Ex-Tigers Hall of Famer George Kell dead at 86

Ex-Tigers Hall of Famer George Kell dead at 86

by The Grand Rapids Press
Tuesday March 24, 2009, 11:35 AM

Arkansas and Detroit television stations are reporting that Hall of Famer and Tigers broadcasting legend George Kell has died.

Kell, who was 86, was an Arkansas native whose gentle southern lilt greeted television viewers for years. For many of those broadcasts, he was paired with fellow Hall of Famer Al Kaline.

One television station, KAIT out of Jonesboro, Ark., said an announcement about Kell's death was expected later today from Cooperstown, N.Y.

Kell, a third baseman, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983. He played for the Tigers as well as the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. His career batting average was .306.

03/24/09 11:30 AM ET
Hall of Famer Kell passes away
Third baseman edged Williams for AL batting crown in 1949
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com


Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell, a career .306 hitter over 15 seasons, died in his sleep in Swifton, Ark., early Tuesday morning, television station KAIT in Jonesboro, Ark., reported.
Kell was regarded as one of the game's best third basemen during the 1940s and 1950s, playing in the American League with the Philadelphia Athletics (1943-1946), Detroit Tigers (1946-52), Boston Red Sox (1952-54), Chicago White Sox (1954-56) and Baltimore Orioles (1956-57).

A 10-time All-Star, Kell batted above .300 nine times and also was a top fielder, leading the league in fielding percentage seven times.

Kell also led the AL in batting average in 1949, while with the Tigers, denying fellow Hall of Famer Ted Williams of his third Triple Crown. Kell narrowly beat out Williams with a .3429 average, just a hair better than Williams' .3427. Kell also struck out just 13 times that season, the lowest total for a batting champion in baseball history.

Over his career, Kell hit 78 home runs and recorded 870 RBIs, along with 881 runs scored and 2,054 hits. He also had 385 doubles, 50 triples, stole 51 bases and a slugging percentage of .414, and he drew 621 walks, for a .367 on-base percentage.

After his playing career, Kell served as a broadcast announcer for the Orioles (1957), CBS television (1958), NBC radio (1962) and the Tigers (1959-1996). He was joined by fellow Hall of Famer Al Kaline in the broadcast booth from 1975 until his retirement in 1996.

Kell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983 by the Veterans Committee.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tigers Hall of Famer George Kell dies
The Detroit News

Detroit Tigers Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell has died. He was 86.

Kell played for the Tigers from 1946-52. His major league career spanned from 1943-57. He played for Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore.

Kell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. His career batting average was .306.

Kell was born on Aug. 23, 1922 in Swifton, Ark. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1949, and made his major league debut with Philadelphia in 1943.

After his playing career, Kell became a beloved Tigers television broadcaster. He was in the booth for the Tigers from 1959-96, and his partner from 1976-96 was another Tigers Hall of Famer, Al Kaline.

In addition to his .306 average, Kell also had 2,054 hits, 385 doubles and 870 RBI in 1,795 games over 15 seasons.

RIP George

Sad Day

Tigers should honor the passing of George Kell on Opening Day and he deserves a statue