Buddy Kerr

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John Joseph "Buddy" Kerr (November 6, 1922 – November 7, 2006) was an American

The Giants signed Buddy Kerr out of George Washington High School in New York City. The team assigned Kerr to the Fort Smith Giants of the Western Association. As an 18 year old rookie, Kerr appeared in 102 games and batted over .300. He was promoted to Jersey City of the International League, where he'd spent the next two seasons before joining the Giants as the backup to Billy Jurges. At 20 years old, Kerr was the youngest player on the roster. However in his first season in the major leagues, Kerr appeared in 27 games and batted a respectable .285. In 1944, Giants player/manager Mel Ott named Kerr the starting shortstop and moved the veteran Jurges to third base. Kerr remained the regular shortstop for the Giants until he was traded to the Boston Braves ahead of the 1950 season, along with Willard Marshall and Sid Gordon, for Alvin Dark and Eddie Stanky. Kerr only played a couple of season in Boston, splitting his second season between shortstop and second base. He was released at the end of the 1951 season, and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and was assigned to their minor league affiliate in Baltimore.

In 1953, he returned to the Braves, who by this time had relocated to Milwaukee and was assigned to the Toledo Sox, their top minor league affiliate. Kerr retired as an active player after playing one season for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League. Kerr later became a manager and made a few appearances as a player.

In 1958, Kerr was the manager of the

Kerr remained with the Giants managing their minor league affiliates until 1963, when he was dismissed at the conclusion of the 1963 season, in which he had led the Springfield Giants of the Double-A Eastern League to a 72-68 record, which was good enough for a third place finish.

Kerr worked for the New York Mets from 1975 through 2000 as a special assignment scout. He died in New York City after a short illness, one day after his 84th birthday.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
• Buddy Kerr – Baseballbiography.com
• Retrosheet
• Associated Press obituary