Oral history - John Kelly

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2021

Overview

Oral history 'Memories of 3 Decades in Baseball', recorded with John Kelly, Western Australian baseball player.

[Click on arrows above John Kelly's photo to locate audio file.]

Historical information

Born in Cannington in Western Australia in 1935, John Kelly played 'A' grade cricket as a left-arm fast bowler for the West Perth Cricket Club from age 16. During that time, the West Perth Club's home ground was at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) Ground, where Kelly had taken an interest in the Night Baseball Series being played there. On his 21st birthday in 1956 some of his mates who were involved in cricket and baseball, gave him a left-handed baseball glove and told him baseball was the game for him. In 1957 he joined the Nedlands Baseball Club.

Kelly's career as a pitcher began when he played with the Fremantle Braves in the Night Baseball Series at the WACA Ground. His first selection in the Western Australian State team was in 1959 in the Claxton Shield Series in Victoria. He received five more consecutive State caps from 1960 to 1964. In the 1960 Claxton Shield Series in Sydney Kelly was selected in the All-Australian side as a pitcher.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-100-2020.CD.5

Item type

Themes

Inscriptions and markings

[On CD cover]
'John Kelly'
'Memories of 3 Decades in Baseball'
'49 mins'

Contextual Information

John Kelly made a significant and invaluable 30-year contribution to the game of baseball in Western Australia.

As a player he competed in State league baseball, the Night Baseball Series, six Western Australian Claxton Shield teams (1959-1964) and All-Australian in 1960.

Following his years as a player, he continued his association with the sport as an administrator, team manager and selector, and liaison officer.

Keywords

All Australian Baseball Team

Baseball Pitcher

Nedlands Baseball Club

Night Baseball Series

WACA Oval, Perth, Western Australia

Fremantle Braves

Place made

Perth
Western Australia
Australia

Year

2021

Statement of significance

Of historic and social significance, John Kelly's oral history provides a fuller, more accurate picture of the past by augmenting the information provided by public records, statistical data, photographs and other historical materials. It allows archiving of narrated memories and is a crucial part of preserving the history of baseball in Western Australia.

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Interpretive capacity

Object’s condition or completeness

Rare or representative

Well provenanced