King Kelly
King Kelly was the toast of baseball in the late 1870s and 1880s, establishing himself as the number one drawing card in the sport. He helped the White Stockings to five National League championships, managed the Boston Reds of the rebel Players League to a title, and at the age of 34 he caught for Frank Selee's pennant-winning 1892 Boston Beaneaters. Though he was known for his base running prowess ("Slide Kelly Slide!"), he never led his league in steals. He was the most flamboyant performer of his time, and until Babe Ruth came along, Kelly was the most popular player in baseball. Kelly subverted the playing rules as much as he could, finding ways to create daring maneuvers, including perfecting the hit-and-run play. With the White Stockings (the forerunners of the Cubs), he and Cap Anson devised many of the strategies that later became staples of the game, such as playing off the base at first and third, adjusting the outfielders for hitters tendencies, the infield shift, and the double steal.
Played For
Cincinnati Reds (1878-1879)
Chicago Cubs (1880-1886)
Boston Braves (1887-1889)
Cincinnati Kelly's Killers, American Association (1891)
Boston Reds, American Association (1891)
Boston Braves (1891-1892)
New York Giants (1893)
Managed
Boston Braves (1887)
Boston Reds, Players League (1890)
Cincinnati Kelly's Killers, American Association (1891)
All-Time Rankings
King Kelly ranks #40 among the Top 50 all-time at RF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1886
Kelly led the National League with a .388 average, 155 runs scored, and a .483 on-base percentage. Despite his efforts, he was shipped to Boston in the off-season.
"The $15,000 Beauty"
Handsome Michael Joseph "King" Kelly was adored by the fans of Chicago, and he became a legend. Spurred by his exploits, the White Stockings won titles in 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885 and 1886, with primarily the same lineup: Kelly in right field; Cap Anson (like Kelly, a future Hall of Famer) manning first base; Silver Flint at catcher; light-hitting Joe Quest or Tom Burns or Fred Pfeffer (whom both Anson and Kelly called the greatest second baseman they ever saw) at the keystone; Ned Williamson at third base; Abner Dalrymple (who once clubbed 22 homers in a season) in left; George "Piano Legs" Gore in center field; and the able Larry Corcoran, Fred Goldsmith and John Clarkson (future Hall of Famer) on the slab. The White Stockings were the greatest team in the National League until the Beaneaters of the late 1880s and early 1890s, and the Baltimore Orioles of the 1890s.
Kelly and the rest of the White Stockings were rough guys with a reputation for bending the rules, both on and off the field. In fact, Kelly had a clause in his contract rewarding him if he stayed out of trouble. After helping Chicago to its' fifth NL pennant in seven years in 1886, batting champion Kelly met with Chicago owner Albert Spalding, the man who would later spawn the sporting goods company that bore his name. Kelly demanded that Spalding pay him a $375 bonus that he was promised for "good behavior." Surprised by the demand, Spalding argued he was not obligated to pay Kelly the bonus because the outfielder had been fined several times for drunken behavior. After a few days of dragging each other through the Chicago papers, Spalding shocked the Windy City by selling his star to the Boston Beaneaters for a record $10,000. Fans were so upset that they refused to attend the White Stockings home opener, leaving attendance at an embarrassingly low level. Yet when the Beaneaters later visited Chicago, fans flocked to see their favorite player in an enemy uniform. Because he had been sold for $10,000 and reportedly been paid a $5,000 bonus by the Beaneaters, Kelly became known as "The $15,000 Beauty."
Where He Played
Kelly was primarily a right fielder, though he also played frequently in left field. Kelly played every position during his career, even pitcher.
As a Manager
Kelly was 130-91 (.588) as a manager, winning the Players League championship in 1890 with the Reds. Dan Brouthers, Billy Nash, Hardy Richardson and Charley "Old Hoss" Radbourn played for him on that team. Despite the fact that Kelly was the best player on the team, he played himself only part-time, batting .326 in 89 games.
Born
Michael Joseph Kelly was born on December 31, 1857, in Troy, NY.
Died
November 8, 1894, Boston, MA
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: C
Primary Team: CHN
Major League Debut
May 1, 1878
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1878
Coming soon...
"King" was bestowed on Kelly because of his grand performance as a player and showman, and was often referred to as the "King of Base Ball." He was also dubbed "The $15,000 Beauty."
Similar Players
Rickey Henderson
Related Players
Cap Anson
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1936 |
Veterans |
15 |
% |
1945 |
Old Timers |
|
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1885 World Series
1886 World Series
Post-Season Notes
Kelly's teams finished first eight times: 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1890, 1891, and 1892. In 1885, 1886 and 1892 he played in post-season series, in which he batted a combined .241 with 13 runs scored in 15 games.
Feats
Kelly once swiped six bases in one game and reportedly on several occasions stole five. He was one of the first players to regularly steal third base and home, which he did in succession numerous times.
Notes
Kelly was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945.
Best Strength as a Player
Daring
Largest Weakness as a Player
Off-field activities
Learn More about King Kelly
Search Amazon.com for Books about King Kelly ⇒
Search for King Kelly at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
