Bob Kline

Robert George Kline
(Junior)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 200 lb.
• High School Central High School (Columbus)
• Debut September 17, 1930
• Final Game July 15, 1934
• Born December 9, 1909 in Enterprise, OH USA
• Died March 16, 1987 in Westerville, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Ohio native Bob Kline spent fourteen active seasons in professional baseball from 1930 to 1946.

The twenty-year-old right-hander started his career in the minor leagues in 1930 with the Erie Sailors of the class B Central League. He spun a 23-9 record and a 3.95 ERA in forty games with the Sailors. His 23 wins topped the league and earned him a berth on the All-Star team.

Kline was then called up by the Boston Red Sox, appearing in his first game in the big leagues on September 17, 1930, allowing one hit in one inning in his debut. This started his five-year run in the major leagues.

Kline spent the next three seasons, 1931 to 1933 with the second division Fenway Park club, winning 23 times and losing 26 before being traded, along with Rabbit Warstler and $125,000, to the Philadelphia Athletics for Max Bishop, Lefty Grove and Rube Walberg.

The right-hander went 6-2 in 20 games with the 1934 Athletics before being sold to the Washington Senators on June 23, 1934, for an unannounced sum. Bob was 1-0 in six games for the Senators, ending the season with a 7-2 record, but carried a 7.21 ERA. This was it for Kline in the big leagues and he finished his 148-game run in The Show with a 30-28 record and a 5.05 ERA.

Kline spent the remainder of his fourteen-year pro career in the minor leagues, mostly at the AA level (at that time, the highest tier of the minors). He had three double-digit win seasons with his best year in 1935. Bob went 17-10 for the Buffalo Bisons of the International League that year, while appearing in 40 games. He finished out his minor league career at the age of 36 with a 94-77 record, while appearing in 318 games and pitching 1,470 innings.

After his active playing days were over, Kline managed the 1946 Marion Cardinals for part of the year and he also guided the 1947 Johnson City Cardinals. He then was a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals (1948-1957) and Kansas City Athletics (1958-1959). He also worked for the State of Ohio Administrative Office and the State Highway Department. Robert George Kline died from cancer on March 16, 1987 at the Manor Care Nursing Center in Westerville, OH. He was 77 years of age.

Related Sites

• Bob Kline at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page