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Harold Kefauver Keller

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Harold Kefauver Keller Veteran

Birth
Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland, USA
Death
5 Jun 2012 (aged 84)
Sequim, Clallam County, Washington, USA
Burial
Burial Details Unknown Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Major league baseball player 1949-1952. Catcher for the Washington Senators.

Mr. Harold Kefauver Keller, Sr. passed peacefully into eternal life on June 5th. Originally from Middletown, MD, Hal lived in Sequim, WA and was at home surrounded by his loving family when he died.

He was the son of Charles Ernest and Naomi Kefauver Keller. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carol Mims Keller. Hal was the last of his immediate family. After growing up in Middletown, Hal attended the University of Maryland where he received his Bachelors Degree and also began his career in baseball. After graduation he served with the Merchant Marines during the final years of World War II. Returning home, he played for the original Washington Senators, a career that took him from a minor to major league player.

Before his career took him to baseball's front office, he pursued his second passion, working with young people, at Frederick High School teaching Mathematics and coaching baseball. He shortly returned to his first love, serving as a Scout for the original Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins. When Washington obtained a new franchise, he became the first Director of Player Development for the expansion Washington Senators and in 1972 moved with the team to Texas as the Ranger's Director of Player Development. While with the Rangers, he is credited with revolutionizing scouting by introducing the radar gun. In 1979 he left the Rangers to become the Seattle Mariners Director of Player Development and in 1984 he became the Mariner's General Manager for Baseball Operations.

In 1986, he retired from management to return to what he loved best, scouting. Had he been able to write his memoir, he always said it would be called "Where the Lights Are" saying he believed any real baseball lover could go into Anytown, USA and follow his nose to the nearest hometown baseball dia- mond. He received the George Genovese Lifetime Achievement Award in scouting from the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation in 2010.

Hal's second passion after his family was competitive Duplicate Bridge. While living in the Frederick area, he competed in all of the local Bridge clubs. He became an accomplished player attaining the rank of Gold Life Master. He also enjoyed playing golf, learning the game at Frederick's VFW Golf Course using brother Charlie's clubs. Where ever he traveled, Hal always remembered his roots in Middletown Valley as evidenced by the memorabilia throughout his home office. During his visits to Maryland, he loved to travel through the valley telling anecdotes about events on that farm, milk truck accidents on that road or hunting rabbits in that pasture.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by children Harold K. Keller Jr. of Littlestown, PA, Jo Ann (Bill) Moody, Patricia (Glenn) Carson and Jan (Dan) Coons of Harrisburg, PA, Dorhen Keene of Arlington, TX, Henry (Kim) Schwarz of Ferndale, WA, and William N (Erin) Keller of Tacoma, WA. He is also survived by his first wife, Marietta McKee Keller, Harrisburg, PA and 11 grandchildren and 6 great- grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his brothers, Charles E Keller Jr. and Hugh Keller, his sister Ruth K Holter, and son John David Keller.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Volunteer Hospice Of Clallam County, 540 East 8th Street, Port Angeles, WA 98363.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3 PM on June 30th at the American Legion, 1450 Taney Ave in Frederick.

Published in The Frederick News-Post on June 7, 2012

(thanks to contributor John King)
Major league baseball player 1949-1952. Catcher for the Washington Senators.

Mr. Harold Kefauver Keller, Sr. passed peacefully into eternal life on June 5th. Originally from Middletown, MD, Hal lived in Sequim, WA and was at home surrounded by his loving family when he died.

He was the son of Charles Ernest and Naomi Kefauver Keller. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carol Mims Keller. Hal was the last of his immediate family. After growing up in Middletown, Hal attended the University of Maryland where he received his Bachelors Degree and also began his career in baseball. After graduation he served with the Merchant Marines during the final years of World War II. Returning home, he played for the original Washington Senators, a career that took him from a minor to major league player.

Before his career took him to baseball's front office, he pursued his second passion, working with young people, at Frederick High School teaching Mathematics and coaching baseball. He shortly returned to his first love, serving as a Scout for the original Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins. When Washington obtained a new franchise, he became the first Director of Player Development for the expansion Washington Senators and in 1972 moved with the team to Texas as the Ranger's Director of Player Development. While with the Rangers, he is credited with revolutionizing scouting by introducing the radar gun. In 1979 he left the Rangers to become the Seattle Mariners Director of Player Development and in 1984 he became the Mariner's General Manager for Baseball Operations.

In 1986, he retired from management to return to what he loved best, scouting. Had he been able to write his memoir, he always said it would be called "Where the Lights Are" saying he believed any real baseball lover could go into Anytown, USA and follow his nose to the nearest hometown baseball dia- mond. He received the George Genovese Lifetime Achievement Award in scouting from the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation in 2010.

Hal's second passion after his family was competitive Duplicate Bridge. While living in the Frederick area, he competed in all of the local Bridge clubs. He became an accomplished player attaining the rank of Gold Life Master. He also enjoyed playing golf, learning the game at Frederick's VFW Golf Course using brother Charlie's clubs. Where ever he traveled, Hal always remembered his roots in Middletown Valley as evidenced by the memorabilia throughout his home office. During his visits to Maryland, he loved to travel through the valley telling anecdotes about events on that farm, milk truck accidents on that road or hunting rabbits in that pasture.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by children Harold K. Keller Jr. of Littlestown, PA, Jo Ann (Bill) Moody, Patricia (Glenn) Carson and Jan (Dan) Coons of Harrisburg, PA, Dorhen Keene of Arlington, TX, Henry (Kim) Schwarz of Ferndale, WA, and William N (Erin) Keller of Tacoma, WA. He is also survived by his first wife, Marietta McKee Keller, Harrisburg, PA and 11 grandchildren and 6 great- grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his brothers, Charles E Keller Jr. and Hugh Keller, his sister Ruth K Holter, and son John David Keller.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Volunteer Hospice Of Clallam County, 540 East 8th Street, Port Angeles, WA 98363.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3 PM on June 30th at the American Legion, 1450 Taney Ave in Frederick.

Published in The Frederick News-Post on June 7, 2012

(thanks to contributor John King)


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