Tom Kelly is a former Major League Baseball player and manager who spent his entire career with the Minnesota Twins. He was born on August 15, 1950, in Graceville, Minnesota, and attended high school in nearby Clinton. After graduation, Kelly attended the University of Minnesota, where he played baseball and was a member of the 1972 Big Ten championship team.
Kelly was drafted by the Twins in the eighth round of the 1971 MLB draft and made his major league debut in 1975. He played in 49 games that season, primarily as a catcher, and hit .240 with one home run and 12 RBI. Over the next few years, Kelly played a variety of positions for the Twins, including first base, third base, and outfield. He was never a star player, but he was a reliable utility man who could be counted on to fill in wherever he was needed.
In 1981, Kelly retired as a player and joined the Twins coaching staff. He spent the next several years working as a minor league instructor and manager before being named the Twins' third base coach in 1986. That same year, the Twins won the American League pennant and went on to win the World Series, with Kelly serving as third base coach.
In 1987, Kelly was named the Twins' manager, replacing Ray Miller. He inherited a team that had finished in last place the previous year, but he quickly turned things around. In his first season as manager, the Twins won the AL West division title and went on to win the World Series for the second time in five years. Kelly was named AL Manager of the Year for his efforts.
Over the next several years, Kelly continued to lead the Twins to success. He won another division title in 1991 and led the team to the World Series, where they defeated the Atlanta Braves in a thrilling seven-game series. Kelly was once again named AL Manager of the Year for his efforts.
Kelly retired as manager of the Twins in 2001, after 16 seasons at the helm. He finished his career with a record of 1,140 wins and 1,244 losses, making him the winningest manager in Twins history. He was known for his no-nonsense approach to managing and his ability to get the most out of his players.
After retiring as manager, Kelly remained with the Twins organization as a special assistant to the general manager. He also worked as a television analyst for the team's broadcasts. In 2012, he was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame, joining former players and managers such as Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, and Rod Carew.
Overall, Tom Kelly had a long and successful career in baseball, both as a player and a manager. He was a key part of two World Series championship teams and is widely regarded as one of the best managers in Twins history.
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