Ken Keltner
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Frederick Keltner (October 31, 1916 – December 12, 1991) was an American
professional
baseball
player. He played almost his entire Major League Baseball
career as a third baseman
with the Cleveland Indians
, until his final season when he played 13 games for the Boston Red Sox
. He batted and threw right-handed. Keltner is remembered for being one of the best fielding third basemen in the 1940s and, for helping to end Joe DiMaggio
's 56-game hitting streak
on July 17, 1941.
, Keltner began his professional baseball career in playing for his hometown team, the Milwaukee Brewers
, then a minor league
team. He made a rapid ascent through the minor leagues, and in 1938
, the Cleveland Indians invited him to their spring training
camp. Keltner made the team and played in 149 games that season, posting a .276 batting average
with 26 home run
s and 113 runs batted in.
On August 20, , as part of a publicity stunt by the Come to Cleveland Committee, Indians' catchers Frankie Pytlak
and Hank Helf
successfully caught baseballs dropped by Keltner from Cleveland's 708 feet (215.8 m) Terminal Tower
. The 708 feet (215.8 m) drop broke the 555-foot, 30-year-old record set by Washington Senator catcher Gabby Street
at the Washington Monument
.
In 1939
, Keltner improved his hitting statistics with a career-high .325 batting average along with 13 home runs and 97 runs batted in. He also embellished his defensive reputation with a .974 fielding percentage
, and leading American League third basemen with 40 double play
s and 187 putout
s, appearing in all 154 games. Keltner earned his first All-Star
berth in 1940
. In the 1941 All-Star Game
, he spearheaded a ninth inning
four-run
rally as the American League fought back from a 5-3 deficit. Keltner beat the throw to first base for an infield single to start the rally. Three batters later, he scored on a groundout before Ted Williams
followed with a two-out, game-ending, three-run home run.
Two weeks later, in a game against the New York Yankees
on July 17, , Keltner became part of baseball history when he made two impressive, backhanded defensive plays against Joe DiMaggio
, as the latter attempted to extend his 56-game hitting streak
. DiMaggio walked and grounded out in his other two at bats, as the hitting streak came to an end. Keltner joined the United States Navy
in and missed an entire season while serving in Hawaii. He returned to play for the Indians in 1946
, earning his sixth All-Star selection in the process.
Keltner had a career-season in 1948
, placing third in the American League home runs with 31 and posting career-highs with 119 runs batted in, 91 runs, and 89 walks, and placed fifth in the league with a .522 slugging average, helping Cleveland earn a first-ever one-game playoff
against the Boston Red Sox
. The Indians won the game 8-3 behind knuckleball
er Gene Bearden
, with the help of Keltner's single
, double, and 3-run home run over the Green Monster
in Fenway Park
. The Indians then went on to defeat the Boston Braves
in the 1948 World Series
.
Due to injuries, Keltner appeared in only 80 games in 1949
. A .232 average with eight homers and 30 runs batted in prompted the Indians to release him after the season, replacing him at third base with Al Rosen
. He played with the Red Sox in 1950
, appearing in only eight games at third and one at first (his only big league fielding appearance anywhere other than 1500 at third base). Keltner concluded his major league career at only age 33. He played one more season in the minor leagues with the Sacramento Solons
in before retiring as a player.
, accumulating 1570 hits
in 5683 at bats for a .276 career batting average along with 163 home runs and 852 runs batted in. Keltner had 69 triples
, 308 doubles
, accumulated 39 stolen base
s and scored 737 runs
. He led American League third basemen four times in assists
, five times in double play
s, twice in fielding percentage
and twice in range factor
, ending his career with a .965 fielding percentage. At the time of Keltner's retirement, only Willie Kamm
and Heinie Groh
had higher career fielding percentages among retired major league third basemen. Keltner made 7 All-Star teams in 13 seasons. When he left the Indians, he was in the Top 5 in many of their all-time hitting records.
