| John Shelby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1958-02-23)February 23, 1958 (age 67) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 15, 1981, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 11, 1991, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .239 |
| Home runs | 70 |
| Runs batted in | 313 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958) is an American formercenter fielder inMajor League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1981 to 1991. He began his career as a member of theBaltimore Orioles before later playing for theLos Angeles Dodgers andDetroit Tigers. Shelby was a member of twoWorld Series–winning teams: the1983 Orioles and the1988 Dodgers. His nickname was "T-Bone" because of his slight frame. He currently is a coach in theAtlanta Braves minor league system.
Shelby was born inLexington, Kentucky, on February 23, 1958.[1] In 1976, he graduated fromHenry Clay High School in Lexington, where he played baseball (as ashortstop) andbasketball and was an all-area performer. After high school, he played one year of baseball atColumbia State Community College inColumbia, Tennessee.
In the January 1977 amateur draft, Shelby was a first–round pick (20th overall) of the Baltimore Orioles.[2] He made his professional debut that year for theBluefield Orioles of theAppalachian League, batting .256 with 21 RBI in 60 games.[3] While with the Orioles, Shelby was a member of the1983 World Serieschampionship team in his first full year at the major league level. He hit .444 (4-for-9) with an RBI in that year's World Series.
When Shelby was traded to the Dodgers during the1987 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 the1988 National League Championship Series, he drew a crucial walk offDwight Gooden in the top of the ninth inning, allowingMike Scioscia to come up and hit a game-tying home run, paving the way for the game-winning home run byKirk Gibson in the top of the twelfth inning.[4] He also had a two-run single earlier in the game. The Dodgers would go on to win the1988 World Series and Shelby his second title.
On June 3, 1989, he batted 0-for-10 in a 22–inning game against theHouston Astros.[5]
After the Dodgers released Shelby on June 2, 1990, he was signed eleven days later by the Detroit Tigers.[1] He became a free agent following the season, but the Tigers re–signed him on November 26. He was released by the Tigers on August 13, 1991.[1]
In 1992, Shelby's final season as a professional baseball player, he appeared in 127 games for thePawtucket Red Sox, the Class AAA affiliate of theBoston Red Sox. He tallied 17 home runs and 64 RBI, but managed only a .205 batting average.[3]
Shelby was the hitting coach for theAlbuquerque Isotopes, theTriple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.[6] In addition to managing several minor league teams, he has also served as a coach for the Dodgers,Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, andMilwaukee Brewers. He was hired as a roving minor league instructor with theAtlanta Braves for the 2017 season.
His oldest son, John Shelby III, is a former player inMajor League Baseball and now a coach in the farm system of theBoston Red Sox.[7] 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 theOakland Athletics in 2016 amateur draft.[8] His nephewJosh Harrison is a former major league player.[1]
· Baseball Almanac| Preceded by | Los Angeles Dodgers First Base Coach 1998–2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Pittsburgh Pirates First Base Coach 2006–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Baltimore Orioles First Base Coach 2008–2010 | Succeeded by |