Billy Kirk, 75; Pitched in One Game for '61 Kansas City Athletics
Bill Schenley
Photo: http://snurl.com/szn4a
(LtR - Kirk, Curly Holtzapple, Brooks Robinson)
FROM: The York (PA) Daily Record ~
(Paid obit)
William P. Kirk, 75, died at Monday, October 26,
2009, at the Moravian Manor, in Lititz.
Born July 19, 1934, in Coatsville, he was the son
of the late William A. and Mildred Parthemore
Kirk.
He was a former major league baseball player, and
a retired advertising and marketing executive. After
his retirement, he served as a tipstaff at the York
County Court House primarily for Judge Dorney.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church
of York, Zeredatha Lodge, No. 451, Free and
Accepted Masons; and The Major League Baseball
Players Alumni Assoc. He was also a Veteran of
the U.S. Army.
Although he called York his home, Mr. Kirk spent
much of his life in Lancaster. As a young man,
Billy, as he was known then, built his own racer
and entered the 1949 All-American Soap Box
Derby competition. He won the local race and
traveled to Akron, Ohio for the national competition.
Mr. Kirk graduated from J. P. McCaskey in 1952.
During high school he was a gifted athlete excelling
in both soccer and baseball. Upon graduation, he
was offered a scholarship to West Chester
University, but chose instead to accept a minor
league pitching contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 1954, he signed a major league contract with
the Philadelphia Athletics. Mr. Kirk joined the
Kansas City Athletics baseball team in 1955.
He returned to Lancaster for a winning season with
the Lancaster Red Roses, where he pitched
a no-hitter at Stumpf Field in July of 1960. He
rejoined Kansas City and finished his career with
them in 1962. In 1964 he became a player/coach
for the York White Roses, which was the farm
team for the Washington Senators. Mr. Kirk loved
baseball and was involved in some aspect of the
sport his entire life.
Mr. Kirk will be deeply missed by his daughter,
Kelly Kirk-Wentzel and her husband, Eric of
Lititz; two sons, Matthew W. Kirk and his wife,
Deborah of Lancaster, and Chadd C. Kirk of
New York City; six grandchildren, Kirk Daniel,
Marenthia Lourdes, Walker, Savannah, Harrison
and Jacklyn; and a sister, Midge Thomas of LA.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary
Jean Rutter.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Saturday, at First Presbyterian Church of York,
225 E. Market St., with his Pastor, the Rev.
Dr. John E. Morgan, officiating.
Visitations will be 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at Kuhner
Associates Funeral Directors, 863 S. George
St., York, {the former Hahn Home} and 10 to
11 a.m. Saturday at the Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may
be made to Susan Byrnes Health Education
Center, 515 S. George St., York, PA 17403.
---
Stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kirkbi01.shtml
Thanks to Jack Morris from SABR for this obit.