1916 - 1990 (73 years) Submit Photo / Document
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Name |
Charles Ernest Keller |
Suffix |
Jr |
Nickname |
Charlie "King Kong" |
Born |
12 Sep 1916 |
Middletown, Frederick, Maryland |
Gender |
Male |
Census |
1920 |
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1920 Keller 2. 1920 US census, Frederick, Maryland, enumeration district 13, Family Number 35, Keller |
Census |
1930 |
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1930 Keller. 1930 US census, Middletown, Frederick, Maryland, enumeration district 11-17, Family Number 128, Keller. |
Occupation |
22 Apr 1939 |
He played major league baseball for thirteen seasons mostly with the New York Yankees. He played leftfield in what is considered by many the greatest outfield ever. He was teamed up with Joe DiMaggio in centerfield and Tommy Henrich in rightfield. They won the World Series three times (1939, 1941 and 1943). He was named to the American League All Star Team five times. He was a power hitter. Because of his ability to hit fly balls and home runs he was called "King Kong". |
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Charlie Keller Baseball Card. Charlie Keller Baseball Card. |
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Charlie Keller Autograph. Charlie Keller Autograph. |
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Yankees Outfield. Yankees Outfield. |
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Yank Homers Down Reds. Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa, Sunday, October 8, 1939 page 14. |
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Yanks Hop Off For Panama. The Miami Daily News, Saturday, February 9, 1946 sports section, page 1. |
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Before & After. The Baltimore, Maryland Sun, Monday, October 9, 1939 page 0. |
Census |
1940 |
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1940 Keller 1940 US census, Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, enumeration district 11-12, Family Number 13, Keller. |
Biographical Information |
1952 |
Upon his retirement he returned to Maryland and began raising horses. |
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Ex-Yankee Trots Into Spotlight. The Daily News, New York, New York, Sunday, June 14, 1981 page 96. |
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Charlie Keller In Horse Business. The Ithaca (New York) Journal, Monday, July 29, 1968 page 18. |
Military Service |
During World War II he tried to enlist in every branch of service but was rejected due to a congenital back condition. He could have played out the war in the major leagues, but was determined to help his country as best he could.
The Merchant Marine finally accepted his enlistment. He entered service in December 1943. He was commissioned an ensign on December 30, 1943. He trained at St. Petersburg, Florida Maritime Training Station in on January 21, 1944. He was assigned to Sheepshead Bay, New York, in the spring of 1944, where he trained as a purser-pharmacist's mate.
Beginning in the summer of 1944, Keller served at sea aboard a troop transport ship acrossing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Keller was discharged from service on August 17, 1945, in time to play 44 games for the Yankees before the season ended. Despite his time away from the game he batted .301 and clouted 10 homeruns. |
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Charlie Keller Passing Pills. The Daily News, Frederick, Maryland, Friday, August 25, 1944 page 9. |
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Charles Ernest Keller WW II Draft Card Charles Ernest Keller WW II Draft Card |
Died |
23 May 1990 |
Frederick, Frederick, Maryland |
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The Humanity Of King Kong. The Record, Hackensack, New Jersey, Friday, May 25, 1990. Section D (Sports) page one. |
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King Kong A Good-News Bear. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch, Tuesday, June 19, 1990, section D, page 4. |
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Charlie Keller 73. The Philadelphia Inquirer, Friday, May 25, 1990 section C, page 14. |
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King Kong Keller Dies. The Daily News, New York, New York, Thursday, May 24, 1990 page 81. |
Buried |
Christ Reformed Cemetery, Middletown, Frederick, Maryland, United States |
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Charlie E. Keller Headstone. Charlie E. Keller Headstone. |
Siblings |
3 siblings |
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Person ID |
I51443 |
Nagel |
Last Modified |
16 May 2020 |
Father |
Charles Ernest Keller, b. 18 Oct 1886, Maryland , d. 5 Jun 1955, Braddock Heights, Frederick, Maryland (Age 68 years) |
Relationship |
Birth |
Mother |
Naomi Sheffer Kefauver, b. 16 Feb 1890, Middletown, Frederick, Maryland , d. Jan 1974, Middletown, Frederick, Maryland (Age 83 years) |
Relationship |
Birth |
Married |
28 Feb 1917 |
Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland |
Family ID |
F15164 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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Event Map |
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| Born - 12 Sep 1916 - Middletown, Frederick, Maryland |
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| Died - 23 May 1990 - Frederick, Frederick, Maryland |
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| Buried - - Christ Reformed Cemetery, Middletown, Frederick, Maryland, United States |
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Pin Legend |
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set |
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