Jerry Kenney – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Jerry Kenney’s name doesn’t show up in baseball’s Hall of Fame, but honestly, his story is one of the more interesting chapters in New York Yankees history during their late 1960s struggles.

This Wisconsin native landed right in the middle of a tough situation when both media and fans started looking at him as the guy who might replace Mickey Mantle in center field. Kenney played six seasons in Major League Baseball from 1967 to 1973, mostly with the New York Yankees, and finished up with the Cleveland Indians.

Born June 30, 1945, Kenney’s baseball path began on the sandlots of Beloit, Wisconsin. He eventually found himself in the pressure cooker of Yankee Stadium during one of the franchise’s roughest stretches.

His career batting average—.237 with 7 home runs and 103 RBIs across 465 games—only tells part of the story. The real heart of it? A young guy who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, came back to huge expectations, and tried to find his way in the whirlwind of professional baseball during a time when the sport itself was changing fast.

Let’s dig into Kenney’s career, from his rise through the Yankees system to his time as Mantle’s would-be replacement, and his move to third base before wrapping things up in Cleveland.

His journey says a lot about the pressure prospects face in big markets and what pro baseball looked like in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

Who Is Jerry Kenney?

Gerald Tennyson Kenney played Major League Baseball, spending most of his career with the New York Yankees from 1967 to 1972.

He was born in St. Louis but grew up in Beloit, Wisconsin. He switched from being a high school basketball standout to a pro baseball player, then served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

Early Life and Background

Jerry Kenney arrived on June 30, 1945, in St. Louis, Missouri. His family moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1946 for his dad’s job at Fairbanks.

In Beloit, Kenney stood out as one of the best athletes at Beloit Memorial High School. He earned letters in baseball, basketball, and football.

Basketball was his main thing in high school. He grabbed All-State honors in basketball as a senior, which put him on the map in Wisconsin sports.

Kenney graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1963. After that, he briefly attended a small college in Pella, Iowa, until his baseball career took a new turn.

Path to Professional Baseball

Despite his basketball talent, Kenney decided to chase a future in professional baseball. The New York Yankees offered him a contract, and that changed everything for him.

The Yankees signed Kenney as an amateur free agent before the 1964 season. Scouts saw him as a promising shortstop with skills in contact hitting, speed, and defense.

His baseball progress hit a major pause because of military service. Kenney served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, which put his big league dreams on hold.

After returning from the Navy, Kenney made his MLB debut on September 5, 1967, when he was 22. He played his first game against the Chicago White Sox and made a decent impression in his short stint.

The Yankees called Kenney their “best player in the minor leagues” that offseason, showing just how much they believed in his future.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Jerry Kenney played six MLB seasons from 1967 to 1973. He spent most of that time with the Yankees and finished with the Cleveland Indians.

He started as a shortstop, tried center field, and eventually became known for his defensive abilities at third base, even though he never really found his swing.

MLB Debut and First Seasons

Kenney debuted on September 5, 1967, with the Yankees at age 22. His second career hit? An inside-the-park home run that year.

He missed the 1968 season because of Navy service during the Vietnam War. Kenney came back in 1969 for his first full season.

The Yankees moved him from shortstop to center field after Mickey Mantle retired. His 1969 season had a hot start—he hit a home run and a double on Opening Day, helping the Yankees win in Washington with President Nixon watching from the stands.

But the good times at the plate didn’t last. By May 3, his batting average had dropped to .206. Manager Ralph Houk moved him to third base and put Bobby Murcer in center field on May 13.

Teams Played For

Kenney spent most of his career with the New York Yankees from 1967 to 1972. He played 120-plus games in three straight seasons: 1969, 1970, and 1971.

His best season came in 1971, when he batted .262, drew 56 walks, and scored 50 runs in 325 at-bats. That was as good as it got for him offensively with the Yankees.

On November 27, 1972, the Yankees traded Kenney, Charley Spikes, John Ellis, and Rusty Torres to the Cleveland Indians for Graig Nettles and Jerry Moses. The Yankees mainly wanted Nettles, and Kenney was kind of a “throw-in.”

Kenney’s stint with Cleveland didn’t go well. He refused to sign a contract after not getting the usual salary bump. The Indians put him on waivers after just five games on May 4, 1973, and that ended his MLB career at 27.

Position and Playing Style

Kenney moved around a lot. He started as a shortstop in the minors, then tried center field, and finally landed at third base.

Physical Attributes:

• Height: 6’1″
• Weight: 170 pounds
• Bats: Left-handed
• Throws: Right-handed

He focused on contact hitting, speed, and defense, not power. Yankees GM Lee MacPhail once said that “with the exception of Brooks Robinson, he thought Jerry Kenney was the best defensive third baseman in the American League.”

