Few men have ever had as long a career in baseball as did Major Kerby Farrell. Born in Leapwood, Tennessee, in 1913, Farrell signed his first professional baseball contract in 1931 and either played, managed, or coached for forty-one straight years. Farrell’s first major league break came as pitcher and first baseman with the Boston Braves in 1943. He then played for the Chicago White Sox in 1945. Farrell managed the Cleveland Indians in 1957 and was a coach with the Chicago White Sox from 1966 to 1969 and with Cleveland from 1970 to 1971. He first managed in the minors in 1941, a portion of his career that would produce five pennants and four playoff titles and span 2,000 games. He was recognized three times by “The Sporting News” as Minor League Manager of the Year. Farrell was the only manager in history to win the Junior World Series (between playoff champions of the American Association and the International League) as manager of a team from each league – Indianapolis of the American Association in 1956 and Buffalo of the International League in 1961. Rounding out his long and illustrious career in baseball, Farrell had a special assignment as scout for the Minnesota Twins in 1973. He devoted his life to the sport of baseball. It is through the devotion and hard work of men like Major Kerby Farrell that baseball remains such a solid institution today.
