Kelly, George L.
Baseball
b. Sept. 10, 1895, San Francisco, CA
d. Oct. 13, 1984
A 6-foot-4, 190-pound first baseman, Kelly was nicknamed "Highpockets" when he joined the NL's New York Giants during the 1915 season. He played only 17 games that year, and 49 in 1916, then was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1917 season on the condition that he could be returned if he didn't make the team.
He didn't make it and the Giants sent him to the minor leagues in 1918. Recalled toward the end of the 1919 season, he finally became a starter in 1920, when he led the league with 94 RBI.
Kelly was the home run leader with 23 in 1921, when he hit .308 and had 122 RBI, second in the league. He hit .328 with 107 RBI in 1922, .307 with 103 RBI in 1923, and .324 with a league-leading 136 RBI in 1924. The Giants won four straight pennants during those years.
Blessed with a strong arm and unusual range for a first baseman, Kelly was often used in the outfield, at second base, and at third base by the Giants after Bill Terry joined the team in 1925. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for another future Hall of Famer, centerfielder Edd Roush, in 1927.
Although he wasn't at first happy with the trade, he was glad to be a full-time first baseman again. In three full seasons with Cincinnati, however, he failed to hit .300 and his home run figures dropped into single digits. During the 1930 season, he was sent to the Chicago Cubs after a short stay in the minors. He batted .308 that year, then spent a season in the minors. He ended his major league career after hitting only .243 in 64 games with Brooklyn in 1932.
Kelly later coached with Cincinnati and the Boston Braves, scouted for several teams, and was a minor-league manager for one season.