Batting average .225 Role Baseball player Name John Kennedy | Runs batted in 185 Hits 475 | |
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John Edward Kennedy (born May 29, 1941 in Chicago) is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman, shortstop and second baseman. He played from 1965 to 1974 for the Washington Senators, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers, and Boston Red Sox.
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Major League career
Kennedy spent twelve seasons in the major leagues. He hit a home run in his first major league at bat (on September 5, 1962, against Dick Stigman of the Minnesota Twins), and garnered headlines because both his name and birthdate, May 29, were shared with the President of the United States at the time, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was born 24 years earlier.
His only season as a full-time regular was with the 1964 Washington Senators under manager Gil Hodges, primarily as a third baseman, but also playing at shortstop and second base. Kennedy hit .230 with seven home runs and 35 runs batted in. After the 1964 season, he was traded with pitcher Claude Osteen and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for five players, including outfielder Frank Howard. With the Dodgers, Kennedy would be part of history when he replaced Jim Gilliam at third base in the eighth inning of Sandy Koufax's perfect game on September 9, 1965. The New York Yankees acquired Kennedy in a trade after the 1966 season, then sold him to the expansion Seattle Pilots after the 1968 season. Kennedy retired in 1974 after four and a half seasons with the Boston Red Sox.
Activity after retirement
Kennedy has scouted, managed, and coached in the minor leagues since leaving Major League Baseball. He managed the North Shore Spirit throughout most of their five years as an independent team.