnesota and third overall. The series was unique because of the standings of the two participating teams in the previous season:both finished the 1990 season in last place;before 1991,no league champion had ever finished the previous season in last place.
Ronald Clyde Gardenhire is an American former professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He played as a shortstop for the New York Mets from 1981 through 1985. After another year playing in the minor leagues,he served as a manager in the Minnesota Twins farm system for three years,then as a coach for the Twins from 1991 through 2001,and then as the Twins' manager from 2002 through 2014,winning the American League Manager of the Year Award in 2010. He then coached for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 and managed the Detroit Tigers from 2018 through most of 2020,when he retired from baseball.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1991 throughout the world.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1969 throughout the world.
The following are the baseball events of the year 1967 throughout the world.
Clinton Daniel Gladden III is an American former professional baseball player and current radio broadcaster. An outfielder,he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants (1983–1986),Minnesota Twins (1987–1991),and Detroit Tigers (1992–1993) before playing a final season in Japan in 1994 with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
The 1991 American League Championship Series was played between the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays from October 8 to 13. The Twins defeated the favored Blue Jays,winning the Series four games to one. Minnesota would go on to face the Atlanta Braves in seven games in 1991 World Series,ranked by ESPN as the greatest ever played.
Brian David Harper is an American former catcher in Major League Baseball. He played for seven teams,with his most consistent tenure being with the Minnesota Twins,where he for played six seasons in his sixteen season career. He was the starting catcher when the Twins won the 1991 World Series;Harper batted .381,the best among all regular Minnesota batters. He most recently served as the hitting coach of the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.
The 1987 American League Championship Series pitted the Minnesota Twins,the American League West champions,against the Detroit Tigers,the American League East champions. Minnesota won the Series four games to one,en route to winning the 1987 World Series four games to three over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 1991 Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB) won the World Series,the second time the Twins had won the World Series since moving to Minnesota in 1961. At the beginning of June in the 1991 regular season,the Twins had an MLB-leading 15-game win streak,which remains a club record. On June 17,1991,the streak came to an end at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles but not before the Twins moved from fifth place to first,a lead they would not relinquish while finishing 95–67,first in the AL West. The Twins' winning streak of 1991 falls just seven games short of the all-time American League (AL) record of 22 consecutive regular season wins set by the Cleveland Indians in 2017.
Although the 1995 Minnesota Twins were separated from a world championship by only four years,it seemed like eons. Because of the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike,the season got off to a late start. However,it did not end soon enough,as the team finished with a 56–88 record and in last place in its division. The team found it impossible to compete against the runaway Cleveland Indians who won 100 games despite the shortened season and finished 44 games ahead of the Twins. By July,the team was trading away its veterans in a fire sale. Manager Tom Kelly might have preferred that the strike had continued.
The 1987 Minnesota Twins won the World Series for the first time since moving from Washington in 1961,the second time that the franchise won the World Series. Having won only 85 games during the 1987 regular season,they won the World Series with the then-fewest regular season wins since Major League Baseball expanded to a 162-game season in 1961,and the fewest of any team since the 1889 New York Giants. They also became the first team to win the World Series despite being outscored by their opponents in the regular season,having scored 786 runs and allowed 806.
The 1986 Minnesota Twins finished at 71–91,sixth in the AL West,21 games behind the eventual American League West runner-up California Angels. 1,255,453 fans attended Twins games,the second lowest total in the American League. Pitcher Bert Blyleven made a prediction on Fan Appreciation Day on October 3,saying that if the team came together as a unit and signed some other good players,they could potentially bring a World Series championship to Minnesota. That prediction proved accurate the next year.
The following are the baseball events of the year 2010 throughout the world.
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The club was originally founded in 1901 as the Washington Senators,and was one of the American League's eight original charter franchises. By 1903,peace was restored with agreements between the two rival baseball loops on player contract and represented member cities/teams,and the beginnings of a national championship series titled the World Series. In 1905,the team changed its official name to the Washington Nationals. The name "Nationals" would appear on the uniforms for only two seasons,and would then be replaced with the "W" logo for the next 52 years. The media often shortened the nickname to "Nats". Many fans and newspapers persisted in continuing using the previous "Senators" nickname. Over time,"Nationals" faded as a nickname,and "Senators" became dominant. Baseball guides would list the club's nickname as "Nationals or Senators",acknowledging the dual-nickname situation. After 61 years in the capital,in 1961,the Washington Senators relocated to the Twin Cities of Minnesota,to be called the Twins,being the first major league baseball team to use a state in its geographical identifier name rather than the traditional city;Washington would get a new incarnation of the Senators to fill the void left by the original team's move.
Kirby Puckett's 1991 World Series home run was a baseball play that occurred in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series on October 26,1991,at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis,Minnesota.
The 1991 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 1991 season. The winners of each division advance to the postseason and face each other in a League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.