John Kennedy (shortstop)

John Irvin Kennedy (October 12, 1926 – April 27, 1998) was an American professional baseball shortstop. He signed as a free agent with the New York Giants in Major League Baseball (MLB) before the 1953 season, but was released prior to the 1954 season. Kennedy caught on with the Birmingham Black Barons, and later the Kansas City Monarchs, both of the Negro American League. Near the end of the 1956 season, with Kennedy having led the NAL batting race for most of the year, the Monarchs sold his contract to the Philadelphia Phillies.

John Kennedy
Shortstop
Born: (1926-10-12)October 12, 1926
Jacksonville, Florida
Died: April 27, 1998(1998-04-27) (aged 71)
Jacksonville, Florida
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 22, 1957, for the Philadelphia Phillies
Last MLB appearance
May 3, 1957, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
Batting average.000
Home runs0
Runs batted in0
Teams

When Kennedy made his big league debut (April 22, 1957 at Roosevelt Stadium), he became the first black player in Phillies history. The game was exactly 10 years to the day after manager Ben Chapman's Phillies had so taunted rookie Jackie Robinson in Brooklyn. Playing against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Kennedy entered the game in the top of the 8th inning as a pinch runner for Solly Hemus, who had doubled, but he did not score. The Dodgers won, 5-1.

Kennedy's next game was two days later, playing against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Connie Mack Stadium. He entered the game in the bottom of the 6th as a pinch runner for Harry Anderson, who had singled, and later scored on a bases-loaded triple by Ed Bouchee. The Phillies won, 8-5.

Kennedy got into a total of just five games, the last one on May 3, 1957. At the plate, he was 0-for-2, including one strikeout. In his two appearances at shortstop he had one assist, one error, and participated in one double play.

See also
  • List of first black Major League Baseball players by team and date

References
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