After his retirement as a player, Keltner served as a scout for the Indians and the Red Sox. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Sports Hall of Fame in . Keltner was also inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame, the Ohio Baseball Hall of Fame and was named to the 100 Greatest Cleveland Indians in . Keltner was the subject of a brief campaign for the Baseball Hall of Fame. While he was never a popular candidate, his candidacy gave rise to the Keltner List
of writer Bill James
- a list of questions designed to guide thinking on the Hall of Fame.
He died in his home state of Wisconsin
at age 75 of a heart attack
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played almost his entire 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...
career as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, until his final season when he played 13 games 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"...
. He batted and threw right-handed. Keltner is remembered for being one of the best fielding third basemen in the 1940s and, for helping to end Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
's 56-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
on July 17, 1941.
Baseball career
Born in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Keltner began his professional baseball career in playing for his hometown team, the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
, then a minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team. He made a rapid ascent through the minor leagues, and in 1938
1938 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished third in the American League with a record of 86-66, 13 games behind the New York Yankees.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, the Cleveland Indians invited him to their spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp. Keltner made the team and played in 149 games that season, posting a .276 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 :...
with 26 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...
s and 113 runs batted in.
On August 20, , as part of a publicity stunt by the Come to Cleveland Committee, Indians' catchers Frankie Pytlak
Frankie Pytlak
Frank Anthony Pytlak born in Buffalo, New York was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox...
and Hank Helf
Hank Helf
Henry Hartz Helf was a Major League Baseball catcher who played for three seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians in 1938 and 1940 and the St. Louis Browns in 1946...
successfully caught baseballs dropped by Keltner from Cleveland's 708 feet (215.8 m) Terminal Tower
Terminal Tower
The Terminal Tower is a landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was built during the skyscraper boom of the 1920s and 1930s, and was the second-tallest building in the world when it was completed. The Terminal Tower stood as the tallest building in North America...
. The 708 feet (215.8 m) drop broke the 555-foot, 30-year-old record set by Washington Senator catcher Gabby Street
Gabby Street
Charles Evard “Gabby” Street , also nicknamed "The Old Sarge", was an American catcher, manager, coach and radio broadcaster in Major League Baseball during the first half of the 20th century. As a catcher, he participated in one of the most publicized baseball stunts of the century's first decade....
at the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
.
In 1939
1939 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team finished third in the American League with a record of 86-66, 13 games behind the New York Yankees.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, Keltner improved his hitting statistics with a career-high .325 batting average along with 13 home runs and 97 runs batted in. He also embellished his defensive reputation with a .974 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...
, and leading American League third basemen with 40 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s and 187 putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, appearing in all 154 games. Keltner earned his first All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
berth in 1940
1940 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1940 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 8th playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 1940 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of...
. In the 1941 All-Star Game
1941 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1941 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the ninth playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
, he spearheaded a ninth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
four-run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
rally as the American League fought back from a 5-3 deficit. Keltner beat the throw to first base for an infield single to start the rally. Three batters later, he scored on a groundout before Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
followed with a two-out, game-ending, three-run home run.
Two weeks later, in a game against the New York Yankees
1941 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 39th season for the team in New York, and its 41st season overall. The team finished with a record of 101-54, winning their 12th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played their home games at...
on July 17, , Keltner became part of baseball history when he made two impressive, backhanded defensive plays against Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, as the latter attempted to extend his 56-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
. DiMaggio walked and grounded out in his other two at bats, as the hitting streak came to an end. Keltner joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in and missed an entire season while serving in Hawaii. He returned to play for the Indians in 1946
1946 Cleveland Indians season
In 1946, Bill Veeck finally became the owner of a major league team, the Cleveland Indians. He immediately put the team's games on radio, and set about to put his own indelible stamp on the franchise...
, earning his sixth All-Star selection in the process.
Keltner had a career-season in 1948
1948 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team won a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox and would then go onto win their second World Series in franchise history, its first in 28 years.-Off-season:...
