Quick Facts
Biography
John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958 in Lexington, Kentucky) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1981 to 1991. His nickname was "T-Bone" for his slight frame. He currently is a coach in the Colorado Rockies minor league system.
Biography
Education
John Shelby is a 1976 graduate of Henry Clay High School in Lexington, KY, where he played baseball (shortstop) and basketball and was an all-area performer. After high school he played one year of baseball at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee.
Baseball career
Playing career
Over his 11-year career he played with three different teams: the Baltimore Orioles (1981–1987), Los Angeles Dodgers (1987–1990) and Detroit Tigers (1990–1991). Shelby was a member of two World Series-winning teams, the 1983 Orioles and the 1988 Dodgers. When he was traded to the Dodgers during the 1987 season, the team was so desperate for a center fielder that he was rushed into uniform and into his first game. There was not even time to put his name on the back of his uniform. He played the entire game as the only member of the Dodgers without his name stitched on his uniform. During Game Four of the 1988 National League Championship Series, he drew a crucial walk off Dwight Gooden in the top of the ninth inning, allowing Mike Scioscia to come up and hit a game-tying home run, paving the way for the game-winning home run by Kirk Gibson in the top of the twelfth inning. On June 3, 1989 he batted 0 for 10 in a 22 inning game vs. the Houston Astros.
Coaching career
He is currently the hitting coach for the Albuquerque Isotopes, the AAA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. In addition to managing several minor league teams, he has also served as a coach for the Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers.
Family
His oldest son, John Shelby III, is currently in playing in Minor League Baseball for the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League. His second oldest son, Jeremy Shelby, played one season in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system. His fourth oldest son, JaVon Shelby, played for the University of Kentucky Wildcats baseball team and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2016 amateur draft. His nephew, Josh Harrison, is currently playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
