John Shelby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Shelby |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: February 23, 1958 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 15, 1981, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 11, 1991, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .239 | ||
| Home runs | 70 | ||
| Runs batted in | 313 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958) is an American former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played from 1981 to 1991. John started his career with the Baltimore Orioles. Later, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers.
Shelby was part of two World Series championship teams. He won with the 1983 Orioles and the 1988 Dodgers. People sometimes called him "T-Bone" because he was quite slender. As of 2025, he works as a coach in the Atlanta Braves minor league system.
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John Shelby's Early Life
John Shelby was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on February 23, 1958. He went to Henry Clay High School in Lexington. There, he was a talented athlete. He played both baseball as a shortstop and basketball. He was recognized as an all-area player. After high school, he played baseball for one year at Columbia State Community College in Columbia, Tennessee.
John Shelby's Baseball Career
Playing in the Major Leagues
The Baltimore Orioles picked John Shelby in the first round of the 1977 amateur draft. He was the 20th player chosen overall. He started his professional baseball journey that same year. He played for the Bluefield Orioles in the Appalachian League. In 60 games, he hit for a .256 batting average and had 21 RBIs.
In 1983, Shelby was a key player for the Baltimore Orioles. That year, the Orioles won the 1983 World Series. It was his first full season in the major leagues. During the World Series, he played very well. He got 4 hits in 9 tries, which is a .444 batting average. He also had one RBI.
In 1987, Shelby was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team needed a center fielder so badly that he played his first game right away. There was no time to even put his name on his uniform! He played the whole game without his name stitched on the back.
During the 1988 playoffs, Shelby had a very important moment. In Game 4 of the 1988 National League Championship Series, he got a crucial walk. This allowed Mike Scioscia to hit a game-tying home run. Later, Kirk Gibson hit a game-winning home run. Shelby also had a two-run single earlier in that game. The Dodgers went on to win the 1988 World Series. This was John Shelby's second World Series title.
On June 3, 1989, Shelby played in a very long game. It lasted 22 innings against the Houston Astros. He did not get any hits in 10 tries during that game.
The Dodgers released Shelby on June 2, 1990. Eleven days later, the Detroit Tigers signed him. He became a free agent after that season. However, the Tigers signed him again on November 26. The Tigers released him for good on August 13, 1991.
In 1992, John Shelby played his last season as a professional baseball player. He played 127 games for the Pawtucket Red Sox. This team was the top minor league team for the Boston Red Sox. He hit 17 home runs and had 64 RBIs. However, his batting average was .205 that year.
Coaching After Playing
After his playing career, John Shelby became a baseball coach. He was the hitting coach for the Albuquerque Isotopes. This team is the top minor league team for the Colorado Rockies. He has also managed several other minor league teams.
Shelby has also coached for several Major League Baseball teams. These include the Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers. In 2017, he became a roving minor league instructor for the Atlanta Braves. This means he travels to help coach players in their minor league system.
John Shelby's Family Life
John Shelby has several sons who also played baseball. His oldest son, John Shelby III, played in Major League Baseball. He is now a coach in the Boston Red Sox minor league system. His second son, Jeremy Shelby, played one season in the Baltimore Orioles' minor league system.
His fourth son, JaVon Shelby, played baseball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats. The Oakland Athletics drafted him in the 2016 amateur draft. John Shelby's nephew, Josh Harrison, also played in the major leagues.
