Ray Kennedy (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Raymond Lincoln Kennedy (May 19, 1895 — January 18, 1969) was an American
professional baseball
player, scout and front office executive. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
level. A catcher
and second baseman
, he played from 1915–1917 and 1919–1927, largely in the original Sally League
. He made one appearance as a player in Major League Baseball
as a pinch hitter
for the St. Louis Browns
on September 8, and went hitless
in his only at bat against the Detroit Tigers
. He had spent most of that season in the Class D Illinois State League.
in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates
, spending one season, , in the post. He had been hired from the New York Yankees
organization, where he had previously been secretary and business manager of the Newark Bears
, one of the Bombers' two Triple-A farm clubs, by Pirates' president William Benswanger
, who was supervising the final year of the Bucs' ownership by the Barney Dreyfuss
family. On August 8, 1946, the team was sold to a consortium led by Indianapolis
businessman Frank McKinney, Columbus, Ohio
-based real estate developer John W. Galbreath, Pittsburgh attorney Thomas Johnson, and entertainer Bing Crosby
.
The Pirates' new owners brought in their own general manager at the end of the season: Roy Hamey
, who had been president of the Triple-A American Association
. Ironically, Hamey had previously been Kennedy's peer as the business manager of the Yankees' other top farm team, the Kansas City Blues
. In the front-office transition that followed, Kennedy remained with the Pirates as director of minor league clubs from 1947–1948. In 1949, Kennedy became minor league director of the Detroit Tigers
, serving through 1951. In 1955, Kennedy was player personnel director of the Kansas City Athletics
and was working as a scout for the New York Mets
at the time of his death, at age 73, in Casselberry, Florida
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
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....
player, scout and front office executive. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
Playing career: One MLB at-bat
Kennedy's professional playing career came almost exclusively at the minor leagueMinor 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...
level. A catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, he played from 1915–1917 and 1919–1927, largely in the original Sally League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. He made one appearance as a player in 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...
as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
on September 8, and went hitless
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 his only at bat against the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. He had spent most of that season in the Class D Illinois State League.
Executive career: First GM of Pirates (1946)
Kennedy was the first person to hold the title of general managerGeneral manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, spending one season, , in the post. He had been hired from the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
organization, where he had previously been secretary and business manager of the Newark Bears
Newark Bears (1926-1949)
The Newark Bears were a team in the International League from 1926 to 1949. They played their home games at Ruppert Stadium in what is now known as the Ironbound section of Newark; the stadium was demolished in 1967....
, one of the Bombers' two Triple-A farm clubs, by Pirates' president William Benswanger
William Benswanger
William Edward Benswanger was an American businessman who served for almost 15 years as president and chief executive of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball franchise of the National League from through ....
, who was supervising the final year of the Bucs' ownership by the Barney Dreyfuss
Barney Dreyfuss
Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss was an executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to 1932....
family. On August 8, 1946, the team was sold to a consortium led by Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
businessman Frank McKinney, Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
-based real estate developer John W. Galbreath, Pittsburgh attorney Thomas Johnson, and entertainer Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
.
The Pirates' new owners brought in their own general manager at the end of the season: Roy Hamey
Roy Hamey
Henry Roy Hamey was an American front-office executive in Major League Baseball. A longtime employee of the New York Yankees, he reached the pinnacle of his career when he was appointed the general manager of the Yanks in November 1960. Although he inherited a pennant winner from his predecessor,...
, who had been president of the Triple-A American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. Ironically, Hamey had previously been Kennedy's peer as the business manager of the Yankees' other top farm team, the Kansas City Blues
Kansas City Blues (American Association)
The Kansas City Blues are a former minor league baseball team located in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Midwestern United States. The team was one of the eight founding members of the American Association....
. In the front-office transition that followed, Kennedy remained with the Pirates as director of minor league clubs from 1947–1948. In 1949, Kennedy became minor league director of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, serving through 1951. In 1955, Kennedy was player personnel director of the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and was working as a scout for the 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...
at the time of his death, at age 73, in Casselberry, Florida
Casselberry, Florida
Casselberry is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,629 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2009, the city had a population of 24,792...
.