Kenney’s bat never really came alive. He hit .237 for his career, with just 7 home runs and 103 RBIs in 465 games. He slugged only .311 in 1969, which was way below the league average of .369.

His 1970 season at the plate was rough. He hit .193, setting a Yankees record for futility that still stands. In one game against Washington, he went 0-for-8 in an 18-inning loss, tying a team record for most at-bats without a hit in a game.

Statistical Highlights and Achievements

Jerry Kenney’s six-year MLB career added up to a .237 batting average, 7 home runs, and 103 RBIs in 465 games. His second career hit was an inside-the-park home run in 1967.

Batting Average and Offensive Stats

Kenney’s career batting average of .237 shows the challenges he faced at the plate. His best year was 1969, when he hit .257 with a .328 on-base percentage in 130 games.

In 1967, he looked promising. Kenney hit .310 in 20 games, with a .412 on-base percentage. That small sample hinted at potential, but he couldn’t keep it up.

His bat cooled off big time in 1970, when he hit just .193 in 140 games. That was his worst full-season performance.

Kenney bounced back in 1971 to hit .262 and drew 56 walks, showing better patience at the plate. In 1972, his average dropped again to .210 before he finished up in Cleveland.

Home Runs and RBI

Power wasn’t his thing. Kenney hit just 7 home runs in his six-year career. That inside-the-park home run with the Yankees in 1967 was probably the most memorable.

He drove in 103 runs in 465 games. His best year for RBIs was 1969, when he knocked in 34. In 1970 and 1971, he added 35 and 20 RBIs.

Kenney hit 38 doubles over his career. He also managed 13 triples, with seven coming in 1970—even though his average that year was pretty dismal.

He could run a bit. Kenney stole 59 bases and got caught 29 times. His best year on the basepaths was 1969, with 25 steals.

Notable Fielding Performances

Kenney’s defensive versatility really helped his teams. He played shortstop, third base, and outfield.

At third base, he handled the glove well. In 1969, he posted a .975 fielding percentage in 83 games at the hot corner. In 1970, he handled 428 chances at third and finished with a .960 fielding percentage.

He flashed reliable hands at shortstop, too. Kenney put up a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in limited shortstop games during 1969 and 1971. In 1972, he played 45 games at short and managed a .969 fielding percentage.

Kenney also played center field in 1969 and kept a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 31 games. That kind of flexibility made him valuable to Yankees managers.

Career Milestones

Kenney’s MLB career ran from 1967 to 1973—five seasons with the Yankees and one with Cleveland. He lost rookie status after the 1969 season.

His busiest years were 1969 to 1971, when he played at least 120 games each season. In 1970, he played a career-high 140 games.

Serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War gave his career extra meaning. Kenney was one of 54 former MLB players who served in Vietnam.

He played his last MLB game on April 19, 1973, against Milwaukee. Kenney went 0-for-3 for Cleveland in his final appearance at age 27.

Years with the New York Yankees

Jerry Kenney spent six seasons with the Yankees, from 1967 to 1972. The team once saw him as a possible replacement for Mickey Mantle in center field.

His time in New York started with some bright moments, but he struggled at the plate and bounced around positions as the team tried to find his best spot.

Key Moments as a Yankee

Kenney’s biggest early highlight? Hitting an inside-the-park home run in 1967—it was just his second big league hit.

Opening Day 1969 was another career highlight for Kenney. He hit a home run and a double, helping the Yankees win in Washington with President Nixon in the stands.

On May 3, 1969, Kenney made a leaping catch in deep center field on free-cap day. Thousands of kids in the crowd saw it, and even the New York Times praised the play.

Career Statistics with Yankees:

• Games played: 460 (out of 465 total career games)
• Batting average: .237
• Home runs: 7
• RBIs: 103

Kenney played 120 or more games in three straight seasons—1969, 1970, and 1971. By 1972, his playing time dropped to just 50 games.

Impact on the Team

The Yankees put Kenney in center field right after Mickey Mantle retired in March 1969. Reporters started talking about him as the next in the line of Hall of Fame center fielders—Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Earle Combs. That’s a lot to live up to.

Kenney didn’t last long in center, though. He played just 33 games there before manager Ralph Houk shifted him to third base on May 13, 1969, moving Bobby Murcer to center.

His bat just never really woke up. In 1970, Kenney hit .193, which set a Yankees record for futility that, believe it or not, still stands.

He went 0-for-8 in an 18-inning loss to Washington on April 22, 1970, tying a Yankees record for most at-bats without a hit in a single game.

Even with those struggles, manager Ralph Houk found reasons to praise Kenney after the 1969 season. Houk said he was “particularly impressed by the improvement and promise shown” by Kenney and some of the other young guys.

