Pat Kelly (outfielder)

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Pat Kelly (outfielder) bigraphy, stories - American baseball player

Pat Kelly (outfielder) : biography

July 30, 1944 – October 2, 2005

Harold Patrick Kelly (July 30, 1944 – October 2, 2005) was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Kelly played for the Minnesota Twins (1967–68), Kansas City Royals (1969–70), Chicago White Sox (1971–76), Baltimore Orioles (1977–80) and Cleveland Indians (1981). He batted and threw left-handed. He is also the brother of Leroy Kelly, a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back.

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kelly debuted with the Twins in 1967. He played in 20 games over two seasons with Minnesota before spending two years with the Royals.

Kelly made the American League All-Star team as a member of the White Sox in , during a season in which he hit .280 in a career-high 144 games. Some of his best seasons were as a clutch-hitting, platoon player for the powerful Orioles’ teams of 1977-80, including an appearance in the 1979 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kelly finished his majors career when he hit .213 (16-for-75) in 48 games for the Cleveland Indians during the strike-shortened 1981 season.

In a 15-season career, Kelly was a .264 hitter with 76 home runs and 418 runs batted in in 1385 games played. He added 1,147 hits, 189 doubles, 35 triples and 250 stolen bases.

Following his retirement as a player, Kelly moved to Towson, Maryland, and became an ordained minister for Lifeline Ministries. He died suddenly from a heart attack in Baltimore, Maryland at age 61 and is buried at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.