, placing third in the American League home runs with 31 and posting career-highs with 119 runs batted in, 91 runs, and 89 walks, and placed fifth in the league with a .522 slugging average, helping Cleveland earn a first-ever one-game playoff
1948 American League tie-breaker game
The 1948 American League tie-breaker game was a one-game playoff for Major League Baseball's American League conference. The game took place on October 4, 1948, between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. It was necessary after both teams finished the season with records of...
against the Boston Red Sox
1948 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing second in the American League with a record of 96 wins and 59 losses.- Offseason :...
. The Indians won the game 8-3 behind knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
er Gene Bearden
Gene Bearden
Henry Eugene "Gene" Bearden was a left-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who completed a remarkable rookie season by closing out the Cleveland Indians' last World Series championship in 1948....
, with the help of Keltner's single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, double, and 3-run home run over the Green Monster
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
in Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. The Indians then went on to defeat the Boston Braves
1948 Boston Braves season
- Offseason :* October 28, 1947: Hoyt Wilhelm was purchased by the Braves from the Mooresville Moores....
in the 1948 World Series
1948 World Series
The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of . The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston...
.
Due to injuries, Keltner appeared in only 80 games in 1949
1949 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was the 49th in franchise history. The club entered the season as the defending World Champions. On March 5, 1949, Indians minority owner Bob Hope donned a Cleveland Indians uniform and posed with manager Lou Boudreau and vice president Hank Greenberg as the World...
. A .232 average with eight homers and 30 runs batted in prompted the Indians to release him after the season, replacing him at third base with Al Rosen
Al Rosen
Albert Leonard Rosen , nicknamed "Al", "Flip", and the "Hebrew Hammer", is a former American professional baseball player who was a third baseman and right-handed slugger in the Major Leagues for ten seasons in tthe 1940s and 1950s.He played his entire 10-year career with the Cleveland Indians in...
. He played with the Red Sox in 1950
1950 Boston Red Sox season
The 1950 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 3rd in the American League with a record of 94 wins and 60 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, appearing in only eight games at third and one at first (his only big league fielding appearance anywhere other than 1500 at third base). Keltner concluded his major league career at only age 33. He played one more season in the minor leagues with the Sacramento Solons
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
in before retiring as a player.
Career statistics
In a 13-season career, Keltner played in 1526 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1570 hits
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 5683 at bats for a .276 career batting average along with 163 home runs and 852 runs batted in. Keltner had 69 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 308 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, accumulated 39 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s and scored 737 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. He led American League third basemen four times in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
, five times in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s, twice in 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...
and twice in range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
, ending his career with a .965 fielding percentage. At the time of Keltner's retirement, only Willie Kamm
Willie Kamm
William Edward Kamm was an American professional baseball player. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball from to . Kamm played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox before finishing his playing days with the Cleveland Indians...
and Heinie Groh
Heinie Groh
Henry Knight "Heinie" Groh was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who spent nearly his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He was the National League's top third baseman in the late 1910s and early 1920s, and captained championship teams with the Reds and ...
had higher career fielding percentages among retired major league third basemen. Keltner made 7 All-Star teams in 13 seasons. When he left the Indians, he was in the Top 5 in many of their all-time hitting records.
After his retirement as a player, Keltner served as a scout for the Indians and the Red Sox. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Sports Hall of Fame in . Keltner was also inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame, the Ohio Baseball Hall of Fame and was named to the 100 Greatest Cleveland Indians in . Keltner was the subject of a brief campaign for the Baseball Hall of Fame. While he was never a popular candidate, his candidacy gave rise to the Keltner List
Keltner list
The Keltner list is a systematic but non-numerical method for determining whether a baseball player is deserving of election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. It makes use of an inventory of questions regarding the merit of players relative to their peers...
of writer Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
- a list of questions designed to guide thinking on the Hall of Fame.
He died in his home state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
at age 75 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
External links
- Ken Keltner at The Baseball Biography Project
- Ken Keltner at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...