Kelly was the first baseman on four pennant-winning Giants teams from 1921-1924
George Kelly played first base for the New York Giants and John McGraw for eleven seasons. From the time he became a regular in 1920 through the 1926 season Kelly was a force. During that 7-year run he hit .306 and averaged 30 doubles, 7 triples, 17 homers, and 106 RBI per season. Together McGraw an
Kelly was the first baseman on four pennant-winning Giants teams from 1921-1924
George Kelly played first base for the New York Giants and John McGraw for eleven seasons. From the time he became a regular in 1920 through the 1926 season Kelly was a force.
During that 7-year run he hit .306 and averaged 30 doubles, 7 triples, 17 homers, and 106 RBI per season. Together McGraw and Kelly won four National League pennants and two World Series.
When the Giants won their four consecutive pennants from 1921-1924, Kelly was at his best. He hit . 317 with a 125 OPS+ and drove in at least 103 runs each year.
He left the Giants for the 1927 campaign and played five more lackluster seasons. Kelly retired in 1932 with solid yet unspectacular numbers: 1,778 hits, 337 doubles, 148 homers, and 1,020 RBI. His career OPS+ 9 points above league average. Kelly’s WAR total of 25.4 comes in well below that of the average Cooperstown first baseman (65).
In this handwritten letter, Kelly states, “As you know I had quite a few thrills playing in the big leagues and my first was playing for the NY Giants and the greatest manager of all time, John J. McGraw.”
Long after retirement, Kelly still attended Old Timers Games with the Giants
George “High Pockets” Kelly played for the New York Giants from 1915-1926, winning back-to-back World Series in 1921 and 1922. Forty years after the ’22 championship Kelly accepted Horace Stoneham’s invitation to the Old Timer’s Game in San Francisco. After the event, K
Long after retirement, Kelly still attended Old Timers Games with the Giants
George “High Pockets” Kelly played for the New York Giants from 1915-1926, winning back-to-back World Series in 1921 and 1922.
Forty years after the ’22 championship Kelly accepted Horace Stoneham’s invitation to the Old Timer’s Game in San Francisco. After the event, Kelly wrote this letter to Stoneham expressing in part, “It was a real thrill…to meet the players and their wives who we haven’t seen in years.”
Kelly also tells Stoneham that the eventual 1962 NL Champs seem to be doing well. Perhaps the high point of the letter comes as then-66 year old Kelly says, “Don’t tell anyone but the biggest thrill I got out of the Old Timers Day was to put on the Giants uniform again.”
Kelly remained grateful to Giants owner Horace Stoneham for including him
After receiving George Kelly’s letter, Horace Stoneham was compelled to respond. Shown here is a file copy of that correspondence. Stoneham writes, “Thanks so much for your gracious note. I am so pleased that you enjoyed the “day” and our get-together. It was wonderful having
Kelly remained grateful to Giants owner Horace Stoneham for including him
After receiving George Kelly’s letter, Horace Stoneham was compelled to respond. Shown here is a file copy of that correspondence.
Stoneham writes, “Thanks so much for your gracious note. I am so pleased that you enjoyed the “day” and our get-together. It was wonderful having so many of the older friends with us again, and I am happy that you and (wife) Helen could join us.”
The mutual gratitude between the two men is strong.
Kelly's induction to the Hall came thanks to former teammate Frank Frisch
Baseball historian Bill James calls George Kelly, “the worst player in the Hall of Fame”. After playing for five different teams during a 16-year career, Kelly found himself on the Baseball Writers’ ballot for Cooperstown consideration. He received just a single vote his first year
Kelly's induction to the Hall came thanks to former teammate Frank Frisch
Baseball historian Bill James calls George Kelly, “the worst player in the Hall of Fame”. After playing for five different teams during a 16-year career, Kelly found himself on the Baseball Writers’ ballot for Cooperstown consideration. He received just a single vote his first year on the ballot in 1947.
Needing 75% for enshrinement, Kelly topped out at 1.9% in 1960 when five writers deemed him Hall-worthy. In total, the writers considered him in seven different voting periods before dropping him from the ballot. In those seven elections he totaled 7.3%, yet he still made the Hall in 1973.
His inclusion into baseball’s shrine of honor is due to one man: Frankie Frisch, Kelly’s New York Giant teammate from 1919-1926.
After a no-doubt Hall of Fame playing career in which he established the highest lifetime average among inducted switch hitters, Frisch became a voting member of the Hall’s Veterans Committee. Once there he ascended to the position of committee chairman, wielding his substantial influence to induct men who played alongside him. Frisch’s legacy with the Veterans Committee is a dark chapter in the Hall’s history as he played the leading role in electing former teammates who fall well below Cooperstown standards.
Shown above is a letter written by Frisch to Paul Kerr, president of the Hall of Fame from 1961-1978. Frisch writes, “I want to thank you Uncle Paul for selecting the Old Flash as a member of Baseball’s Hall of Fame Committee on Veterans. I feel it quite an honor, and I am proud, and I do hope I can do a thorough job.”.
The letter continues before Frisch pens his remarkably consistent signature at the bottom. The Old Flash would serve on the committee from his appointment in 1966 until his death in 1973.
Baseball historians agree that the selections of Jesse Haines (1970), Dave Bancroft (1971), Chick Hafey (1971), Ross Youngs (1972), and Kelly (1973) are among the most glaring errors in the the history of Hall of Fame.
Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, and Cy Young are in everyone’s Hall of Fame. Marginal players like the ones selected on Frankie Frisch’s watch on the Veterans Committee have helped define and damage the Hall of Fame.
His five most glaring selections — George Kelly, Jesse Haines, Dave Bancroft, Ross Youngs, and Chick Hafey have ignited many arguments. Here’s a big reason why: Imagine if your favorite player is Keith Hernandez and you think he should be in Cooperstown. He’s flat out a better first baseman than George Kelly. Hernandez was in fact a better player than any of the five Frisch selections. There are likely hundreds of players better than the Frisch Five.
