Bernard Gilkey
Encyclopedia
Otis Bernard Gilkey is a former Major League Baseball
player for the St. Louis Cardinals
, New York Mets
, Arizona Diamondbacks
, Boston Red Sox
, and Atlanta Braves
. Primarily a left fielder, Gilkey occasionally played right field as well. He also played a small number of games as a center field, first baseman, and designated hitter. Gilkey was a right-handed batter.
in 1984 and signed a contract with his hometown Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. Gilkey reached the major league team in 1990. In 1992, Gilkey hit .302 in 131 games with the Cardinals. Gilkey would bat over .300 twice more during his career.
During the offseason in January 1996, Gilkey was traded by the Cardinals to the Mets. Gilkey arguably had his strongest season in 1996. His .317 average was eighth in the National League
, while his 44 doubles ranked fourth (and also set a Mets single season record). Gilkey finished fourteenth in National League MVP voting that year. Gilkey and center fielder Lance Johnson
formed a formidable offensive one-two punch as outfielders in their first year with the Mets. Gilkey also tallied 18 assists from the outfield that year - one of four double-digit assist years in his career.
Gilkey statistics dropped off substantially the next year. His batting average fell to .249. In 1998, Gilkey was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gilkey offensive numbers were less impressive in the latter years of his career and his playing time declined, although he did rebound to hit .294 in 1999. He was released by the Diamondbacks in the middle of the 2000 season and signed with the Red Sox as a free agent. Gilkey made the playoffs as a Diamondback in 1999 and in 2001 as a Brave. Gilkey's career ended after the 2001 season.
. The climax of the film took place in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
in New York City
near Shea Stadium
, home of the Mets. Gilkey appeared in his real life role as a Mets outfielder. Gilkey was distracted by a massive spacecraft above Shea Stadium (actually one of the two circular observation towers from the 1964 World's Fair
) and was hit on the head by a fly ball.
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...
player for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, 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"...
, and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. Primarily a left fielder, Gilkey occasionally played right field as well. He also played a small number of games as a center field, first baseman, and designated hitter. Gilkey was a right-handed batter.
Career
Gilkey graduated from St. Louis's University City High SchoolUniversity City High School (St. Louis)
University City High School is located in University City, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. As of 2009, 1,041 students were enrolled at the school.-Football:...
in 1984 and signed a contract with his hometown Cardinals as an undrafted free agent. Gilkey reached the major league team in 1990. In 1992, Gilkey hit .302 in 131 games with the Cardinals. Gilkey would bat over .300 twice more during his career.
During the offseason in January 1996, Gilkey was traded by the Cardinals to the Mets. Gilkey arguably had his strongest season in 1996. His .317 average was eighth in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, while his 44 doubles ranked fourth (and also set a Mets single season record). Gilkey finished fourteenth in National League MVP voting that year. Gilkey and center fielder Lance Johnson
Lance Johnson
Kenneth Lance Johnson is a retired Major League Baseball player. At the age of 24, Johnson broke into the big leagues on July 10, 1987, with the St. Louis Cardinals after being drafted by them in the 6th round of the 1984 amateur draft. In 1987 Johnson, playing for the Louisville Redbirds, was...
formed a formidable offensive one-two punch as outfielders in their first year with the Mets. Gilkey also tallied 18 assists from the outfield that year - one of four double-digit assist years in his career.
Gilkey statistics dropped off substantially the next year. His batting average fell to .249. In 1998, Gilkey was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gilkey offensive numbers were less impressive in the latter years of his career and his playing time declined, although he did rebound to hit .294 in 1999. He was released by the Diamondbacks in the middle of the 2000 season and signed with the Red Sox as a free agent. Gilkey made the playoffs as a Diamondback in 1999 and in 2001 as a Brave. Gilkey's career ended after the 2001 season.
Film career
Gilkey had a small role in the 1997 film Men in BlackMen in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
. The climax of the film took place in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadow Park, Flushing Meadows Park or Flushing Meadows, is a public park in New York City. It contains the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the current venue for the U.S...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
near Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, home of the Mets. Gilkey appeared in his real life role as a Mets outfielder. Gilkey was distracted by a massive spacecraft above Shea Stadium (actually one of the two circular observation towers from the 1964 World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
) and was hit on the head by a fly ball.