Greg Jelks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greg Jelks |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Jelks with the Perth Heat in 2009
|
|||
| Third baseman | |||
| Born: 16 August 1961 Centre, Alabama, US |
|||
| Died: 6 January 2017 (aged 55) Sydney, Australia |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| August 20, 1987, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1987, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .091 | ||
| On-base percentage | .286 | ||
| Hits | 1 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Gregory Dion Jelks (born August 16, 1961 – died January 6, 2017) was an amazing baseball player from America who also became an Australian citizen. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. Most of his career was spent in the minor leagues, which are like stepping stones to the big leagues. He was also very well-known for playing with the Australia national baseball team and the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League.
Contents
Playing Baseball: Greg Jelks' Career
Early Life and First Steps in Baseball
Greg Jelks was born in Centre, Alabama. He went to Cherokee County High School (Alabama). There, he was a star in both baseball and basketball. He even earned special "all-state" honors for his skills.
After high school, Greg went to Gadsden State Community College. He continued to play both sports for the Cardinals team. In 1981, the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team signed him. This was a big step for his professional career!
Playing in the Minor Leagues
Greg started playing in the minor leagues in 1982 with the Bend Phillies. The next year, he showed off his power. He hit 24 home runs and had 75 RBI (runs batted in) for the Spartanburg Spinners.
In 1987, Greg played 123 games in AAA, which is the highest level of minor league baseball. He played for the Maine Guides. That same summer, he got a chance to play for the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball! He played 10 games and got one hit, which was a double.
After his time with the Phillies, Greg became a free agent in 1989. He then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and played for their minor league team, the Louisville Redbirds. Over eight seasons in the minor leagues, Greg played 771 games. He hit 96 home runs and had 361 RBI. His batting average was .245.
Playing in Australia and Italy
In the 1990s, Greg Jelks played professional baseball in Italy and Australia. In 1993, he started playing for the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League (ABL). Greg really loved living in Australia. He decided to make Perth his home and became a dual citizen of both America and Australia.
He played for the Perth Heat for most of his time in the ABL. He also played for the Western Australia team in the International Baseball League of Australia. He had a short time playing for the Melbourne Reds in 1996.
Playing for Team Australia
Greg Jelks played for the Australian national team from 1997 to 2000. He helped Australia achieve great things!
In the 1997 Intercontinental Cup, Greg had an amazing batting average of .471. He helped Australia win a bronze medal. This was the first time Australia had ever won a medal in a big global baseball event! Greg was even named to the All-Star team as a designated hitter.
The next year, in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, he played as the starting left fielder. He also helped Australia win a silver medal at the 1998 Haarlem Baseball Week. Greg continued to play for Australia in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Coaching Baseball: Greg Jelks as a Manager
Starting His Coaching Career
Greg Jelks began his coaching career in 2000. He helped coach the Australian team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2002, he became a head coach for the Evansville Otters. This team was part of the independent Frontier League.
In 2006, Greg was chosen to be a coach for the Australian national team again. This time, it was for the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Leading the Otters to a Championship
Later in 2006, Greg led the Evansville Otters to win a championship! This was a big achievement for him as a manager.
The next season, he was hired to manage a new team called the Slippery Rock Sliders. This team was a special "concept team" linked to Slippery Rock University. However, the team didn't do very well and later became a traveling team called the Midwest Sliders.
In 2008, Greg Jelks became the manager for the Washington Wild Things. He managed this team for one season.
Greg Jelks' Passing
Sadly, Greg Jelks passed away on January 6, 2017, at the age of 55. He was on a flight traveling from the United States to Australia when he fell asleep and could not be woken up. Greg Jelks was the first Major League Baseball player in history to have died in Australia.
