Michael Dennis Kekich (born April 2, 1945) is an American former professional baseball
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
who played for the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
,
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
,
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
,
Texas Rangers and
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
in parts of nine seasons spanning 1965–1977. In 1974, he played in Japan for the
Nippon-Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at ES CON Field Hokkaido. The Fighters also host a ...
.
Career
Kekich was a left-handed
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
who began his career as a starter but later moved to the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
as a reliever. He had a modestly successful career in the Major Leagues, but he is best remembered for trading families with fellow Yankees pitcher
Fritz Peterson
Fred Ingels Peterson (born February 8, 1942) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player who played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Texas Rangers from 1966 to 1976. Peterson was a southpaw starting pitcher who enjoy ...
before the 1973 season. The trade worked out better for Peterson, who later married Kekich's wife, Susanne, than it did for Kekich, who soon broke up with Peterson's wife, Marilyn.
After his big league career ended, Kekich attempted a comeback in the
Mexican League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
, but this proved unsuccessful. He is remarried and currently resides near
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
.
References
External links
Mike Kekichat Baseball Almanac
Mike Kekichat Baseball Gauge
Mike Kekichat Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Professional Baseball League)
1945 births
Living people
Albuquerque Dodgers players
American expatriate baseball players in Japan
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
American people of Serbian descent
Arizona Instructional League Dodgers players
Baseball players from San Diego
Cleveland Indians players
Gold Coast Suns (baseball) players
Indios de Ciudad Juárez (minor league) players
Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Mexican League baseball pitchers
Minor league baseball managers
New York Yankees players
Nippon Ham Fighters players
Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers
San Jose Missions players
Santa Barbara Dodgers players
Santo Domingo Azucareros players
Seattle Mariners players
Spokane Indians players
St. Petersburg Saints players
Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo players
Texas Rangers players
Tiburones de La Guaira players
Tigres de Aragua players
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