Tom Kelly Was Not Just A Manager For The Minnesota Twins

We all know Tom Kelly as the manager who led the Twins to their only two World Series titles won since the franchise moved to Minnesota from Washington. “TK” won 1,140 games during his tenure, second most in franchise history and the most since Bucky Harris completed his Hall of Fame Managerial career with Washington in 1954. Kelly’s number 10 was retired by the Twins in 2012, and he has a statue outside Target Field. But what about his playing career? Let’s learn more about Tom Kelly, the player.

Jay Thomas Kelly was born August 15, 1950, right here in Minnesota. Yes, he was born in the tiny town of Graceville in Big Stone County, Minnesota, believe it or not. However, he moved to the East Coast at an early age. He grew up in Sayreville, New Jersey, and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in nearby South Amboy. Perhaps that is where he gets the sometimes gruff and curmudgeonly façade that rears its head from time to time. 

Kelly, a lefthanded thrower and batter, was selected in the eighth round of the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft by the expansion Seattle Pilots (who played a single season in Seattle before moving to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers). After three somewhat lackluster seasons in the minor leagues, the Brewers released the outfielder/first baseman in April of 1971. 

The Minnesota Twins signed the five-foot-eleven, 188-pound Kelly almost immediately after his release and assigned him to Class-AA, where he found success. He was a first baseman by trade but also played a little outfield. In 1972, he spent the first of four seasons at Triple-A Tacoma. He hit .278/.411/.858 during those four years. He had a little power, averaging 13 doubles and 14 home runs while averaging 405 plate appearances. He had a good eye, walking more than he struck out (284 to 236). He appeared to be a good Triple-A hitter, but perhaps just organizational depth, as he remained at that level for four years. Was he ever going to make the major leagues?

In 1972, Harmon Killebrew started 128 games at first base but was used little at the position from 1973 to 1975. During those three seasons, a real cast of characters (Rich Reese, Joe Lis, Jim Holt, Craig Kusick, Pat Bourque, John Briggs, Jerry Terrell) was manning first base for the Twins. There didn’t seem to be a true everyday first baseman, but that didn’t make it easier for Kelly to get a chance. But finally, in May of 1975, he was summoned to the major league club.

Kelly’s first plate appearance came on May 11 against Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles. Kelly was used as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of a game in which the Twins trailed 6-3. Kelly grounded out to second base with two runners on base to end the inning. His first hit would have to wait until his fifth game and ninth plate appearance. In the fifth inning of a game against Detroit on May 19, he had a single to centerfield, which drove in Tony Oliva. He was used regularly from May 11 to July 11, starting 37 games at first base and appearing in 12 other games as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement. At that point, Kelly was batting .181/.262/.244. He had one home run (off Vern Ruhle of the Tigers) and 11 runs batted in. It was not enough to hold a major league job. He was sent down to Class-AAA, where he completed the season. He would never again play Major League Baseball. 

In early 1976, the Baltimore Orioles purchased Kelly from the Twins. He played the 1976 season with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate and had arguably his best minor league season (.289/.413/.484). However, that success was not enough for the Baltimore organization to keep him. In 1977, he was back with the Twins organization and in Tacoma, Washington, the Triple-A affiliate. But this time, he was not only playing in Tacoma, but managing had also been added to his job duties. He finished the season with a record of 68-75 as a portent of things to come. The Twins' Triple-A affiliation moved to Toledo, Ohio, of the International League in 1978, and so did Kelly. It was his last season as a full-time baseball player. 

Tom Kelly’s career minor league statistics finished at .271/.405/.421 with 116 home runs and 515 RBI in 13 seasons. He had 934 hits in 3,452 at-bats. He walked (764 times) more than he struck out (580), contributing to that lofty .405 on-base percentage. 

After his playing career ended, his minor league managing continued. By 1983, he was with the major league Minnesota Twins as third base coach. He was promoted to interim manager in 1986. We know how that managing career turned out.

After retiring as manager, Kelly continued in the Twins organization as a Special Assistant to the General Manager and as a special instructor in spring training. He also filled in on the Twins' television broadcasts at least a few times over the years. I highly enjoyed his insights and comments, which were on another level from the insights offered by the usual broadcasters. I learned things from Kelly that other broadcasters never touched on. It was an extremely limited and infrequent role, and I would have welcomed more of Kelly’s analysis. Kelly suffered a mild stroke late in 2014 and has since reduced his work significantly. 

I saw him at Twinfest 2025 mucking it up with fellow managers Ron Gardenhire, Paul Molitor, and Rocco Baldelli and two of his former players, Tim Laudner and Scott Leius. He seemed to be having a wonderful time joking and reminiscing, which was great to see.

Tom Kelly had a short, forgettable baseball playing career, but hey, he made it. He got that cup of coffee. It’s more than most can say. He’s one of 23,400 and counting in history to achieve it. But it was after that playing career that he really made his mark, managing those two World Series Champions oh so long ago.

Does anybody remember the player, Tom Kelly? If so, please share your memories below. If you like looking back at the Twins' past, check out my previous articles at Twins Daily History.

Sources include Baseball Reference and Wikipedia. 

Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!