Bobby Kline
{{Short description|American baseball player (1929–2021)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Bobby Kline
|position=Shortstop
|image=
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1929|1|27}}
|birth_place=St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
|death_date= {{Death date and age|2021|10|26|1929|1|27}}
|death_place= St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 11
|debutyear=1955
|debutteam= Washington Senators
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 25
|finalyear=1955
|finalteam= Washington Senators
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=Batting average
|stat1value=.221
|stat2label=Home runs
|stat2value=0
|stat3label=Runs batted in
|stat3value=9
|teams=
- Washington Senators ({{baseball year|1955}})
|highlights=
}}
John Robert Kline (January 27, 1929 – October 26, 2021) was an American professional baseball player. A shortstop, his 12-year career included one season in Major League Baseball as a member of the {{mlby|1955}} Washington Senators. Kline threw and batted right-handed and was listed as {{convert|6|ft}} tall and {{convert|179|lb}}.
Biography
Kline was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. His career began in 1947 at the Class C level of minor league baseball. By 1950, he was part of the New York Yankees' organization. In 1954 he was the All-Star shortstop of the Double-A Southern Association, and at the end of that season he was selected by Washington in the Rule 5 draft. He was the starting shortstop for the home side in the annual Presidential Opener at Griffith Stadium on April 11, 1955; he was hitless in two at-bats against Lou Kretlow of the Baltimore Orioles and left the game for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning.Retrosheet [https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1955/B04110WS11955.htm box score: 1955-04-11] He then started four more games at shortstop for Washington, but by April 20, he was still looking for his first MLB hit, having gone 0-for-13. After a spell on the bench, Kline's playing time increased in May and June, and by June 7, he had raised his batting average to .263, his high-water mark for the year. He fell into another drought at the plate, however, and started only one game for the Senators after July 17.Retrosheet: [https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1955/Iklinb1040011955.htm 1955 WAS A Batting Log for Bobby Kline]
He finished his one major league season with a .221 batting average in 77 games played and 140 at-bats, with nine career runs batted in; his 31 hits included 5 doubles. He started 44 games at shortstop (second to José Valdivielso) and 3 at second base. At shortstop, he compiled a fielding percentage of .943 with 15 errors in 265 total chances. In February 1956, the Senators traded him back to the Yankees as part of a six-player transaction. Kline retired from the game in 1958, having played 11 seasons in the minor leagues for 10 teams.
Kline died on October 26, 2021, in St. Petersburg.{{cite web |title=Bobby Kline Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/klinebo02.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=April 25, 2022 |language=en}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|br=k/klinebo02|brm=kline-002joh}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kline, Bobby}}
Category:Anniston Rams players
Category:Baltimore Orioles (International League) players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:Baseball players from St. Petersburg, Florida
Category:Beaumont Roughnecks players
Category:Binghamton Triplets players
Category:Birmingham Barons players
Category:Gloversville-Johnstown Glovers players
Category:Kansas City Blues (baseball) players
Category:Major League Baseball shortstops
Category:Richmond Virginians (minor league) players
Category:St. Petersburg Saints players
Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) players
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