Steve Jeltz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steve Jeltz |
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: May 28, 1959 Paris, France |
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| debut | |||
| July 17, 1983, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1990, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .210 | ||
| Home runs | 5 | ||
| Runs batted in | 130 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
| June 8, 1989 Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Phillies | |||
Larry Steven Jeltz (born May 28, 1959) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He was born in Paris, France. Steve played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for eight seasons. He played mostly as a shortstop.
Steve Jeltz played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Kansas City Royals. He is one of only a few MLB players born in France. He holds many records for French-born MLB players.
Steve Jeltz: A Baseball Journey
Steve Jeltz was born in Paris. His family was a military family. When he was young, his family moved to Lawrence, Kansas. He went to Lawrence High School there.
After high school, Steve went to the University of Kansas. He was a great baseball player in college. He set a school record with 65 stolen bases. The Phillies chose him in the 1980 MLB draft. He made his first MLB appearance in 1983.
Famous Game: Two Home Runs
On June 8, 1989, Steve Jeltz had a very special game. He hit two home runs in one game! This was amazing because he only hit five home runs in his whole career. He did not even start this game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Steve was a switch-hitter. This means he could hit from both the right and left sides of the plate. In this game, he hit one home run from each side. This was the first time a Phillies player had ever done this.
Something else exciting happened in that game. The Pirates scored 10 runs in the first inning. A Pirates announcer, Jim Rooker, said he would walk back to Pittsburgh if they lost. The Phillies came back and won the game 15-11! After the season, Jim Rooker walked 300 miles for charity.
After Baseball and French Records
Steve Jeltz played his last MLB season in 1990. He played for the Kansas City Royals. After he stopped playing baseball, he worked in different jobs. He worked in the construction business. In 2003, he had surgery to remove a non-harmful brain tumor.
Steve Jeltz holds many records for baseball players born in France. He has the most games played and the most hits. He also leads in runs, doubles, triples, and runs batted in. Only seven MLB players have been born in France.
