John Kelly (catcher)
Encyclopedia
John Francis Kelly was a Major League Baseball
player. As a player, he was primarily a catcher, but also played 17 games as an outfielder
and 1 game as a first baseman
. He played for the Cleveland Blues
of the National League
in 1879 and 1882, both the National League Philadelphia Quakers
and the American Association
Baltimore Orioles
in 1883 and the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds
and Washington Nationals
, both of the Union Association
in 1884, so that he played in three different Major Leagues in his four year career.
His time with the Blues in 1879 consisted of a single game on June 7. Kelly played both catcher and first baseman
during the game, and got one hit
in four at bat
s. In 1883 he played in 30 games for the Blues, all at catcher, and had 14 hits in 104 at bats for a batting average
of .135. He played 48 games for the Orioles in 1883, with 38 at catcher and 13 in the outfield. He had 46 hits in 202 at bats for a batting average of .228. He only played one game for the Quakers in 1883, going hitless in three at bats. In 1884 he played mostly for the Outlaw Reds, playing in 38 games, almost all at catcher. He had 40 hits in 142 at bats for a .282 batting average, and hit his only Major League home run
. He also played four games for the Nationals in 1884, with 5 hits in 14 at bats. For his Major League career, he 106 hits in 469 at bats for a .226 batting average, and hit one home run. As a fielder, he made 142 errors in 835 chances, for a fielding percentage
of .830.
Besides playing in the Union Association in 1884, Kelly also served as an umpire
for three Union Association games in October 1884. Some sources list John F. Kelly as the manager of the Louisville Colonels
in 1888 and 1889. But others claim John O. Kelly, also known as Kick Kelly
was the Colonels' manager in those seasons. He was born and died in Paterson, New Jersey
and is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa, New Jersey
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. As a player, he was primarily a catcher, but also played 17 games as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and 1 game as a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. He played for the Cleveland Blues
Cleveland Blues (NL)
The Cleveland Blues were a Major League Baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that operated in the National League from 1879 to 1884. In six seasons their best finish was third place in 1880. Hugh Daily threw a no-hitter for the Blues on Sept. 13, 1883. Besides Daily, notable Blues players...
of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in 1879 and 1882, both the National League Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
in 1883 and the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds
Cincinnati Outlaw Reds
The Cincinnati Outlaw Reds of 1884, also called the Cincinnati Unions, were a member of the short-lived Union Association. One of the league's best teams, they finished third with a record of 69-36. The team was owned by former Cincinnati Red Stockings owner Justus Thorner and John McLean, and...
and Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals (UA)
The 1884 Washington Nationals were a member of the Union Association. They were managed by Mike Scanlon and finished in seventh place with a record of 47-65. Their home games were played at Capitol Grounds...
, both of the Union Association
Union Association
The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for only one season in 1884. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season...
in 1884, so that he played in three different Major Leagues in his four year career.
His time with the Blues in 1879 consisted of a single game on June 7. Kelly played both catcher and first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
during the game, and got one hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in four at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. In 1883 he played in 30 games for the Blues, all at catcher, and had 14 hits in 104 at bats for a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .135. He played 48 games for the Orioles in 1883, with 38 at catcher and 13 in the outfield. He had 46 hits in 202 at bats for a batting average of .228. He only played one game for the Quakers in 1883, going hitless in three at bats. In 1884 he played mostly for the Outlaw Reds, playing in 38 games, almost all at catcher. He had 40 hits in 142 at bats for a .282 batting average, and hit his only Major League home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. He also played four games for the Nationals in 1884, with 5 hits in 14 at bats. For his Major League career, he 106 hits in 469 at bats for a .226 batting average, and hit one home run. As a fielder, he made 142 errors in 835 chances, for a fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
of .830.
Besides playing in the Union Association in 1884, Kelly also served as an umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
for three Union Association games in October 1884. Some sources list John F. Kelly as the manager of the Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...
in 1888 and 1889. But others claim John O. Kelly, also known as Kick Kelly
Kick Kelly
John O. "Kick" Kelly , also nicknamed "Honest John" and "Diamond John," was an American catcher, manager and umpire in Major League Baseball who went on to become a boxing referee and to run gambling houses in his native New York City...
was the Colonels' manager in those seasons. He was born and died in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
and is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa, New Jersey
Totowa, New Jersey
Totowa is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 9,892.Totowa was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1898, from portions of the now-defunct Manchester Township and Wayne...
.