Leo Kiely
Encyclopedia
Leo Patrick Kiely was an American
pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played between 1951
and 1960
for the Boston Red Sox
(1951, 1954–56, 1958–59) and Kansas City Athletics
(1960). Listed at 6 in 2 in (1.88 m), 180 pounds (81.6 kg), Kiely batted and threw left-handed
. He was born in Hoboken, New Jersey
.
Kiely entered the majors in the 1951 midseason with the Red Sox. He finished with a 7-7 record and a 3.34 ERA
in 16 starts
before joining the military during Korean War
. In 1953, he pitched for the Mainichi Orions
of the Pacific League
to become the first major leaguer to play in Japanese baseball
, while going 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA for Mainichi. He returned to Boston in 1954. After beginning in long relief
, he ended up as a set-up man for closers
Ellis Kinder
(1955) and Ike Delock
(1956).
In 1957 Kiely was demoted to Triple-A. He finished with a 21-6 record and a 2.22 ERA for the PCL
San Francisco Seals, leading the league in wins
. 20 of them came in relief, including 14 in consecutive games, to set two PCL records. The 1958 TSN
Guide also credited Kiely with 11 saves
during the 14-game winning streak.
Kiely led the Red Sox with 12 saves in 1958, while going 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 47 relief appearances. He also pitched with the Athletics in 1960, his last major league season.
In a seven-season career, Kiely posted a 26-27 record with a 3.37 ERA in 209 games, including 39 starts, eight complete game
s, one shutout
, 29 saves, and 523.0 innings of work. He went 63-36 during his minor league career.
Kiely died in Montclair, New Jersey
at age 54.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played between 1951
1951 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:Baseball's Shot Heard 'Round the World gives the New York Giants the National League Pennant in the third game of a best-of-three-games tiebreaker series over the Brooklyn Dodgers.-Major League Baseball:...
and 1960
1960 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over New York Yankees ; Bobby Richardson, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5-3*All-Star Game , July 13 at Yankee Stadium: National League, 6-0...
for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1951, 1954–56, 1958–59) and Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1960). Listed at 6 in 2 in (1.88 m), 180 pounds (81.6 kg), Kiely batted and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
. He was born in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
.
Kiely entered the majors in the 1951 midseason with the Red Sox. He finished with a 7-7 record and a 3.34 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 16 starts
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
before joining the military during Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. In 1953, he pitched for the Mainichi Orions
Chiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:...
of the Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
to become the first major leaguer to play in Japanese baseball
Japanese baseball
Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning Professional Baseball. Outside of Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball." The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in 1934 and the...
, while going 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA for Mainichi. He returned to Boston in 1954. After beginning in long relief
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, he ended up as a set-up man for closers
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
Ellis Kinder
Ellis Kinder
Ellis Raymond Kinder , also nicknamed "Old Folks", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played for the St. Louis Browns , Boston Red Sox , St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox...
(1955) and Ike Delock
Ike Delock
Ivan Martin "Ike" Delock is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played 11 seasons for the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles....
(1956).
In 1957 Kiely was demoted to Triple-A. He finished with a 21-6 record and a 2.22 ERA for the PCL
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
San Francisco Seals, leading the league in wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
. 20 of them came in relief, including 14 in consecutive games, to set two PCL records. The 1958 TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
Guide also credited Kiely with 11 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
during the 14-game winning streak.
Kiely led the Red Sox with 12 saves in 1958, while going 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 47 relief appearances. He also pitched with the Athletics in 1960, his last major league season.
In a seven-season career, Kiely posted a 26-27 record with a 3.37 ERA in 209 games, including 39 starts, eight complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s, one shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
, 29 saves, and 523.0 innings of work. He went 63-36 during his minor league career.
Kiely died in Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
at age 54.