John Shelby

John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1981 to 1991. He began his career as a member of the Baltimore Orioles before later playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers. Shelby was a member of two World Series–winning teams: the 1983 Orioles and the 1988 Dodgers. His nickname was "T-Bone" because of his slight frame. He currently is a coach in the Atlanta Braves minor league system.

Early life
Shelby was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on February 23, 1958. In 1976, he graduated from Henry Clay High School in Lexington, where he played baseball (as a shortstop) and basketball and was an all-area performer. After high school, he played one year of baseball at Columbia State Community College in Columbia, Tennessee.

Baseball career

Playing career

In the January 1977 amateur draft, Shelby was a first–round pick (20th overall) of the Baltimore Orioles. He made his professional debut that year for the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League, batting .256 with 21 RBI in 60 games.

When Shelby was traded to the Dodgers during the 1987 season, the team was so desperate for a center fielder that he was rushed into uniform and into his first game. There was not even time to put his name on the back of his uniform, so he played the entire game without his name stitched onto his uniform. During Game 4 of the 1988 National League Championship Series, he drew a crucial walk off Dwight Gooden in the top of the ninth inning, allowing Mike Scioscia to come up and hit a game-tying home run, paving the way for the game-winning home run by Kirk Gibson in the top of the twelfth inning.

On June 3, 1989, he batted 0-for-10 in a 22–inning game against the Houston Astros.

After the Dodgers released Shelby on June 2, 1990, he was signed eleven days later by the Detroit Tigers. He became a free agent following the season, but the Tigers re–signed him on November 26. He was released for good by the Tigers on August 13, 1991.

In 1992, Shelby's final season as a professional baseball player, he appeared in 127 games for the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Class AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. He tallied 17 home runs and 64 RBI, but managed only a .205 batting average.

Coaching career
He was the hitting coach for the Albuquerque Isotopes, the AAA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.  In addition to managing several minor league teams, he has also served as a coach for the Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers. He was hired as a roving minor league instructor with the Atlanta Braves for the 2017 season.

Personal life
His oldest son, John Shelby III, is a former player in Major League Baseball and now a coach in the farm system of the Boston Red Sox. His second-oldest son, Jeremy Shelby, played one season in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system. His fourth-oldest son, JaVon Shelby, played for the University of Kentucky Wildcats baseball team and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2016 amateur draft.  His nephew Josh Harrison is a major league player.

References

External links

1958 births
Living people
Major League Baseball center fielders
Baltimore Orioles players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Detroit Tigers players
Baseball players from Lexington, Kentucky
African-American baseball players
African-American baseball coaches
Los Angeles Dodgers coaches
Pittsburgh Pirates coaches
Major League Baseball first base coaches
Minor league baseball coaches
Baltimore Orioles coaches
Milwaukee Brewers coaches
San Antonio Missions managers
Bluefield Orioles players
Miami Orioles players
Charlotte O's players
Rochester Red Wings players
Albuquerque Dukes players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American sportspeople