Leo Kiely
From BR Bullpen
Leo Patrick Kiely (Kiki)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut June 27, 1951
- Final Game June 20, 1960
- Born November 30, 1929 in Hoboken, NJ USA
- Died January 18, 1984 in Montclair, NJ USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Leo Kiely was a very good reliever in the majors, posting a 125 ERA+. He missed '52 due to military service and the next year, became the first ex-major leaguer to play in Nippon Pro Baseball. He was 63-36 in the minors - in 1957 he was 21-6 for the San Francisco Seals with a 2.22 ERA; he led the PCL in victories. The odd part was that Kiely only started 3 games, going 1-2, before being moved to the bullpen. His 20 relief wins are a Pacific Coast League record as are his 14 consecutive relief wins. The 1958 Sporting News Guide also credits Kiely with 11 saves during the 14-win streak, but it is unclear what standard was used, as saves were not officially a statistic until 1969.