Relations with Teammates and Coaches

Ralph Houk stuck by Kenney during his Yankees years. Houk even called Kenney and Bobby Murcer the “fastest runners the Yankees ever had” in spring training, 1969.

Kenney picked up the James P. Dawson award that year, sharing it with pitcher Bill Burbach. The team gives this to the best rookie in spring training.

He kept a good relationship with the Yankees after his trade. They later brought him back to play for Triple-A Syracuse in 1973.

When people asked about his time in center field, Kenney didn’t sugarcoat anything. “I don’t know if I did well as an outfielder because I never had done it before,” he admitted in 1969.

The Yankees traded Kenney to Cleveland in November 1972, along with Charley Spikes, John Ellis, and Rusty Torres. In exchange, New York got Graig Nettles and Jerry Moses.

Time with the Cleveland Indians

Jerry Kenney’s stint with the Cleveland Indians was really the last page of his big league story. It lasted just one season in 1973.

The Yankees had sent him to Cleveland in a four-player deal in November 1972. He barely played before stepping away from pro baseball.

Trade to the Indians

The Yankees traded Kenney to the Indians on November 27, 1972, at the Winter Meetings. Four players went to Cleveland: Kenney, John Ellis, Charlie Spikes, and Rusty Torres. The Yankees got third baseman Graig Nettles and Jerry Moses in return.

For Kenney, this was a big change. He was leaving the only big league team he’d known since 1967.

The Yankees were trying to rebuild after a few rough years. Nettles was the centerpiece for New York and later became a huge part of their championship teams in the late ’70s.

Cleveland got four young players, hoping they’d help turn things around.

Performance in Cleveland

Kenney didn’t see much action with the Indians in 1973. He played in just five games.

In those games, he went 4-for-16 at the plate, batting .250 for Cleveland.

The Indians mostly used him as a utility infielder. He played some second base, which was a switch from his Yankees days, where he’d mostly played third and outfield.

With the Indians, he just couldn’t get regular playing time. Other guys were ahead of him on the depth chart.

Final MLB Season and Retirement in 1973

Jerry Kenney played his final major league game on April 19, 1973, for Cleveland. That closed out a six-year MLB career that started with the Yankees in 1967.

His last season was quiet. In five games with Cleveland, he picked up four hits, showing he could still handle the bat a bit. But the opportunities just weren’t there anymore.

Kenney finished his career with a .237 batting average in 465 games. He hit seven home runs and drove in 103 runs.

After baseball, he went back to his hometown, Beloit, Wisconsin, and started coaching local teams.

Life After Baseball

Jerry Kenney’s life after baseball stayed pretty low-key, but people didn’t forget what he’d done for the game. His post-baseball years followed a path a lot of guys from his era took—focusing on personal pursuits but keeping a connection to baseball.

Transition Out of MLB

Kenney’s time in Major League Baseball ended after just five games with Cleveland in 1973. His last MLB game was April 19, 1973, and he was only 27.

After that, he spent two more years playing for the Yankees’ Triple-A team in Syracuse. He, like a lot of players, hoped for another shot at the majors.

In 1975, Kenney retired from pro baseball. His career numbers: .237 average, 7 home runs, 103 RBIs over 465 games with the Yankees and Indians.

For players from the ’60s and ’70s, leaving pro sports wasn’t easy. They usually didn’t have the financial cushion that today’s athletes do.

Legacy and Influence

Kenney’s baseball legacy might look modest on paper, but he had some moments that still get a mention. His second big league hit was an inside-the-park home run with the Yankees in 1967—a heck of a way to introduce yourself.

He also served in the military during the Vietnam War while playing pro baseball, which set him apart from most of his peers. Kenney was one of just 54 former Major Leaguers who were Vietnam veterans. That adds a lot more depth to his story than just stats.

In recent years, his hometown of Beloit, Wisconsin, honored him by renaming a street after him. It’s a nice nod to his journey from local kid to Major Leaguer.

Kenney’s story really echoes what a lot of players from his era went through—balancing baseball, military service, and staying involved in their communities.

Personal Life and Net Worth

Jerry Kenney kept his personal life pretty private after baseball, which honestly isn’t too surprising. Players back then just didn’t get the same level of media attention as today’s stars. He was born on June 30, 1945, in St. Louis, Missouri. Later, he went to Beloit Memorial High School in Wisconsin before jumping into his pro career.

You won’t find detailed info about Kenney’s net worth or what he earned after baseball. Guys who played in the 1960s and 1970s usually made much less than players today, so they often had to find other jobs once they retired.

Most players from that era needed to pick up work in different fields to make ends meet. Some went into coaching or business, while others just did whatever they needed to support their families.

Kenney always stayed connected to his Wisconsin roots. The community recognized him years after his playing days, which says a lot about the impact he made locally.