Artie Kay

Arthur Lafayette Kay

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 174 lb.

• Born October 16, 1934 in Belton, SC USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Artie Kay played in the minor leagues from 1955 to 1964, with the heart of his career being in AAA in the Baltimore Orioles organization.

His first year, he went 17-8 for the Aberdeen Pheasants, the Orioles' affiliate in the Northern League, giving an early indication that he was someone to watch. He was 15-8, 2.54 for the Columbus Foxes of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1956 and 16-8, 2.55 for the Knoxville Smokies in the same circuit in 1957. His first AAA season was with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association in 1958, when he went 8-12, 3.75, then in 1959 he was 7-6, 2.08 for the Miami Marlins in the International League. He led the league in ERA. In 1960, splitting his time between Miami and the Rochester Red Wings, to whom he was loaned, he was 8-6 mainly as a relief pitcher. In 1961, Rochester was now the Orioles' AAA affiliate (and would remain so for over two decades) and he was 9-10, 2.86 in 70 appearances, all in relief.

On November 16, 1961, he was included in a major league trade, going to the Cleveland Indians along with 1B Ray Barker and C Harry Chiti in return for 2B Johnny Temple. However, he remained stuck in AAA, spending 1962 with the Jacksonville Suns, going 7-1, 3.60 in 49 relief appearances. He then started 1963 with the Charleston Indians of the AA Eastern League but was released after 6 ineffective appearances and moved to the Chicago Cubs system and the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League where he was 0-3, 352. He was released again and finished the year in the Mexican League with the Sultanes de Monterrey. He gave it one last try in 1964, now with the Buffalo Bisons in the New York Mets system, but was released after giving up 12 runs in 3 innings, bringing his career to an end.