Kevin Pasley

Kevin Patrick Pasley

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Chaminade High School (Mineola)
• Debut October 2, 1974
• Final Game October 1, 1978
• Born July 22, 1953 in Bronx, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Kevin Pasley was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 8, 1971, in the 29th round of the 1971 amateur draft. The catcher spent his first season in the Northwest League class A (Short Season) with the Medford Dodgers. He appeared in only 24 games, had 82 at bats, with 23 hits for a .280 batting average.

This was the first of 12 seasons, 1971 through 1982, for Kevin in the minors, sandwiched between 4 short trips to the major leagues in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978.

He was in 7 leagues in the minors and 10 different teams. In the minors Pasley appeared in 1,010 games, had 3,581 at bats, 1,013 base hits, 17 home runs and a .284 batting average. His best year in the minors came in 1976 with the Pacific Coast League Albuquerque Dukes when he got into 122 games, had 461 at bats with 148 hits for a .321 average. Kevin's catching was very good. He caught most of the 1,010 games he appeared in, hovering around the .980 fielding percentage.

There was nothing spectacular about Pasley's four trips to the major leagues. He appeared in only 55 games, had 122 at bats with 31 hits for a .254 major league average. He spent 1974, 1976 and part of 1977 with the Los Angeles Dodgers but on September 28, 1977 he was purchased by the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners released Kevin on March 28, 1979. On March 10, 1982 he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. The record shows no roster time for him with the Tigers.

It is said that everyone will have their day in the sun and so it went for Pasley. Only two players in baseball's long and storied history have the distinction of belting a home run in their final big league at bat and having their uniform number retired. The first player to accomplish these unique feats is baseball legend Ted Williams. The second? Kevin Pasley.

On October 1, 1978, Pasley hit his first and only home run of his big league career off the Texas Rangers' Fergie Jenkins in what turned out to be his final official at bat. On July 6, 1980, Pasley had the prestigious honor of having number 4, the number he donned in 1974, 1976 and 1977, retired by the Dodgers - although not in his honor. The number had previously been worn by Hall of Famer Duke Snider from 1947 to 1962.

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
SABR Minor League Database
baseball-reference.com
Baseball Library.com