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Hall of Famer George Kell Dead at 86

.306 career hitter won AL batting title in 1949

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 24, 2009 12:41 PM CDT

(Newser) – Baseball Hall of Famer and broadcaster George Kell died in his sleep this morning in Arkansas, MLB.com reports; he was 86. He batted .306 during 15 seasons in the 1940s and ‘50s, winning the American League batting crown in 1949. The 10-time All-Star, whose stops included Detroit, Boston, and Baltimore was considered one of the era’s top third basemen.

“He had a very laid-back style,” Ernie Harwell, a former broadcasting colleague in Detroit, told WWJ-AM. “He was easygoing and an expert on the game. He brought the field to the booth because he played and played well. He had a conversational style that people took to.”

In this 1979 file photo, broadcasters Al Kaline, left, and George Kell, right, pose in their broadcast booth at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
In this 1979 file photo, broadcasters Al Kaline, left, and George Kell, right, pose in their broadcast booth at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.   (AP Photo)
In this 1950 file photo, Detroit's George Kell warms up before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
In this 1950 file photo, Detroit's George Kell warms up before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.   (AP Photo)
In this 2002 file photo, Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell talks about his long career as a player and broadcaster at his Swifton, Ark., home.
In this 2002 file photo, Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell talks about his long career as a player and broadcaster at his Swifton, Ark., home.   (AP Photo)
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