Today a quote from one of the most colorful players of all-time, Mike “King†Kelly, who starred for the Cincinnati Reds back in 1878-79. Kelly’s answer below is in response to the question, “Do you ever drink while playing baseball?â€Â
“It depends on the length of the game.†— Mike “King†Kelly
King Kelly led the league in OPS+ in 1879 with a rating of 184, not that anyone had ever heard of OPS+ in that day and age. Kelly was a superstar in the 1880’s and one of the first players to have his name “branded.†He is responsible for many of the rules that exist today, such as not being allowed to pass runners on the basepaths and not allowing substitutions in the middle of plays.
Kelly is also credited with inventing “sliding†and a popular song of the day was written about him, appropriately titled “Slide, Kelly, Slide.†For more about Kelly, one of baseball’s absolute best stories, please read here. Kelly was the true “King of Havoc.”
Quote found in Paul Dickson’s book “Baseball’s Greatest Quotations.”